Come Again Sweet Love Song History

Linda Crampton has loved music since childhood. She plays the piano and recorder, sings, and listens to classical, folk, and early music.

The lute in a detail of The Ambassadors (1533) by Hans Holbein

Stephanie Buck, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain license

John Dowland

John Dowland (1563–1626 or perhaps 1562–1626) was a prolific and famous composer in Renaissance England. He was besides a singer and a lute player. He created songs as well as music for dances, solo instrument performances, and consorts. Dowland often wrote melancholy songs, which were popular in his time. Much of his instrumental work and some of his songs are more cheerful, yet. His compositions are enjoyed by many fans of early on music today, including me.

I've included performances of eleven of John Dowland's compositions in this article. I too discuss the pieces and give a few facts most the performers. Though I've written Dowland's proper name as the source of the quoted lyrics, it's uncertain whether he created the words for all of his songs or whether he used poems or lyrics created by other people for some of them.

Self-portrait of the artist playing the lute by Jan Steen (1625/1626-1679)

Alonzo de Mendosa, via Wikimedia Eatables, public domain license

i. Come Once more, Sweet Love Doth At present Invite

In "Come Once more, Sugariness Love Doth Now Invite," the singer describes his desire to be with his loved i again. Sadly, she is now total of disdain for him after in one case returning his dearest. The singer tells her that he wants to "die with thee again." I remember the managing director of a choir that I once belonged to giving an agreeable description of what "dice" means in early music. Information technology does sometimes refer to physical death, but it also refers to the height of passion during an intimate human relationship.

I think the singer in the video beneath gives a lovely performance of the song. Some contend exists nigh how much vocal vibrato was used in the Renaissance. Vibrato is a slight variation in pitch in both directions as a singer holds a note. It's a technique used past opera singers to give richness to a tone. It was often frowned upon in the Renaissance because it was thought to remove the purity of a tone. Some early-music singers today apply very little or no vibrato. Others, like the singer below, utilize more than.

To run into, to hear,

To touch, to kiss

To die with thee over again

In sweetest sympathy

— John Dowland

Nola Richardson is a soprano who is based in the United States. She performs equally a soloist with orchestras and choirs and has also appeared in operas. She often sings early music. The lutenist in the video is John Armato.

2. Fantasia No. 7

Many of Dowland's pieces are played today by the lute, as he intended. Some of them have been transcribed for the classical guitar, however. Personally, I prefer the sound of this instrument to that of the lute, even though it produces less authentic performances.

A fantasia lacks a fixed musical form. I love the functioning of Dowland's "Fantasia No. 7" below. The piece has a rich texture and interesting rhythms. It's quite different from the composer's songs. John Dowland was a versatile musician.

The guitarist in the video is Aljaž Cvirn. He's based in Slovenia but performs regularly in many European countries and competes in international competitions.

iii. Flow My Tears (Lachrimae)

"Catamenia My Tears" is a very melancholy song. The singer bemoans the fact that they have been exiled with no hope of return. The song begins with the post-obit two lines and ends with the very depressing verse quoted below.

"Catamenia, my tears, fall from your springs,
Exiled for ever, let me mourn"

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The vocaliser in the video is soprano Phoebe Jevtovic Rosquist and the lutenist is David Tayler. Both musicians are based in the Us. I think the singer conveys the misery expressed in the lyrics well.

Hark! you shadows that in darkness dwell,

Learn to condemn light

Happy, happy they that in hell

Experience non the world's despite.

— John Dowland

4. Mrs. Winter'south Jump

In dissimilarity to the previous piece, "Mrs. Winter'south Bound" has a lively tune. It'due south a brusk but cheerful lute piece meant to accompany a dance. We don't know who Mrs. Wintertime was, but she likely belonged to the upper class of society. Dancing was a popular activity at the time and dancing power was an of import skill for wealthy people.

