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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Dowland - In Darkness Let Me Dwell
John Dowland, born in London around 1563, was the most renowned lutenist in Europe. As a composer, he captured perfectly the fashionable melancholy of the Elizabethan age. For her new album In Darkness Let Me Dwell, viola da gamba virtuoso Hille Perl has selected some of Downland’s songs, coupled with instrumental pieces from his famous collection Lachrimae, or Seven Tears (1604). Together with her viola da gamba ensemble The Sirius Viols, the Amercian lutenist Lee Santana and the soprano Dorothee Mields Hille Perl eloquently portrays the melancholy spirit of Dowland’s music. In the songs, the solo lute pieces, the gaillards and pavanes for viola da gamba consort this melancholy is infinitely touching, and highly expressive. For this recording, The Sirius Viols was able to use copies of original instruments from the workshop of renowned instrument maker Tilman Muthesius from Potsdam. “It might not be evident in Sting's versions, but the music of the 16th-century composer John Dowland involved an appreciation of the way despair could be surmounted by its transformation into melancholy artistic expression.
That shines through the "Seven Shades of Melancholy" captured in these 15 interpretations by lutenist Lee Santana and a consort of viola da gamba led by Hille Perl, with soprano Dorothee Mields giving full account of the "despaire, griefe and sorrowe" in Dowland's lyrics.” The Independent, 13th February 2009 **** “Mields's slight accent aside, the songs are a pleasure to listen to: the voice - full yet light and with just a hint of vibrato - blends fully with the sonorous, well balanced and highly musical Sirius Viols… while yielding to the gentle majesty of Santana's expertly played lute...” Gramophone Magazine, May 2009 | | | Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days. |
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| |  | Baroque Voices 18 - Dowland: Ayres
These beautiful and melancholy “Ayres” by the English 16th century composer John Dowland may be seen as precursors of the songs of the Romantic period, two centuries later. They are performed here by the renowned combination of Gerard Lesne and the Ensemble Orlando Gibbons. | | | Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days. |
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| |  | Byrdland
Byrd: | Ye sacred muses - an elegy for Thomas Tallis Lullaby, my sweet little baby Come to me, grief, for ever I Thought That Love Had Been A Boy Crowned with flow'rs and lilies | Danyel: | The Leaves Be Greene | Dowland: | Can she excuse my wrongs? (First Booke of Songes, 1597) Now, O now, I needs must part Flow my teares (Lacrimæ) Fine knacks for ladies In darkness let me dwell | Galilei, V: | La Volta | Gibbons, O: | The Silver Swan Fantasia of four parts | Holborne: | The Fairie-round Galliard | Morley: | April is in My Mistress' Face | Playford: | Under The Greenwood Tree The Indian Queen | Purcell: | If love's a sweet passion (from The Fairy Queen, Z628) Fairest Isle (from King Arthur) Man is for the woman made (from The Mock Marriage, Z605) Dance for the Haymakers (from The Fairy Queen, Z628) An Evening Hymn 'Now that the sun hath veiled his light', Z193 |
A tantalising fusion of ancient and modern, ‘Byrdland’ explores the world of the Renaissance song accompanied by a modern-day saxophone quartet. All the songs on the disc were written by the great composers working in England in the 16th and 17th centuries. Recent recordings by artists as diverse as Sting and Brian Asawa have partnered the singer with the more traditional lute. “…the elegant phrasing and sumptuous tonal character of the Paragon Quartet's playing… combines the warm intimacy of a viol consort with the fruit richness of shawms and crumhorns. Zazzo has one of the most flawless, beautifully-controlled voices you could wish to hear. ...his sound and technique rival even Scholl's and his diction is excellent in this astute mixture of familiar and lesser-known pieces.” BBC Music Magazine, Proms 2007 **** “Zazzo's interpretation of the text and tasteful shaping of melody would grace any kind of performance style, and it is intriguing to hear some tenderly realised polyphonic lines delineated by the Paragon Saxophone Quartet. Byrd's "Lullaby" and Gibbon's "The Silver Swan" get an attractive alternative life here. ...a rare example of successfully reinventing "early" music.” Gramophone Magazine, October 2007 | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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| |  | The John Dowland CollectionWith new booklet article, Dowland timeline, and sung texts in English
Dowland: | Lachrimae Antiquae If my complaints could passions move Can she excuse my wrongs? (First Booke of Songes, 1597) Come away, come, sweet love My Lady Hudson's Allmande A Piece without title The Shoemaker's Wife Come again, sweet love doth now invite Come heavy sleep Mr Dowland's Midnight Sir John Smith, His Almain Semper Dowland Semper Dolens Lachrimae Gementes I saw my Lady weepe Flow my teares (Lacrimæ) Fine knacks for ladies Shall I sue? Lachrimae Tristes Me, me, and none but me Forlorn Hope Fancy (Fantasie No. 2) Weepe you no more, sad fountaines Lachrimae Coactae Go, nightly cares The Right Honourable Ferdinando The most sacred Queene Elizabeth her Galliard Tell me, true Love Lachrimae Amantis In darkness let me dwell A Fantasie My Lord Chamberlaine his Galliard Far from triumphing Court I shame at mine unworthiness Lachrimae Verae |
Whether gay or sad, simple or complex, John Dowland’s music has the power to move us four centuries after its composition. This wide-ranging anthology explores all aspects of the work of England’s greatest songwriter and lutenist, performed by leading exponents of his art today. “The collection might have sounded like a bit of a hotchpotch were it not for the fact that Dowland's celebrated Lachrimae pavans are woven through the sequence, giving the whole a sense of unity and shape. All in all, it makes a nostalgic and inspiring testimony to Dowland's versatility.” BBC Music Magazine, May 2007 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | The Best of Andreas Scholl
“Scholl's voice rushes through the bloodstream” The Times | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | John Dowland - Ayres
| | | (also available to download from $10.50) | Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days. (Available now to download.) |
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| |  | Faire, Sweet & CruellElizabethan Songs
| | | (also available to download from $10.50) | This item is currently out of stock at the UK distributor. You may order it now but please be aware that it may be six weeks or more before it can be despatched. (Available now to download.) |
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| |  | Dowland: Flow My Tears and other Lute Songs
Dorothy Linell (lute), Steven Rickards (counter-tenor) | | | (also available to download from $6.00) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
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| |  | John Dowland: Lute Songs
Andrew Dalton (Countertenor), Yasunori Imamura (Lute) | | | This item is currently out of stock at the UK distributor. You may order it now but please be aware that it may be six weeks or more before it can be despatched. |
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| |  | In Darkness Let Me Dwell
John Potter (tenor) Barry Guy (double bass), Maya Homburger (violin), Stephen Stubbs (lute), John Surman (soprano saxophone, bass clarinet) A fascinating project initiated by Hilliard Ensemble tenorist John Potter with producer Manfred Eicher, which re-examines the beautiful songs of the great sixteenth century composer from a present-day perspective. Potter: "This is the first time anyone's approached Dowland not from an 'early music' angle, but simply as music. We're working with Dowland as though he were still with us." The subject matter of the songs, with despair and 'alienation' uppermost, is entirely pertinent for our times, and the exceptional ensemble ranged around John Potter restores an improvisational flexibility to the music. | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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