John Dowland (1563 – buried 20 February 1626) was an influential English Renaissance composer, virtuoso lutenist, and singer, whose melancholic music resonates through the centuries. Often cited as one of the most eminent lutenist-composers before the advent of Johann Sebastian Bach, his works have captivated audiences and musicians alike with their expressive depth and complex beauty. Dowland's music, particularly his lute songs and solo lute pieces, embody the spirit of Elizabethan and Jacobean melancholy, a fashionable aesthetic of his time that was associated with introspection, wistfulness, and the literary trope of the "melancholic lover."

Among his most notable works are the "Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares", a collection of consort music which includes the famously somber "Lachrimae Pavan", and his many lute songs, such as "Flow my tears" and "Come Again". Dowland's music has been widely performed and recorded in the modern era, with recent releases including rich interpretations of his complete lute works, as well as reimaginings and remasters, like "Dowland: Lute Pieces by Julian Bream (Remastered 2023, Vienna 1956)". His legacy endures as enthusiasts and classical musicians continue to explore and relive the nuanced emotions and exquisite craftsmanship found within his compositions.

Genres

Classical

Early Music

Early Music Ensemble

English Renaissance

Renaissance

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William Byrd

Orlando Gibbons

Robert Johnson

Henry Purcell

Thomas Morley

Thomas Campion

Peter Phillips

The Tallis Scholars

Michael Praetorius

Thomas Tallis

Anonymous 4

Robert de Visée

Latest Release

Dowland: The Second Book of Songes: No. 2, Flow my tears

John Dowland•

thélème•

Jean-Christophe Groffe

Single - Released October 25, 2024