The first thing that you might notice about this CD is that the composers
represented are not entirely contemporaneous with Dowland. Matthew Locke was
still in swaddling clothes when Dowland died. John Jenkins could well have
met him but outlived him by over fifty years; William Lawes was in his
twenties when Dowland died and Purcell is of completely the wrong
generation.
If you look again you will realise that the form known as the Pavan was
used by all of them, as was the Fantasia and they each wrote for string
consorts. Which brings me to the second thing you will notice, especially if
you play some of the disc before reading John Holloway's useful
accompanying notes which I did: the instruments are modern - indeed more
than that the
Seven Lacrimae Pavans are played on violas without
any lute part which, anyway, often acts as a sort of decorative
continuo.
In fairness Dowland’s title page, reproduced in the booklet does say: “set
forth for the Lute, Viols or Violones (sic) in five parts”. Holloway
explains that the music clearly offers ‘the possibility of performance by
five string players without lute”. He goes on: “to that we have added the
less usual choice of violons, not viols and because of the lower register of
the upper voice we decided to use a small viola … giving the instrumentation
of four violas and bass violin” . They certainly make a wonderfully rich and
melancholic texture — one that you quickly get used to. After all, I thought
to myself, I don’t necessarily object to hearing Scarlatti or even Couperin,
certainly not Bach on the piano, as long as romantic pedalling effects are
avoided, so why bother in this case.
You may well choose to programme your player so that the full sequence of
Dowland’s Seven Pavans can be heard in continuum. However, the performers
have split up the sequence with Fantasies, Airs and a Lamento by Morley.
This makes an attractive continuous programme which could be played all
through at one sitting.
Dowland’s
Flow my tears appeared as the second song in his Second
Book of Songs (1600) but was probably already in circulation before that. It
became very popular and, known as
Lacrimae, its opening falling
four notes became a much-used motif ... and not only by Dowland. These
Pavans are variants of the original song and consort version which is placed
first and revolve around different aspects of tears or weeping. Their titles
are a little obscure but include ‘Lacrimae Gementes’, (Sighing or Groaning
Tears), Lacrimae Coactae (really meaning ‘Enforced Tears’) and Lacrimae
Amantis (Lover’s Tears). Holloway’s group play very sensitively and have a
wonderful blend but on some occasions they miss a few of the more subtly
expressive possibilities. Take the example the grinding false relations of
‘Lacrimae Tristes’, which emphasise a deliberate harmonic instability but
which seem to be passed over quite blandly. Also in some of the syncopations
could be more animated in ‘Lacrimae Coactae’; they seem a little limp. Even
so this is a version to throw new light on this masterwork.
The rest of the programme is no makeweight. If you know Morley’s Two-Part
Canzonets, published in 1595, you will recall that there are twelve songs
and nine instrumental pieces - all little gems. One of these - the
Lamento - is represented here. Morley’s exquisite part writing
never puts a foot wrong. Whereas William Lawes sometimes sounds as if he
composed in his sleep. That said, his
Two Airs and later
Fantasy never bore and one can see why Charles I found him such a
vital composer to have at his Court. Likewise Matthew Locke has his
eccentricities. He was more a composer at the court of Charles II, a little
more reserved than Lawes but no less experimental. Jenkins is the supreme
contrapuntist as demonstrated in the
Fantasy, here recorded and the
last of the English Renaissance masters.
I have enjoyed listening to these performances. This disc is quite typical
of ECM with the identifiable black packaging and ‘themed’ viewpoint.
However, at less than a fifty minutes and at full price it is not easy to
warm to. You may, I suppose, conclude otherwise given the rather unusual
approach to the Dowland work let alone the other pieces.
Gary Higginson
Detailed Track-Listing
John DOWLAND (1563-1626) Lacrimae Antiquae
[4.19]
HENRY PURCELL (1659-1695) Fantasy
upon one note [2.48]
DOWLAND Lacrimae Antiquae Novae [4.01]
William LAWES (1602-1645) 2 Airs for 4
[3.29]
DOWLAND Lacrimae Gementes [3.57]
John JENKINS (1592-1678) Fantasy No 12 for trebles
and Bass [3.53]
DOWLAND Lacrimae Tristes [5.18]
Thomas MORLEY (1557-1602) Lamento for 2
[2.34]
DOWLAND Lacrimae Coactae [4.00]
Matthew LOCKE (1621-1677) Fantasy 2 Trebles and
Bass [4.11]
DOWLAND Lacrimae Amantis [4.27]
LAWES Fantasy in C for 5 [2.25]
DOWLAND Lacrimae Verae [4.10]
