Dowland, John

Dowland, John (dou`lənd), 1563–1626, English composer, unsurpassed in his day as a lutenist. His books of Songs or Ayres (1597–1603) established him as the foremost song composer of his time.

Bibliography

See studies by D. Poulton (1972) and I. Spink (1974).

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Dowland, John

(born 1562/63, Westminster, London, Eng.—died Jan. 21, 1626, London) English composer and lutenist. Educated at Oxford, he was refused a court position in 1594 and, believing his adoptive Catholicism had been the cause, he left for the continent. There he traveled extensively and took a position at the Danish court. In 1612, when his compositions had made him famous, he was finally appointed lutenist to the English court. He published three collections of songs, including about 90 works for solo lute and some 80 lute songs, including “Come again, sweet love does now endite,” “ Flow my tears,” and “Weep you no more, sad fountains.” His Lachrimae is a collection for viol-and-lute ensemble.