John Dowland ( – buried 20 February 1626) was an English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep", "Come again", "Flow my tears", "I saw my Lady weepe", "Now o now I needs must part", and "In darkness let me dwell". His instrumental music has undergone a major revival, and with the 20th century's early music revival, has been a continuing source of repertoire for lutenists and classical guitarists.
Life and career Very little is known of Dowland's early life, but it is generally thought he was born in London. Sources put his birth year as 1563, based on his own written statements about his age. Irish historian W. H. Grattan Flood claimed that he was born in Dalkey, near Dublin, but no corroborating evidence has been found either for that or for Thomas Fuller's claim that he was born in Westminster. One piece of evidence points to Dublin as his place of origin: he dedicated the song "From Silent Night" to 'my loving countryman Mr. John Forster the younger, merchant of Dublin in Ireland'. The Forsters were a prominent Dublin family at the time, providing several Lord Mayors to the city.
In 1580 Dowland went to Paris, where he was in service to Sir Henry Cobham, the ambassador to the French court, and his successor Sir Edward Stafford. He met several Roman Catholics at this time, and may have privately converted to their faith. Around 1584, Dowland moved back to England and married. In 1588 he was admitted Mus. Bac. from Christ Church, Oxford. In 1594 a vacancy for a lutenist came up at the English court, but Dowland's application was unsuccessful. He claimed his religion led to his not being offered a post at Elizabeth I's Protestant court, but his conversion was not publicised, and being Catholic did not prevent some other important musicians (such as William Byrd) from a court career.
In 1594-5, Dowland travelled to Europe again, first visiting Germany, where he enjoyed the patronage of the Duke of Brunswick and the Landgrave of Hesse, and then touring Italy, including Padua, Venice and Florence. He briefly described these journeys in an introductory note to the reader at the start of his First Book of Songs.
Dowland had planned to continue his Italian travels by going to Rome to visit the famous madrigal composer Luca Marenzio, from whom he had received a letter of invitation, but in late 1595 he changed his mind and returned to England. He set out the reasons for this change of plan in a remarkable letter he wrote to Robert Cecil, dated November 1595. In the letter, he confesses to having Catholic sympathies, but expresses his loyalty to the Queen and his horror at some of the plots against her that he has become aware of. He also names some of these conspirators.
From 1598 Dowland worked at the court of Christian IV of Denmark, though he made occasional visits to London and continued to publish there. King Christian paid Dowland astronomical sums; his salary was 500 daler a year, making him one of the highest-paid servants of the Danish court. Though Dowland was highly regarded by King Christian, he was not the ideal servant, often overstaying his leave when he went to England on publishing business or for other reasons. The title page of his 1604 Lachrimae book states that he had a house in Fetter Lane in London. Twentieth century writers stated that Dowland was dismissed in 1606, but modern scholars suggest that he may have left Denmark and returned to England voluntarily.
In early 1612 Dowland secured a post as one of James I's lutenists. There are few compositions dating from the moment of his royal appointment until his death in London in 1626. While the date of his death is not known, "Dowland's last payment from the court was on 20 January 1626, and he was buried at St Ann's, Blackfriars, London, on 20 February 1626."
John Dowland was married and had children, as referenced in his letter to Sir Robert Cecil. However, he had long periods of separation from his family, as his wife stayed in England while he worked on the Continent.
His son Robert Dowland (c. 1591 – 1641) was also a musician, working for some time in the service of the first Earl of Devonshire, and taking over his father's position of lutenist at court when John died.
Musical style
Two major influences on Dowland's music were popular consort songs and the dance music of the day. He also acknowledged, in the introductory note in his First Book of Songs, the influence of the many musicians he met on his European travels. Much of Dowland's music is for his own instrument, the lute. It includes several books of solo lute works, lute songs (for one voice and lute), part-songs with lute accompaniment, and several pieces for viol consort with lute.
One of his better known works is the lute song "Flow my tears", the first verse of which runs:
He later wrote what is probably his best known instrumental work, Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares, Figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans, a set of seven pavanes for five viols and lute, each based on the theme derived from the lute song "Flow my tears". It became one of the best known collections of consort music in his time. His pavane "Lachrymae antiquae" was also popular in the 17th century, and was arranged and used as a theme for variations by many composers. He wrote a lute version of the popular ballad "My Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home".
Dowland's music often displays a melancholia rare in music at that time, and he pioneered it together with Anthony Holborne. He wrote a consort piece with the punning title "Semper Dowland, semper dolens" (always Dowland, always doleful), which may be said to sum up much of his work.
Dowland's melancholic lyrics () and music have often been described as his attempts to develop an "artistic persona" in spite of actually being a cheerful person, but many of his own personal complaints, and the tone of bitterness in many of his comments, suggest that much of his music and his melancholy truly did come from his own personality and frustration.