Nigel Due north is the instrumentalist in the video. He's a British lutenist and lute teacher who has been involved in many recordings of musical performances. He'southward currently a professor at the Jacobs Schoolhouse of Music, which is part of Indiana University in the United States.

five. Now, O Now I Needs Must Function

The song below is performed in the manner of a music video. I like watching the video because in addition to the enjoyable song presentation information technology shows a journey on an onetime steam train in England. The train travels along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The plot of the video involves four friends who become on the railroad train together and sing Dowland's vocal once on board. It also involves a somewhat isolated lutenist who follows them. The grouping'due south description of the video on YouTube says that the singers "are trailed (or guided?) by a mysterious lutenist during a day out on a vintage steam train."

The lyrics of the song are sorry, but the tune sung by the singers in the video and in well-nigh other versions that I've heard isn't as melancholy as in the previous songs. The singer in the lyrics is expressing his sadness about the fact that he must leave his loved one, though he doesn't explain why he must practice this.

Now, O at present, I needs must office,

Parting though I absent mourn.

Absence can no joy impart:

Joy once fled cannot return.

— John Dowland

Despite its French name, Les Canards Chantants (or The Singing Ducks) is based in Philadelphia. The group specializes in giving early music performances and currently consists of half dozen members.

6. The Frog Galliard

The galliard was a popular dance in England during the Renaissance. It's often described equally a sprightly or even an athletic trip the light fantastic toe. The choreographed move patterns involved hops, jumps, and leaps at specific moments. Queen Elizabeth 1st is said to have been a great fan of the dance. It'southward uncertain why Dowland called his tune the "frog" galliard. The tune of "At present, O Now I Needs Must Office" is said to be based on that of "The Frog Galliard."

I chose the video below not only because I like the guitarist's performance simply besides considering he gives an interesting introduction to John Dowland and the music. The musician is Matthew McAllister. He plays the classical guitar in concerts and also teaches the musical instrument.

7. Sorrow, Stay

In this piece, we return to beautiful merely melancholy music. The vocal ends with depressing lines in which the singer says that they have no hope of relief. The get-go four lines of the song are shown beneath.

"Sorrow, stay, lend true repentant tears
To a woeful wretched wight.
Hence, despair with thy tormenting fears
O exercise not my poor centre affright".

In the video below, the piece is sung by Andreas Scholl. He's a countertenor, or a male alto, from Federal republic of germany. He'due south a composer and teacher too every bit a popular performer and specializes in bizarre music.

8. Fantasia No. 1

Dissimilar the fantasia above, this one is played on the lute by Nigel Due north. Like the previous piece, however, information technology has a rich texture created by the melody and harmonies and the melding of the different parts.

Dowland wrote vii fantasias for the lute. To me, it virtually seems similar they were written past a unlike person from the songs, though this wasn't the case. John Dowland must have been a talented lutenist.

9. Fine Knacks for Ladies

Dowland did write some cheerful songs, including this one. The piece is sometimes known as "The Pedlar'south Song." Ostensibly, the lyrics are sung by a pedlar (known every bit a peddler in N America) who is advertising his wares. Some of the lines are puzzling and suggest that there is more to their meaning than nosotros realize, however, including the reference to "Turtles and twins, Court's breed, a heavenly pair."

It's unknown whether Dowland wrote the lyrics or used a poem that had already been written. The first poesy of the song is shown below. I like the performance of the quartet in the video underneath the quote, simply unfortunately, I don't know their names.

Fine knacks for ladies, cheap, choice, brave and new,

Good pennyworths but money cannot motility,

I proceed a off-white merely for the fair to view,

A ragamuffin may be liberal of love.

Though all my wares be trash, the heart is true.

— John Dowland (or mayhap anonymous)

10. The Earl of Essex Galliard

I don't know why the Earl of Essex deserved a galliard named in his honour, merely I'm glad Dowland created it. The Earl in question is Robert Devereux, second Earl of Essex, who was a favourite of the queen before he was accused of treason.

In the video below, the piece is played by an impressive collection of renaissance recorders belonging to a group called The Imperial Current of air Music. The grouping is based in Amsterdam.

The list of recorder types in order of increasing size and decreasing pitch is listed below. The soprano recorder is the typical size played by unproblematic school students. The sub-contrabass is a gigantic and very rare musical instrument. The numbers in brackets represent the number of instruments in The Imperial Wind Music.

