Come Again John Dowland Instruments Used

Linda Crampton has loved music since childhood. She plays the pianoforte and recorder, sings, and listens to classical, folk, and early music.

The lute in a detail of The Ambassadors (1533) by Hans Holbein

Stephanie Buck, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain license

John Dowland

John Dowland (1563–1626 or mayhap 1562–1626) was a prolific and famous composer in Renaissance England. He was also a singer and a lute histrion. He created songs also as music for dances, solo instrument performances, and consorts. Dowland often wrote melancholy songs, which were popular in his time. Much of his instrumental piece of work and some of his songs are more cheerful, all the same. His compositions are enjoyed by many fans of early music today, including me.

I've included performances of eleven of John Dowland'south compositions in this commodity. I also talk over the pieces and give a few facts about the performers. Though I've written Dowland'south proper name as the source of the quoted lyrics, it'south uncertain whether he created the words for all of his songs or whether he used poems or lyrics created by other people for some of them.

Self-portrait of the artist playing the lute by Jan Steen (1625/1626-1679)

Alonzo de Mendosa, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain license

1. Come Over again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite

In "Come up Again, Sweet Dear Doth Now Invite," the vocalist describes his desire to be with his loved one over again. Sadly, she is now full of disdain for him after once returning his love. The vocaliser tells her that he wants to "die with thee over again." I recollect the director of a choir that I once belonged to giving an amusing description of what "die" means in early music. Information technology does sometimes refer to physical death, only information technology also refers to the height of passion during an intimate human relationship.

I think the singer in the video below gives a lovely performance of the song. Some debate exists almost how much song vibrato was used in the Renaissance. Vibrato is a slight variation in pitch in both directions equally a vocalizer holds a notation. It'south a technique used by opera singers to give richness to a tone. It was often frowned upon in the Renaissance because it was thought to remove the purity of a tone. Some early-music singers today use very trivial or no vibrato. Others, like the singer below, use more than.

To run across, to hear,

To impact, to osculation

To die with thee again

In sweetest sympathy

— John Dowland

Nola Richardson is a soprano who is based in the U.s.. She performs as a soloist with orchestras and choirs and has also appeared in operas. She oftentimes sings early music. The lutenist in the video is John Armato.

2. Fantasia No. vii

Many of Dowland's pieces are played today by the lute, as he intended. Some of them have been transcribed for the classical guitar, however. Personally, I prefer the sound of this instrument to that of the lute, fifty-fifty though it produces less authentic performances.

A fantasia lacks a fixed musical form. I honey the performance of Dowland'southward "Fantasia No. 7" below. The slice has a rich texture and interesting rhythms. Information technology's quite different from the composer'southward songs. John Dowland was a versatile musician.

The guitarist in the video is Aljaž Cvirn. He's based in Slovenia but performs regularly in many European countries and competes in international competitions.

3. Menstruation My Tears (Lachrimae)

"Catamenia My Tears" is a very melancholy vocal. The vocalist bemoans the fact that they have been exiled with no hope of return. The song begins with the following two lines and ends with the very depressing verse quoted below.

"Catamenia, my tears, fall from your springs,
Exiled for ever, let me mourn"

Whorl to Continue

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The singer in the video is soprano Phoebe Jevtovic Rosquist and the lutenist is David Tayler. Both musicians are based in the United States. I think the vocaliser conveys the misery expressed in the lyrics well.

Hark! yous shadows that in darkness dwell,

Learn to condemn light

Happy, happy they that in hell

Feel not the earth's despite.

— John Dowland

four. Mrs. Winter'due south Spring

In contrast to the previous piece, "Mrs. Wintertime's Spring" has a lively tune. It's a short just cheerful lute piece meant to accompany a dance. We don't know who Mrs. Winter was, merely she probable belonged to the upper grade of society. Dancing was a popular activity at the time and dancing ability was an important skill for wealthy people.

Nigel Due north is the instrumentalist in the video. He's a British lutenist and lute instructor who has been involved in many recordings of musical performances. He'south currently a professor at the Jacobs School of Music, which is part of Indiana University in the United States.

