John Dowland: First Booke of Songes (1597)

track list:

Unquiet thoughts Who ever thinks or hopes of love for love My thoughts are wing’d with hopes If my complaints could passions move Can she excuse my wrongs with Virtue’s cloak? Now, oh now I needs must part Dear, if you change, I’ll never choose again Burst forth, my tears Go crystal tears Think’st thou then by thy feigning Come away, come sweet love Rest awhile, you cruel cares Sleep, wayward thoughts All ye whom love or fortune hath betray’d Wilt thou, unkind, thus reave me of my heart? Would my conceit that first enforc’d my woe Come again, sweet love doth now invite His golden locks time hath to silver turned Awake, sweet love, thou art return’d Come, heavy sleep Away with these self-loving lads

Following her debut release of Baroque works by Vivaldi and Handel earlier this year, Grace Davidson returns to disc on Signum with an intimate disc of Dowland’s first book of lute songs, accompanied by David Miller. Blending melancholy with wit in his writing for both lute and voice, John Dowland’s songs have continued to enchant audiences and singers for nearly 400 years. The ‘First Booke’ includes some of Dowland’s less well-known works, and was recorded in the sensitive acoustic of Ascot Priory in Berkshire, UK.