Dowland: Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares

Featuring

Dowland Consort
John Dowland

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Instruments

The viols and bows used in this recording were specially commissioned by Alison Crum and Trevor Jones, two of the performers on this album.

Cultural Impact

Dowland's 'Lachrimae' became phenomenally popular, with its title mentioned in theatre, poems, and other contemporary documents, and its lute solo arranged by composers across Europe.

Composer Biography

Dowland was appointed lutenist to Christian IV of Denmark in 1598, but was dismissed in 1606 due to deep financial trouble.

Composer Biography

Dowland's failure to secure a lutenist post at Queen Elizabeth's court, due to court expenditure cuts, contributed to his melancholic disposition.

Interpretation

The instruments on this recording are set up according to 17th-century practice, using gut strings and fixed-frog bows.

Composer Biography

John Dowland, the composer, converted to Roman Catholicism at age 17 while in France, a fact he mistakenly believed hindered his career.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Dowland's choice of 'seven' for his 'Seaven Teares' was influenced by the medieval and Renaissance belief that there were seven planets, a concept dating back to antiquity.