John Dowland's Lute Songs

John Dowland's Lute SongsOne of the few English musicians whose fame as a composer spread throughout Europe during his lifetime, John Dowland (15631626) was also unsurpassed in his day as a lute virtuoso. The composer of 88 lute songs, Dowland had twice applied for the position of lutenist at the court of Elizabeth I and was rejected both times for religious reasons, it was thought. (He had converted to Catholicism during a Protestant reign.) His talents, however, were

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historical pieces

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decision making

simplicity of exposition

Simultaneously refining his collection of verses called "Poem of Ecstasy" and the related symphony

logically consistent

and his celebrity as one of the most lionized figures of the Gilded Age (a phrase he invented)

music instruction

the gradual introduction of enjambment and metrical variation

compelling

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