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John Dowland〔While orthographic evidence from Dowland's time strongly suggests a pronunciation of for the last name, there is no consensus on the correct pronunciation.〕 (1563 – buried 20 February 1626) was an English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep" (the basis for Benjamin Britten's ''Nocturnal''), "Come again", "Flow my tears", "I saw my Lady weepe" and "In darkness let me dwell", but his instrumental music has undergone a major revival, and with the 20th century's Early music revival has been a continuing source of repertoire for lutenists and classical guitarists. ==Career and compositions== Very little is known of John Dowland's early life, but it is generally thought he was born in London. Irish historian W. H. Grattan Flood claimed that he was born in Dalkey, near Dublin, but no corroborating evidence has ever been found either for that statement or for Thomas Fuller's claim that he was born in Westminster.〔Peter Holman (with Paul O'Dette), "John Dowland", Grove Music Online.〕 In 1580 Dowland went to Paris, where he was in service to Sir Henry Cobham, the ambassador to the French court, and his successor, Sir Edward Stafford.〔Douglas Alton Smith, A History of the Lute from Antiquity to the Renaissance (The Lute Society of America, Inc., 2002), p.275〕 He became a Roman Catholic at this time.〔Peter Warlock, The English Ayre (Greenwood Press, Publishers, 1970), 24. Excerpt from Dowland's letter of 1595 to Sir Robert Cecil.〕 In 1584, Dowland moved back to England where he was married. In 1588 he was admitted Mus. Bac. from Christ Church, Oxford.〔Diana Poulton, John Dowland (Faber & Faber, 1982), 28.〕 In 1594 a vacancy for a lutenist came up at the English court, but Dowland's application was unsuccessful – he claimed his religion led to his not being offered a post at Elizabeth I's Protestant court. However, his conversion was not publicised, and being Catholic did not prevent some other important musicians (such as William Byrd) from having a court career in England.〔 From 1598 Dowland worked at the court of Christian IV of Denmark,〔Warlock 1970, p.32〕 though he continued to publish in London.〔Warlock 1970, p.34〕 King Christian was very interested in music〔Warlock 1970, p.33〕 and paid Dowland astronomical sums; his salary was 500 daler a year, making him one of the highest-paid servants of the Danish court.〔Smith 2002, p.276〕 Though Dowland was highly regarded by King Christian, he was not the ideal servant, often overstaying his leave when he went to England on publishing business or for other reasons.〔 Dowland was dismissed in 1606〔 and returned to England;〔 in early 1612 he secured a post as one of James I's lutenists.〔Matthew Spring, The Lute in Britain: a History of the Instrument and its Music (Oxford University Press, 2001), p.108〕 There are few compositions dating from the moment of his royal appointment until his death in London in 1626.〔Spring 2001, p.109〕 While the date of his death is not known, "Dowland's last payment from the court was on 20 January 1626, and he was buried at St Ann's, Blackfriars, London, on 20 February 1626."〔David Greer, "John Dowland", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online.〕 Two major influences on Dowland's music were the popular consort songs, and the dance music of the day.〔Abraham 1968, p.204-5〕 Most of Dowland's music is for his own instrument, the lute.〔Abraham 1968, p.201〕 It includes several books of solo lute works, lute songs (for one voice and lute), part-songs with lute accompaniment, and several pieces for viol consort with lute.〔Smith 2002, pp.274–83〕 The poet Richard Barnfield wrote that Dowland's "heavenly touch upon the lute doth ravish human sense." One of his better known works is the lute song "Flow my tears", the first verse of which runs: He later wrote what is probably his best known instrumental work, ''Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares, Figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans'', a set of seven pavanes for five viols and lute, each based on the theme derived from the lute song "Flow my tears".〔Smith 2002, p.276-7〕 It became one of the best known collections of consort music in his time. His pavane, "Lachrymae antiquae", was also popular in the seventeenth century, and was arranged and used as a theme for variations by many composers. He wrote a lute version of the popular ballad "My Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home". Dowland's music often displays the melancholia that was so fashionable in music at that time.〔Anthony Rooley, "New Light on John Dowland's Songs of Darkness," Early Music 11.1 (Jan. 1983): p.6〕 He wrote a consort piece with the punning title ''"Semper Dowland, semper dolens"'' (always Dowland, always doleful), which may be said to sum up much of his work.〔http://www.goldbergweb.com/en/magazine/composers/2005/2/38613_print.php〕 Dowland's song, "Come Heavy Sleepe, the Image of True Death", was the inspiration for Benjamin Britten's "Nocturnal after John Dowland for guitar", written in 1964 for the guitarist Julian Bream. This work consists of eight variations, all based on musical themes drawn from the song or its lute accompaniment, finally resolving into a guitar setting of the song itself.〔Smith 2002, p.289〕 Richard Barnfield, Dowland's contemporary, refers to the lutenist in poem VIII of ''The Passionate Pilgrim'' (1598): 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「John Dowland」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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