Dowland: Lachrimae Nigel North & Les Voix humaines

• John Dowland (1563 - 1626): Captaine Piper his Galiard:
• 1Dowland: Captaine Piper his Galiard02:56
• Lachrimæ Antiquæ:
• 2Dowland: Lachrimæ Antiquæ04:40
• Coranto Were every thought an eye:
• 3Dowland: Coranto Were every thought an eye01:45
• The Earle of Essex Galiard:
• 4Dowland: The Earle of Essex Galiard02:04
• Lachrimæ Antiquæ Novæ:
• 5Dowland: Lachrimæ Antiquæ Novæ04:10
• M. Henry Noell his Galiard:
• 6Dowland: M. Henry Noell his Galiard02:02
• Lachrimæ Gementes:
• 7Dowland: Lachrimæ Gementes03:50
• M. John Langtons Pavan:
• 8Dowland: M. John Langtons Pavan04:06
• M. George Whitehead his Almand:
• 9Dowland: M. George Whitehead his Almand02:25
• Lachrimæ Tristes:
• 10Dowland: Lachrimæ Tristes05:01
• Dowland’s Adew for Master Oliver Cromwell:
• 11Dowland: Dowland’s Adew for Master Oliver Cromwell04:10
• Lachrimæ Coactæ:
• 12Dowland: Lachrimæ Coactæ04:03
• Lachrimæ Pavan:
• 13Dowland: Lachrimæ Pavan04:32
• Galiard To Lachrimæ:
• 14Dowland: Galiard To Lachrimæ02:54
• Lachrimæ Amantis:
• 15Dowland: Lachrimæ Amantis04:22
• Sir John Souch His Galiard:
• 16Dowland: Sir John Souch His Galiard01:27
• Lachrimæ Veræ:
• 17Dowland: Lachrimæ Veræ04:35
• Total Runtime59:02

Info for Dowland: Lachrimae

British lutenist Nigel North joins viol consort Les Voix humaines for Lachrimae, a new recording of John Dowland’s 1604 compositions set for lute and viols. Passionate pavans, galiards, and almands evoke the tears referred to in the title.

"Seven meditations on a shared theme, both musical and emotional, John Dowland’s Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares is much more than just a set of variations. We may not know how this cycle of consort works was originally performed (or even by what instruments – the work is ‘set forth for the Lute, Viol or Violins’) but the recording catalogue already offers us many possible solutions, including superb accounts from Fretwork, Phantasm and Jordi Savall.

While most ensembles frame the Lachrimae with dances published in the same 1604 collection, Les Voix Humaines and lutenist Nigel North look slightly further afield for their additions. The slightly haphazard result sees the sequence of Lachrimae movements interspersed with dances and lute songs drawn more broadly from Dowland’s output. Lute solos from the later A Pilgrim’s Solace and a duet from the earlier Second Book of Songs or Ayres are welcome, as is the decision to break up the cycle of pavans, but neither feels fully reasoned here.

The dances themselves often tend towards the earnest, both in pacing and weight, diminishing the contrasts that should animate a composer for whom ‘Semper Dowland, semper dolens’ is surely more knowing joke than straight-faced truth. The Lachrimae themselves are more varied. The group’s blend is soft-woven and wonderfully fibrous, full of textural interest. Extensive ornamentation throughout the disc and a rhetorical approach to line give the music a pleasing, madrigal-like freedom, and bright flickers of North’s lute catch the ear among so many musical shadows. But phrasing that surges and tugs a little too forcibly keeps this otherwise appealing account from rivalling the best already available." (Gramophone)

Nigel North, lute
Les Voix humaines Consort

Nigel North
was initially inspired into music, at age 7, by the early 60's instrumental pop group "The Shadows". Nigel studied classical music through the violin and guitar, eventually discovering his real path in life, the lute, when he was 15. Basically self taught on the lute, he has (for over 30 years) developed a unique musical life which embraces activities as a teacher, accompanist, soloist, director and writer.

Some "mile stones" on the way have included the publication of a continuo tutor (Faber 1987)- representing his work and passion for this subject. The music of J.S.Bach has been another passion, and the 4 Volume CD collection "Bach on the Lute" was recorded on the Linn Records label (1994-1997), now available as a 4 disc box set.

The ensemble Romanesca was formed by Nigel, together with Andrew Manze (violin) and John Toll (harpsichord & organ). For ten years (1988-1998) they explored, performed and recorded 17th century chamber music winning several international awards for their recordings.

Nigel North enjoys accompanying singers and is also an enthusiastic teacher. For over 20 years he was Professor of Lute at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, in London; from 1993-1999 he was Professor at the Hochschule der Künste, Berlin; 2005-2207 he was Lute Professor at the Royal Conservatory in Den Haag , Netherlands, and since January 1999 Nigel North has been Professor of Lute at the Early Music Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington in the USA.

Recent recording projects have included, Robert Dowland’s “A Musical Banquet” with soprano, Monika Mauch, for ECM (2008) , Lute Songs with tenor Charles Daniels for ATMA (2007) and the Lute Music of Robert Johnson for Naxos (2010).

Les Voix humaines
In 2021 Les Voix humaines (Susie Napper and Mélisande Corriveau and Felix Deak) was joined by Jessy Dubé to take a refreshing look at the huge repertoire for multiple viols. Our unique, controversial ideas offer a new profile to consort playing in which rhythmic freedom and ornamentation play an integral role.

As well as the grand English consort repertoire, Bach’s Art of Fugue and the Purcell Fantasias, the Consort performs lesser known discoveries by Cima, Trabaci, Lupo, Moulinier and Charpentier to which we bring years of experience and experimentation as viol, recorder, fiddle and bass violinists!

The consort has toured in Canada, USA, Mexico, France, Poland, Scandinavia and the Baltic States and recorded Bach’s Art of Fugue, Purcell’s Fantasias, Dowland’s Lachrimae as well as their own, unusual arrangement or Vivaldi’s Quattro Stagioni for equal viols: 4 Seasons, 4 Viols.

Booklet for Dowland: Lachrimae