The Classical Music Minute

John Dowland & Elizabethan Melancholy

November 01, 2021 Steven Hobé, Composer & Host Season 1 Episode 27
The Classical Music Minute
John Dowland & Elizabethan Melancholy
Show Notes Transcript

Description
There was an overwhelming melancholy in Elizabethan times and composer John Dowland understood how best to capture this sadness. Dowland (1563 –1626) is best known for “I saw my lady weep,” and “Flow my tears” both of which capture the melancholy side of the early 17th century. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact
Dowland made his name on these crying songs and “Flow My Tears” became his signature song. The piece first existed as one for lute simply entitled Lachrimae (Tears). Despite its sad nature, this song is considered by some to be the most widely known English song of the early 17th century.

About Steven
Steven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his website for more.

A Note To Music Students et al.
All recordings and sheet music are available on my site. I encourage you to take a look and play through some. Give me a shout if you have any questions.

Got a topic? Pop me off an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com 

Support the show

During the early part of the 17th century in Elizabethan England, a great sense of melancholy descended upon the country. 

This was due in part to the religious uncertainties caused by the English Reformation. 

Enter John Dowland, composer, lutenist, and singer. He became renowned for his melancholy songs.

Dowland’s life had been peppered with a series of disappointments having applied to the English court a couple of times but failed to secure the post.

He was therefore driven by a tragic concept of life, and a preoccupation with tears, sin, death….and, well, melancholy.

Now, up until the 18th century, melancholia or melancholy was said to be caused by an excess of fluid in the body known as "black bile".

Dowland is best known for two works, ‘I saw my lady weep,’ and ‘Flow my tears’. Both definitely fueled by an excess of black bile. So check them out.