Richard Barnfield, Dowland's contemporary, refers to him in poem VIII of The Passionate Pilgrim (1598), a Shakespearean sonnet:
Published works
Biographies of Dowland
Until 2024, only one comprehensive monograph of Dowland's life and work was available in print. This was written by lutenist Diana Poulton in 1972, with a revised edition published in 1982. An updated biography by K. Dawn Grapes was published in July 2024. The fullest catalog list of Dowland's works is that compiled by K. Dawn Grapes in John Dowland: A Research and Information Guide (Routledge, 2019). Diana Poulton created a numbering system for the lute music in her The Collected Lute Music of John Dowland, published in 1974. P numbers are therefore sometimes used to designate individual pieces.
Many of Dowland's works survive only in manuscript form.
Whole Book of Psalms (1592) Published by Thomas Est in 1592, The Whole Booke of Psalmes contained works by 10 composers, including 6 pieces by Dowland. Put me not to rebuke, O Lord (Psalm 38) All people that on earth do dwell (Psalm 100) My soul praise the Lord (Psalm 104) Lord to thee I make my moan (Psalm 130) Behold and have regard (Psalm 134) A Prayer for the Queens most excellent Maiestie
New Book of Tablature (1596) The New Booke of Tabliture was published by William Barley in 1596. It contains seven solo lute pieces by Dowland, printed without the permission of the composer, who later described them as "false and unperfect".
Lamentatio Henrici Noel (1596) Perhaps written for the professional choir of Westminster Abbey. The Lamentation of a sinner Domine ne in furore (Psalm 6) Miserere mei Deus (Psalm 51) The humble sute of a sinner The humble complaint of a sinner De profundis (Psalm 130) Domine exaudi (Psalm 143)
Of uncertain attribution are: Ye righteous in the Lord An heart that's broken I shame at my unworthiness
First Book of Songs (1597)
In 1597, Dowland published his First Booke of Songes or Ayres, a set of 21 lute-songs and one of the most influential collections in the history of the lute. Brian Robins wrote that "many of the songs were composed long before the publication date, [...] However, far from being immature, the songs of Book I reveal Dowland as a fully fledged master." It is set out in a way that allows performance by a soloist with lute accompaniment or by various other combinations of singers and instrumentalists. The songs are listed below. After them, at the end of the collection, comes "My Lord Chamberlaine, His Galliard", a piece for two people to play on one lute.
Second Book of Songs (1600)
Dowland published his Second Booke of Songs or Ayres in 1600. The book was published in London, although Dowland was in Denmark at the time. The manuscript was sent to Dowland's wife, who liaised with the publisher George Eastland. It has 22 lute songs, plus an instrumental work, Dowland’s adew for Master Oliver Cromwell. The songs are as follows:
Third Book of Songs (1603) The Third and Last Booke of Songs or Aires was published in 1603.
The 21 songs are:
Lachrimae (1604) Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares was published in 1604. It contains seven pavans, all based on the same four-note descending phrase used in the song Flow my tears. The remaining 14 pieces, mainly galliards, include Semper Dowland semper Dolens (Always Dowland, always Doleful). Three of these galliards are based on songs from Dowland's First Book. Lachrimae Antiquae Lachrimae Antiquae Nouae Lachrimae Gementes Lachrimae Tristes Lachrimae Coactae Lachrimae Amantis Lachrimae Verae Semper Dowland semper Dolens Sir Henry Vmptons Funeral M. Iohn Langtons Pauan The King of Denmarks Galiard The Earle of Essex Galiard Sir Iohn Souch his Galiard M. Henry Noell his Galiard M. Giles Hoby his Galiard M. Nicho. Gryffith his Galiard M. Thomas Collier his Galiard with two trebles Captaine Piper his Galiard M. Bucton his Galiard Mrs Nichols Almand M. George Whitehead his Almand
Micrologus (1609) Dowland published a translation of the Micrologus of Andreas Ornithoparcus in 1609, originally printed in Latin in Leipzig in 1517.
Varietie of Lute-Lessons (1610) This was published by Dowland's son Robert in 1610 and contains solo lute works by his father and others. The volume also includes a short treatise by Dowland on lute playing.
A Musicall Banquet (1610) This was likewise published by Dowland's son that year. It contains three songs by his father: Farre from Triumphing Court Lady If You So Spight Me In Darknesse Let Me Dwell
A Pilgrimes Solace (1612) Dowland's last work, A Pilgrimes Solace, was published in 1612 and was described by the composer Peter Warlock as "the crown of his life's achievement". Edmund Fellowes wrote that it "practically ended" the short era of the English lute song that had begun with Dowland's First Book. "Not the least remarkable feature of [The English School of Lutenist song-writers] was the shortness of the period during which it shone so brilliantly: for it began with the publication of John Dowland's first volume in 1597 and practically ended with the same composer's A Pilgrim's Solace published in 1612; John Attey's volume followed this [...] in 1622 as an isolated and final example of the same class of composition." John Palmer also wrote, "Although this book produced no hits, it is arguably Dowland's best set, evincing his absorption of the style of the Italian monodists."
Modern interpretations