• sopranino
• soprano
• alto or treble (2)
• tenor (two)
• bass (1)
• great bass (ii)
• contrabass (2)
• sub-contrabass (1)

xi. Can She Excuse My Wrongs

Though I savor listening to the recorders play "The Earl of Essex Galliard," I remember the tune of the slice shows upwardly better in the video below. The video includes Julian Bream, a well-known classical guitarist and lutenist in Britain during the twentieth century. He's even so live, though I don't know whether he still performs.

In the video, Bream plays the lute. He's accompanied by musicians playing other instruments as well as tenor Robert Tear. When accompanied by lyrics, the galliard is sometimes called "Can She Excuse My Wrongs." Both the version without lyrics and the 1 with lyrics were played in Dowland's time.

Though the lyrics sound as though they could exist referring to the Earl's fall from grace, the point in time when they were created and the moment when they were added to the music is uncertain. It doesn't seem that Dowland got into whatever problem past publicizing the words of the vocal.

Tin can she alibi my wrongs with Virtue'due south cloak?

Shall I call her expert when she proves unkind?

Are those clear fires which vanish into smoke?

Must I praise the leaves where no fruit I find?

— John Dowland

Interesting Compositions

I recollect that exploring John Dowland's music is very worthwhile. Renewed involvement in his work began in the twentieth century and continues today. Plenty of his piece of work has survived to enable people to focus just on the songs, only on the instrumental pieces, or on Dowland's whole surviving repertoire.

I savor listening to Dowland'south music and playing or singing his pieces. In addition, I observe that listening to his music and the lyrics is an interesting link to history and the way of life (at least in some parts of club) in the past. His compositions are interesting for multiple reasons.

References and a Resources

• An overview of the life of John Dowland from Oxford University Printing
• Information about the composer and his music from encylopedia.com
• Song works by John Dowland (public domain lyrics and music scores) from the Choral Public Domain Library, besides known every bit CPDL and ChoralWiki

© 2019 Linda Crampton

Linda Crampton (writer) from British Columbia, Canada on March 20, 2020:

Hi, Peggy. Cheers for commenting. I hope you have a good weekend.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 20, 2020:

I am listening to Fantasia No. seven as I read this. I'll have to come back and listen to more of these videos. I was not familiar with the music composed by John Dowland. Thanks for assembling this information.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February nineteen, 2020:

Hi, Denise. I enjoyed the railroad train trip video, too. John Dowland wrote some lovely music. Cheers very much for the visit and the annotate.

Denise McGill from Fresno CA on February 19, 2020:

These were all marvelous pieces. I was very entertained by the train trip. I remember the lute is a sadly underrated instrument and ought to be revived.

Blessings,

Dneise

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on March xi, 2019:

Thank you, Devika. I always appreciate your visits.

DDE on March 11, 2019:

Impressive and fascinating most the xi Renaissance Songs and Instrumental Pieces by John Dowland. A truthful and unique hub.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 26, 2019:

Thanks for commenting, Nithya. I'chiliad glad you enjoyed the music.

Nithya Venkat from Dubai on February 25, 2019:

Cheers for introducing me to John Dowland. I enjoyed listening to his musical compositions.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on Feb 24, 2019:

Thank you very much for visit and the kind and interesting comment, Genna.

Genna East from Massachusetts, USA on February 24, 2019:

How-do-you-do Linda...

Stunning article. The lute and courtly trip the light fantastic toe music thrived throughout the English courts so I was especially interested in Dowland'south song for Robert Devereaux, as he also dedicated music Queen Elizabeth subsequently her decease. (Elizabeth is a favorite character of mine in history.) He never received a court appointment from her. Well researched and beautifully presented, Linda equally always. This was a delight to read and to listen to.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 15, 2019:

Hello, Flourish. I haven't washed much enquiry into why melancholy songs were popular in Dowland's time, merely i music writer says they were admired because they showed that the composer was capable of deep feelings.

Thanks for sharing the data about your cat. I loved reading nearly her reaction when she heard the music.

