The Dowland Project, the ensemble on this album, uses historical appropriateness as a point of departure for new interpretations of songs, based on how they evolved in subsequent generations.
Compositional Technique
The 'division' repertoire, exemplified by Riccardo Rognoni's 1620 version of Cipriano de Rore's 'Ancor che col partire', involves a performer creatively reworking a popular tune, similar to how a jazz musician treats a standard.
Interpretation
On this album, John Potter sings the soprano part of Monteverdi's 'Amor dov'è la fe'' (Lamento della ninfa), with the instruments taking the men's role, reflecting a common 17th-century practice of role reversal.
Compositional Technique
Dowland, a 17th-century composer, brought the lutesong to its peak, specifying every note for the lutenist using tablature, similar to modern guitar notation.
Recording & Production
This album is the latest stop on a musical journey that began in 1998 when Manfred Eicher, the producer, asked John Potter to create a CD of music by John Dowland.
Historical Context
In the 16th and 17th centuries, printed madrigal books were often used as source material for less prescriptive music-making, allowing musicians to create their own versions.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Henry Purcell, a 17th-century English composer, uniquely synthesized French and Italian musical styles with his 'quirky Englishness'.
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