5. Now, O At present I Needs Must Part

The song beneath is performed in the style of a music video. I similar watching the video considering in addition to the enjoyable vocal presentation information technology shows a journeying on an one-time steam train in England. The train travels along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The plot of the video involves 4 friends who go on the railroad train together and sing Dowland'southward song once on board. It as well involves a somewhat isolated lutenist who follows them. The group'south description of the video on YouTube says that the singers "are trailed (or guided?) past a mysterious lutenist during a 24-hour interval out on a vintage steam train."

The lyrics of the song are sad, just the tune sung past the singers in the video and in most other versions that I've heard isn't as melancholy equally in the previous songs. The singer in the lyrics is expressing his sadness nigh the fact that he must exit his loved ane, though he doesn't explain why he must do this.

Now, O at present, I needs must part,

Parting though I absent mourn.

Absence tin can no joy impart:

Joy once fled cannot return.

— John Dowland

Despite its French name, Les Canards Chantants (or The Singing Ducks) is based in Philadelphia. The grouping specializes in giving early on music performances and currently consists of vi members.

vi. The Frog Galliard

The galliard was a popular trip the light fantastic in England during the Renaissance. It'south often described as a sprightly or fifty-fifty an athletic dance. The choreographed movement patterns involved hops, jumps, and leaps at specific moments. Queen Elizabeth 1st is said to have been a bully fan of the dance. It's uncertain why Dowland called his tune the "frog" galliard. The tune of "Now, O Now I Needs Must Office" is said to be based on that of "The Frog Galliard."

I chose the video beneath non only considering I like the guitarist's performance but likewise considering he gives an interesting introduction to John Dowland and the music. The musician is Matthew McAllister. He plays the classical guitar in concerts and also teaches the instrument.

7. Sorrow, Stay

In this slice, we return to beautiful simply melancholy music. The song ends with depressing lines in which the singer says that they have no promise of relief. The first iv lines of the song are shown below.

"Sorrow, stay, lend true repentant tears
To a woeful wretched wight.
Hence, despair with thy tormenting fears
O do not my poor middle affright".

In the video beneath, the slice is sung past Andreas Scholl. He'southward a countertenor, or a male person alto, from Germany. He'southward a composer and teacher as well as a pop performer and specializes in baroque music.

8. Fantasia No. 1

Unlike the fantasia above, this one is played on the lute by Nigel N. Like the previous piece, nonetheless, it has a rich texture created by the tune and harmonies and the melding of the unlike parts.

Dowland wrote seven fantasias for the lute. To me, it most seems like they were written by a different person from the songs, though this wasn't the example. John Dowland must accept been a talented lutenist.

9. Fine Knacks for Ladies

Dowland did write some cheerful songs, including this one. The piece is sometimes known every bit "The Pedlar'south Vocal." Ostensibly, the lyrics are sung by a pedlar (known every bit a peddler in Due north America) who is advertisement his wares. Some of the lines are puzzling and suggest that there is more to their pregnant than we realize, yet, including the reference to "Turtles and twins, Court's brood, a heavenly pair."

Information technology's unknown whether Dowland wrote the lyrics or used a verse form that had already been written. The first verse of the vocal is shown beneath. I like the performance of the quartet in the video underneath the quote, but unfortunately, I don't know their names.

Fine knacks for ladies, inexpensive, choice, brave and new,

Practiced pennyworths but coin cannot motility,

I proceed a fair but for the fair to view,

A ragamuffin may be liberal of dearest.

Though all my wares be trash, the heart is true.

— John Dowland (or perhaps anonymous)

10. The Earl of Essex Galliard

I don't know why the Earl of Essex deserved a galliard named in his honour, merely I'grand glad Dowland created it. The Earl in question is Robert Devereux, 2d Earl of Essex, who was a favourite of the queen before he was accused of treason.

In the video below, the slice is played by an impressive collection of renaissance recorders belonging to a grouping called The Regal Current of air Music. The grouping is based in Amsterdam.

The list of recorder types in guild of increasing size and decreasing pitch is listed beneath. The soprano recorder is the typical size played by elementary schoolhouse students. The sub-contrabass is a gigantic and very rare instrument. The numbers in brackets stand for the number of instruments in The Royal Wind Music.

