Album insights
John Dowland stands out among English song composers before the 20th century due to the extensive reception history of his works, maintaining a distinct voice across all versions of his songs. The high quality of his music, along with Dowland's desires, contributed to this reputation. His First Booke of Songes or Ayres (1597) stands as the only lute song collection printed in multiple editions, with an astonishing six editions. Despite a momentary setback with his Third and Last Booke (1603), Dowland achieved a compelling comeback with his final songbook, A Pilgrim's Solace (1612), skillfully avoiding labeling the collection as a book of airs. These exceptional works of 15 years encapsulate Dowland's musical journey across various territories, now Germany, Italy, Denmark, France, and back to England at the court of James I.
Printed prefaces provided Dowland the platform to express his personal, sometimes contentious, and always firm musical views, highlighting injustices in his life, critiquing rival composers, and pointing out flaws of the late Elizabethan era. Dowland's deliberate self-praise influenced reactions to his passionate, wide-ranging, and occasionally chromatically adventurous music before anyone had even heard a single note. 19th-century literary historians affirmed the greatness of English culture through Elizabethan lyrics, while early 20th-century advocates of "Early Music" turned to Dowland as an embodiment of this literary genius in song. In our own age, his songs resonate with romantic isolation, expressing the individual's alienation from society and tapping into deep-seated fears. Dowland's motto, "semper Dowland semper dolens," encouraged performers and listeners to connect with his life and work in a uniquely intimate, confessional manner.
Unlike most of his peers, Dowland didn't credit the authors of his song lyrics. One might speculate that he possibly penned some of them himself. Starting with "Unquiet thoughts" from his First Booke, a song encapsulating many of Dowland's fundamental ideas, reflecting inner conflicts resonating with political upheavals of the late Elizabethan era in England. The choice between silence and revealing one's heart's passions plus the use of striking visual metaphors inspiring dramatic musical gestures are recurrent themes. Dowland's early biographer, Thomas Fuller, described him as "a cheerful person who spent his days in lawful merriment" (The History of the Worthies of England, 1662). Over his career, Dowland was successful as a chapel master, incredibly talented lute soloist and accompanist, and later, following the peak of his career, also engaged in masquerades. There is no documented evidence suggesting Dowland earned a living as a singer.
Many eminent singers over the years have taken on Dowland's voice, becoming a starting point for this CD. Dowland's contemporaries began a process of adaptation and transformation that continues today. Versions of his songs from the early 17th century, often found in manuscripts connected to small private theaters, were performed alongside viol or plucked string instruments like the bandura or lute. Dowland's music provided material for adaptation and improvisation alongside other composers like Byrd, Campion, and Morley, influencing subsequent generations. A rendition of "If my complaints could passions move" from one such source, possibly a theater manuscript, housed at the Christ Church Library, Oxford, is included here. The loss of written lute tablature in the source benefits the singer by allowing flexible delivery of the words, enabling interpretations akin to later compositions dictated more by vocalists.
Singers' inclination to add numerous embellishments went against Dowland's preferences. Yet, a tempting fragment of "Sorrow, stay!" in the same manuscript displays the latest Italian ornaments used by professional singers of the time. Another piece, "I must complain," from the Christ Church manuscript, is heavily ornamented and presents a version with the original first verse complemented by Dowland's complete setting from his Third and Last Booke (1603). Variations in singing practices are evident among those who purchased Dowland's volumes, sometimes conflicting, and sometimes enriching his music. "What if I never speed?" exemplifies this conflict, at times uneasy but ultimately juxtaposing love and admiration with unexpected seriousness.
"In darkness let me dwell" portrays a struggle, perhaps a reaction to musicians' tendency for embellishments, tacitly acknowledging that such vocal effects can have a potent impact when done right, despite Dowland never admitting openly to ornamental excess (refer to the preface to "A Pilgrim's Solace"). The melody of the piece ascends at the word "me," musically climactic though metrically insignificant, capturing the singer's revolutionary resignation on the final note most expressively. Dowland's admirers may consider this song his finest, yet those sharing space with "Lachrymae" or "Flow, my tears" in 17th-century manuscripts and popular volumes offer a different perspective—revealing Dowland's wit and humor not often acknowledged.
Intersections between lyrics and music sometimes challenge the delicate balance esteemed among lute song composers. Consider "Now, O now, I needs must part," where the courtship of the Duke of Alençon and Queen Elizabeth I appears intertwined with the departure of the Duke. Dowland's melodies had a way of giving voice to historical moments subtly. The moon, often a symbol in songs regarding the virgin queen, factors into "Say, Love, if ever thou didst find," a wonderful piece reflecting themes of love and constancy. "Away with these self-loving lads" and its exuberant accompaniment shadowing the text with chords rather than counterpoint, signifies a departure from the typical Dowland style. This recording includes the last of Dowland's seven Fantasias, a wonderful contribution to guitar repertoire inspired by the English composer.
Benjamin Britten's fascination with Dowland's dark temperament and chromatic expression led to the incorporation of Dowland's melodies in his compositions. Britten's intricate reimagining of Dowland's "If my complaints could passion move" within "Lachrymae" for viola and "Nocturnal" for guitar showcases an exploration of tensions and nightmares beneath the surface of Dowland's melodies. The influence of Dowland on Britten contributes to a rich legacy of reinterpretation through various musical instruments, keeping Dowland's spirit alive in modern compositions.