John Dowland (1563-1626)
Musical period: Late Renaissance/Early Baroque
Style: Lute, secular instrumental
A Lute
Fun Facts: John Dowland was a skilled lutenist and is remembered mostly for his many compositions for that instrument. If you have a penchant for sad, dark, lovelorn, moody songs, check out his lute and voice pieces.
Dowland employed word-painting techniques found in madrigals to match the tunes to his melancholy texts. His early songs follow dance forms and are mostly strophic.
For your listening pleasure: Here is a really great video of “Flow my Tears.”
Score: http://www1.cpdl.org/wiki/images/7/78/492.pdf
Text:
Flow, my tears, fall from your springs!
Exiled for ever, let me mourn;
Where night’s black bird her sad infamy sings,
There let me live forlorn.
Down vain lights, shine you no more!
No nights are dark enough for those
That in despair their lost fortunes deplore.
Light doth but shame disclose.
Never may my woes be relieved,
Since pity is fled;
And tears and sighs and groans my weary days
Of all joys have deprived.
From the highest spire of contentment
My fortune is thrown;
And fear and grief and pain for my deserts
Are my hopes, since hope is gone.
Hark! you shadows that in darkness dwell,
Learn to condemn light
Happy, happy they that in hell
Feel not the world’s despite.