• sopranino
• soprano
• alto or treble (two)
• tenor (2)
• bass (ane)
• great bass (two)
• contrabass (2)
• sub-contrabass (1)

eleven. Can She Excuse My Wrongs

Though I enjoy listening to the recorders play "The Earl of Essex Galliard," I call back the tune of the slice shows up ameliorate in the video below. The video includes Julian Bream, a well-known classical guitarist and lutenist in Britain during the twentieth century. He's still live, though I don't know whether he still performs.

In the video, Bream plays the lute. He's accompanied by musicians playing other instruments besides as tenor Robert Tear. When accompanied by lyrics, the galliard is sometimes called "Tin She Alibi My Wrongs." Both the version without lyrics and the 1 with lyrics were played in Dowland's time.

Though the lyrics sound as though they could be referring to the Earl'due south autumn from grace, the point in time when they were created and the moment when they were added to the music is uncertain. It doesn't seem that Dowland got into whatsoever trouble by publicizing the words of the song.

Can she excuse my wrongs with Virtue's cloak?

Shall I phone call her good when she proves unkind?

Are those clear fires which vanish into fume?

Must I praise the leaves where no fruit I find?

— John Dowland

Interesting Compositions

I think that exploring John Dowland'due south music is very worthwhile. Renewed interest in his work began in the twentieth century and continues today. Enough of his work has survived to enable people to focus simply on the songs, just on the instrumental pieces, or on Dowland's whole surviving repertoire.

I bask listening to Dowland's music and playing or singing his pieces. In addition, I detect that listening to his music and the lyrics is an interesting link to history and the way of life (at least in some parts of guild) in the past. His compositions are interesting for multiple reasons.

References and a Resource

• An overview of the life of John Dowland from Oxford Academy Press
• Information near the composer and his music from encylopedia.com
• Vocal works by John Dowland (public domain lyrics and music scores) from the Choral Public Domain Library, too known every bit CPDL and ChoralWiki

© 2019 Linda Crampton

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on March xx, 2020:

Hi, Peggy. Thank you for commenting. I promise you take a good weekend.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March xx, 2020:

I am listening to Fantasia No. 7 as I read this. I'll have to come back and heed to more of these videos. I was not familiar with the music composed past John Dowland. Cheers for assembling this information.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 19, 2020:

Hi, Denise. I enjoyed the train trip video, too. John Dowland wrote some lovely music. Thank you very much for the visit and the comment.

Denise McGill from Fresno CA on Feb 19, 2020:

These were all marvelous pieces. I was very entertained by the railroad train trip. I call up the lute is a sadly underrated musical instrument and ought to be revived.

Blessings,

Dneise

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on March 11, 2019:

Give thanks you, Devika. I always appreciate your visits.

DDE on March 11, 2019:

Impressive and fascinating virtually the 11 Renaissance Songs and Instrumental Pieces by John Dowland. A true and unique hub.

Linda Crampton (writer) from British Columbia, Canada on February 26, 2019:

Thanks for commenting, Nithya. I'chiliad glad you lot enjoyed the music.

Nithya Venkat from Dubai on February 25, 2019:

Cheers for introducing me to John Dowland. I enjoyed listening to his musical compositions.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on Feb 24, 2019:

Thank you very much for visit and the kind and interesting comment, Genna.

Genna East from Massachusetts, USA on February 24, 2019:

Hi Linda...

Stunning article. The lute and courtly dance music thrived throughout the English courts so I was especially interested in Dowland's vocal for Robert Devereaux, as he also dedicated music Queen Elizabeth after her death. (Elizabeth is a favorite character of mine in history.) He never received a courtroom engagement from her. Well researched and beautifully presented, Linda as always. This was a delight to read and to listen to.

Linda Crampton (writer) from British Columbia, Canada on February 15, 2019:

Hi, Flourish. I haven't done much research into why melancholy songs were pop in Dowland's fourth dimension, merely i music writer says they were admired because they showed that the composer was capable of deep feelings.

Thanks for sharing the information well-nigh your true cat. I loved reading about her reaction when she heard the music.

