Album

Does this two-disc set contain John Dowland's greatest hits? Yes, indeed, it does. With "Flow, My Tears," "In Darkness Let Me Dwell," "Come, Heavy Sleep," seven "Larchimae" of various sorts, plus his greatest hit of all, "Semper Dowland, semper dolens," all the melancholy Elizabethan English composer's best-known and best-loved hits are here. Are these the best performances available of Dowland's greatest hits? While some might argue that there are other equally worthy performances available, few would argue that these aren't at least among the best ever made. With the sweet Barbara Bonney, the sensuous Anne Sofie von Otter, and the ethereal Emma Kirkby handling most of the vocals and lutinists Anthony Rooley and Jakob Lindberg plus guitarist Göran Söllscher handling most of the fretwork, these performances have the right blend of the soulful and the poetic with just the right touch of urbane to make them wholly convincing. Although Dowland's predominantly melancholy art may not appeal to everyone, those for whom it does appeal will surely enjoy this superbly chosen and sumptuously recorded two-disc set.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
John Dowland Composer 1.Lachrimae antiquae Work Recorded 1976-1977 The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
1	1.Lachrimae antiquae	4:45			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 4.If my complaints could passions move (Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard) Work Recorded 1998 Barbara Bonney Soprano, Jacob Heringman Lute
2	4.If my complaints could passions move (Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard)	4:40			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 2.Flow my tears Work Recorded 2004 5:07 Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Jakob Lindberg Lute, The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
3	2.Flow my tears	2:39			$0.99
4	2.Flow my tears	2:28			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Lady Hunsdon's Puffe, Almain, P.54 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
5	Lady Hunsdon's Puffe, Almain, P.54	1:22			$0.49
John Dowland Composer Almain, P.51 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
6	Almain, P.51	0:48			$0.49
John Dowland Composer Shoemaker's Wife, a Toy, P.58 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
7	Shoemaker's Wife, a Toy, P.58	1:07			$0.49
John Dowland Composer 2.Lachrimae antiquae novae Work Recorded 1976-1977 The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
8	2.Lachrimae antiquae novae	4:07			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 2.Flow my tears Work 7:14 Emma Kirkby Soprano, Barbara Bonney Soprano, Anthony Rooley Lute, Jacob Heringman Lute
9	2.Flow my tears	2:43			$0.99
10	2.Flow my tears	4:31			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Mr. Dowland's Midnight, Almain, P.99 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
11	Mr. Dowland's Midnight, Almain, P.99	1:30			$0.49
John Dowland Composer Sir John Smith, his Almain, P.47 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
12	Sir John Smith, his Almain, P.47	2:22			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Semper Dowland semper dolens, P.9 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
13	Semper Dowland semper dolens, P.9	3:40			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 3.Lachrimae gementes Work Recorded 1976-1977 The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
14	3.Lachrimae gementes	4:23			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 2.Flow my tears Work Recorded 1964 12:27 Nigel Rogers Tenor, Barbara Bonney Soprano, Thomas Binkley Lute, The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble, Jacob Heringman Lute
15	2.Flow my tears	5:30			$0.99
16	2.Flow my tears	4:48			$0.99
17	2.Flow my tears	2:09			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 19.Shall I sue Work Recorded 1964 Nigel Rogers Tenor, Thomas Binkley Lute
18	19.Shall I sue	3:26			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 4.Lachrimae tristes Work Recorded 1976-1977 The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
19	4.Lachrimae tristes	4:40			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
John Dowland Composer 2.Flow my tears Work Recorded 1964 Nigel Rogers Tenor, Thomas Binkley Lute
1	2.Flow my tears	2:42			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Forlorn Hope: Fantasie, P.2 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
2	Forlorn Hope: Fantasie, P.2	4:11			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 15.Weep you no more, sad fountains Work Recorded 2004 Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Jakob Lindberg Lute
3	15.Weep you no more, sad fountains	5:25			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 5.Lachrimae coactae Work Recorded 1976-1977 The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
4	5.Lachrimae coactae	4:16			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 9.Go nightly cares Work Recorded 1964 Andrea von Ramm Mezzo-Soprano, Thomas Binkley Conductor, Studio der frühen Musik Ensemble
5	9.Go nightly cares	5:48			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Can she excuse ('The Right Honourable Robert, Earl of Essex, his Galliard'), P.42 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
6	Can she excuse ('The Right Honourable Robert, Earl of Essex, his Galliard'), P.42	2:19			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth's Galliard (Katherine Darcy's Galliard), P.41 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
7	Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth's Galliard (Katherine Darcy's Galliard), P.41	1:15			$0.49
John Dowland Composer 8.Tell me, true Love Work Recorded 1964 Andrea von Ramm Mezzo-Soprano, Nigel Rogers Tenor, Karl Heinz Klein Bass, Thomas Binkley Lute, Grayston Burgess Countertenor
8	8.Tell me, true Love	7:16			$1.49
John Dowland Composer 6.Lachrimae amantis Work Recorded 1976-1977 The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
9	6.Lachrimae amantis	4:31			$0.99
John Dowland Composer In darkness let me dwell Work Recorded 2004 Anne Sofie von Otter Mezzo-Soprano, Jakob Lindberg Lute
10	In darkness let me dwell	4:25			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Fantasia (unspecified) Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
11	Fantasia (unspecified)	4:09			$0.99
John Dowland Composer King of Denmark's Galliard, P.40 Work Recorded 2005 Göran Söllscher Guitar
12	King of Denmark's Galliard, P.40	1:53			$0.49
John Dowland Composer Far from the triumphing court Work Edin Karamazov Lute, Christophe Coin Viol (Bass), Andreas Scholl Countertenor
13	Far from the triumphing court	5:09			$0.99
John Dowland Composer I shame at mine unworthiness (a5) Work Recorded 1976-1977 The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
14	I shame at mine unworthiness (a5)	2:32			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 7.Lachrimae verae Work Recorded 1976-1977 The Consort of Musicke Early Music Ensemble
15	7.Lachrimae verae	4:26			$0.99