FlourishAnyway from U.s.a. on February 15, 2019:

Prior to this, I don't retrieve I've ever heard anything played on the lute. (My cat and I listened to the videos. I enjoyed the soprano more than than she did. Her ears turned like an owl's.) Thank you for sharing this type of music with u.s.. Whatever idea why the music lyrics tended to be and then melancholy?

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February xiii, 2019:

Thank you, Bede. I appreciate your visit. I agree with your comments nearly the classical guitar and the piece played past the guitarist. I love the instrument, the John Dowland piece, and the guitarist'southward rendition of the piece.

Bede from Minnesota on February thirteen, 2019:

I really enjoyed this article, Linda. Information technology makes me want to know more about JD. I agree that his music sounds ameliorate on classical guitar. It has a fuller sound. The piece played by the Slovenian guitarist is uncommonly cute.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on Feb 12, 2019:

Thank you very much for the annotate, Dianna. I recollect Dowland'south music is worth listening to.

Dianna Mendez on February 12, 2019:

I feel like I have been to a classical concert series! This is such an interesting postal service. I listened to a couple of the songs. I idea the Frog was quite agreeable.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 12, 2019:

Thanks very much for listening to the videos, Dora. I capeesh your comment as well.

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on February 12, 2019:

I listened to iii of the videos. One was relaxing. Another was classic at best and held my attention and admiration. The vocals are excellent. Thanks for these beautiful pieces to our enjoyment. Thanks for this informative article.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 12, 2019:

Hi, Chitrangada. Give thanks y'all so much for reading the commodity, listening to the music, and leaving such a prissy comment.

Chitrangada Sharan from New Delhi, Bharat on February 12, 2019:

An interesting article, with some peachy music.

I checked out some of the videos and they are just wonderful. Thanks for familiarising me with this not bad music personality and his wonderful work.

Cheers for sharing this well researched and well presented article!

Linda Crampton (writer) from British Columbia, Canada on February 11, 2019:

Hello, Frances. I would love to travel on the railway. Having the singers in my carriage would be a wonderful bonus! I appreciate your visit.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 11, 2019:

Thanks, Pamela. I did do research for the article, but perhaps not as much as you might think. I've sung some of Dowland'southward songs for a long time. I also play the alto recorder and am interested in the different forms of the instrument.

Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on February eleven, 2019:

Linda, I was not familiar with this composer and very talented human before, but I love the words to his music. Thank you for a very interesting article that I know must have required quite a bit of research.

Frances Metcalfe from The Limousin, France on February xi, 2019:

Hi Linda I know Flow My Tears, and it was squeamish to take some Dowland with a smiling on his face up! I take travelled on the North Yorks Railway and would have loved to accept this group in my carriage - my favourite of all the performances - beautiful voices. Enjoyed the article.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February xi, 2019:

Cheers very much for the visit and the comment, Eman.

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 11, 2019:

Hi, Liz. Cheers for the visit and the interesting question. Shakespeare lived from 1564 to 1616 and John Donne from 1572 to 1631, and so their lives did overlap in time with that of John Dowland.

Eman Abdallah Kamel from Egypt on Feb 11, 2019:

A very interesting article. Thanks, Linda for sharing all this data well-nigh these beautiful classical musical instruments.

Liz Westwood from United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland on February eleven, 2019:

I had non heard of John Dowland before I read your very informative article. Would he have been a contemporary of Shakespeare and John Donne?

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on February 11, 2019:

Thanks, Maren. I think it's lovely music, too!

Maren Elizabeth Morgan from Pennsylvania on February 11, 2019:

Lovely music. Thank you for doing the inquiry!

Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on Feb 11, 2019:

Thank you for the visit, Bill. I promise you lot have as good a twenty-four hour period every bit possible.

Pecker Kingdom of the netherlands from Olympia, WA on February xi, 2019:

I'm agape we have some weather issues here, and then I must run. Have a swell 24-hour interval!

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Source: https://spinditty.com/genres/Renaissance-Songs-and-Dance-Music-Composed-by-John-Dowland