FlourishAnyway from USA on February 15, 2019:

Prior to this, I don't recall I've e'er heard annihilation played on the lute. (My cat and I listened to the videos. I enjoyed the soprano more than she did. Her ears turned like an owl'due south.) Thanks for sharing this type of music with usa. Any idea why the music lyrics tended to exist so melancholy?

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February thirteen, 2019:

Thank yous, Bede. I appreciate your visit. I agree with your comments nearly the classical guitar and the piece played by the guitarist. I love the musical instrument, the John Dowland piece, and the guitarist's rendition of the piece.

Bede from Minnesota on February 13, 2019:

I really enjoyed this article, Linda. It makes me desire to know more than virtually JD. I agree that his music sounds better on classical guitar. Information technology has a fuller sound. The piece played by the Slovene guitarist is exceptionally cute.

Linda Crampton (writer) from British Columbia, Canada on Feb 12, 2019:

Thank you lot very much for the comment, Dianna. I think Dowland'south music is worth listening to.

Dianna Mendez on February 12, 2019:

I feel similar I have been to a classical concert series! This is such an interesting post. I listened to a couple of the songs. I thought the Frog was quite amusing.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 12, 2019:

Cheers very much for listening to the videos, Dora. I capeesh your annotate as well.

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on February 12, 2019:

I listened to iii of the videos. One was relaxing. Another was classic at best and held my attention and admiration. The vocals are excellent. Thanks for these cute pieces to our enjoyment. Cheers for this informative article.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 12, 2019:

Hi, Chitrangada. Thank you so much for reading the article, listening to the music, and leaving such a dainty annotate.

Chitrangada Sharan from New Delhi, Republic of india on February 12, 2019:

An interesting commodity, with some swell music.

I checked out some of the videos and they are just wonderful. Thank you for familiarising me with this great music personality and his wonderful piece of work.

Thanks for sharing this well researched and well presented commodity!

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 11, 2019:

How-do-you-do, Frances. I would dearest to travel on the railway. Having the singers in my railroad vehicle would exist a wonderful bonus! I appreciate your visit.

Linda Crampton (writer) from British Columbia, Canada on February xi, 2019:

Thanks, Pamela. I did do research for the article, only perhaps not as much as you might retrieve. I've sung some of Dowland's songs for a long time. I also play the alto recorder and am interested in the dissimilar forms of the instrument.

Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on Feb 11, 2019:

Linda, I was not familiar with this composer and very talented homo before, just I love the words to his music. Cheers for a very interesting article that I know must have required quite a bit of research.

Frances Metcalfe from The Limousin, France on February 11, 2019:

Hullo Linda I know Menstruation My Tears, and it was nice to have some Dowland with a smile on his face up! I take travelled on the North Yorks Railway and would accept loved to take this group in my carriage - my favourite of all the performances - beautiful voices. Enjoyed the commodity.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 11, 2019:

Thank you very much for the visit and the annotate, Eman.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on Feb 11, 2019:

Hi, Liz. Thanks for the visit and the interesting question. Shakespeare lived from 1564 to 1616 and John Donne from 1572 to 1631, so their lives did overlap in time with that of John Dowland.

Eman Abdallah Kamel from Egypt on Feb 11, 2019:

A very interesting article. Thanks, Linda for sharing all this data virtually these beautiful classical musical instruments.

Liz Westwood from UK on February 11, 2019:

I had not heard of John Dowland before I read your very informative article. Would he take been a contemporary of Shakespeare and John Donne?

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February eleven, 2019:

Cheers, Maren. I think it'due south lovely music, too!

Maren Elizabeth Morgan from Pennsylvania on February eleven, 2019:

Lovely music. Thanks for doing the inquiry!

Linda Crampton (writer) from British Columbia, Canada on February xi, 2019:

Thanks for the visit, Nib. I hope you lot have equally adept a mean solar day every bit possible.

Bill The netherlands from Olympia, WA on February 11, 2019:

I'm afraid we have some weather issues here, so I must run. Have a groovy solar day!

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Source: https://spinditty.com/genres/Renaissance-Songs-and-Dance-Music-Composed-by-John-Dowland

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