BaL 12.01.13 - The music of John Dowland

[Richard Tarleton]

I hope the work of the late lamented lutenist Robert Spencer will feature. He worked a lot with Deller and even (I think) Janet Baker. He was not only a player but took a keen academic interest in the subject, amassing quite a collection of lute music and songs in m/s.

Indeed - and member of the Julian Bream Consort, where he played lute and pandora. Music Matters last Saturday alluded to the Robert Spencer collection at the Royal Academy.

There was another nice Dowland warm-up act on Wednesday when Paul O'Dette was on In Tune talking to Szy K and playing - worth a listen if you missed it.

[ardcarp]

Thanks for that pointer to Music Matters, Richard:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pmdd3

It includes Iestyn singing 'In darkness let me dwell' in York chapter house. Conveniently the 'Dowland' topic is at the top of the programme so you don't have to go searching for it. Inconveniently I think today (Sat) might be the last time it's available.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For a list of what's currently available, this is what is for sale on the Presto website:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=John+Dowland

[doversoul1]

I look forward to hearing this BaL. If this form works (i.e. not on one work but on a project or a collection), we may have more BaL on early music CDs.

[Black Swan]

Really, enjoying this morning's BAL. I am pretty sure a set of the lute recordings is in the future for me. Not sure whether North or Odette.

[pastoralguy]

This music isn't really 'my thing' but I am enjoying this BAL.

[pastoralguy]

Building a Library 9.30am
Tess Knighton with a survey of recordings of music by John Dowland.


... Are we really going to have "Sting"?

Well, ok - but all credit to the guy for trying.

[pastoralguy]

Well, ok - but all credit to the guy for trying.

Oh God!! I see (and hear) what you mean!

(At least we got to hear Ms. Knighton say 'effing' )

[pastoralguy]

And how come Ida Haendel didn't get a mention...?

[Richard Tarleton]

This BAL was a joy to listen to . Beautifully balanced across Dowland's output, as between solo lute, consort and voice, and judicious historical perspective. I found myself taking 3 pages of hastily scribbled notes. Tess Knighton's assessment of the solo lute performances was spot on, and I agree with her verdict that it is pretty well impossible to choose between North and O'Dette. Dowland pluckers need all 3 solo sets (inc. the Lindberg, which groups the works acc. to source and gives all the Poulton catalogue numbers as opposed to just some of them on the North - the ones with generic titles eg. A Fancy, A Galliard etc. North groups the pieces to form good programmes).

I found I already had many of the recordings she liked, inc. the Fretwork on CD (inc. Michael Chance - "nuanced and mesmerising") - now seemingly only available as a download. She explained to me exactly why I loathed Andreas Scholl's Dowland, and why I admire but don't enjoy Deller. She played an extract from my Dowland Desert Island choice - Martyn Hill singing "Now O Now", from the Consort of Musicke set. She slipped Sting in very elegantly I thought, and gave him his due - I found myself preferring his version to the John Potter

And yes, Robert Spencer was there at the top of the programme.

A first-class BAL - here's to more of Ms Knighton's early music reviews. There were insights into performance and the music itself too numerous to list. I don't quite share her enthusiasm for Mark Padmore's voice, though it is a lovely CD and the pairing with the Britten Nocturnal immaculate.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This BaL was an educational experience. It made me want to explore Dowland's music, and explore it I will.

[kuligin]

An exemplary BAL, even managed to slip in the dreaded Sting in an appropriate spot.

The overall impression left was of great knowledge and experience of the music but all delivered in an understated manner which lead this listener to think that 3 CDs of Dowland are not enough

No padding or anecdotes, just the music

Bravo

[Black Swan]

I totally agree with all the comments. A really good BAL. I have downloaded the Padmore CD. I didn't even mind Sting, although, it was easy to pick him out of the 3 singers she asked us to guess about.

[pastoralguy]

I totally agree with all the comments. A really good BAL. I have downloaded the Padmore CD. I didn't even mind Sting, although, it was easy to pick him out of the 3 singers she asked us to guess about.

[ardcarp]

Richard.

That was a most succinct account of the programme. It was indeed good to have such a BAL. (I can't say that I prefer Sting to John Potter, though. As someone said, all credit to him for trying, but he sounded like a leaky gas-main to me.) I am not sure about Tessa's aesthetic point (near the end) where she prefers singers who put more emotion [my words] into Dowland's songs. Well for me, no. The music, as in Byrd consort songs for instance, speaks for itself better when not over-egged. Bob Spencer, on occasions, sang as well as played. He admitted to not having a 'trained voice', but there was something very true and touching about it. Tess implied that the Deller school of singing tended towards the pure and emotionless...but anyone who has seen Deller perform will know that he felt the 'emotion' (for want of a better word) deeply and had his own brand of vocal inflectios to express it. But it was subtle and not 'in your face'.

If anyone didn't spot the link to Iestyn singing 'In darkness let me dwell' in York Chapter House, here it is again (if it's still avaiable):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pmdd3