John Dowland's Lute Songs

Third and Fourth Books with Original Tablature

John Dowland, David Nadal

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9780486422442
• eBook ISBN: 9780486171463
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Classical Music

One of the few English musicians whose fame as a composer spread throughout Europe during his lifetime, John Dowland (1563–1626) 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 welcomed at courts in Germany, Venice, Florence, and Denmark. Since the early 20th century, Dowland's excellence as a song writer has been well established; and many of his compositions for lute — long shrouded in obscurity — have become well known.
This collection of 45 songs includes all the works in his original Third Booke of Songs or Aires; in A Pilgrime's Solace (his fourth collection); three contributions to his son Robert's A Musicall Banquet; plus a lovely galliard — a dance for solo guitar.
Together with Nadal's Lute Songs of John Dowland (First and Second Books), published in 1997, this compilation completes Dover's newly edited and engraved editions of Dowland's lute songs — a rich oeuvre sure to be studied and enjoyed by singers, guitarists, and music lovers alike.

A Pilgrimes Solace.

Wherein is contained Musicall
Harmonie of 3.4 and 5. parts, to be
sung and plaid with the Lute
and Viols.

By John Douland, Barchelor of Musicke in
both the Vniuersities: and Lutenist to the
Right Honourable the
Lord Walden.

1612

LONDON:
Printed for M.L. J. B. and T. S.
by the Assignment of
Wiliam Barles.

I. Disdain me still

1

Disdain me still, that I may ever love,

For who his love enjoys, can love no more.

The war once past with ease men cowards prove:

And ships return’d do rot upon the shore.

And though thou frown, I’ll say thou art most fair:

And still I’ll love, though still I must despair.

2

As heat to life so is desire to love,

And these once quench’d both life and love are gone.

Let not my sighs nor tears thy virtue move,

Like baser metals do not melt too soon.

Laugh at my woes although I ever mourn,

Love surfeits with reward, his nurse is scorn.

II. Sweet stay awhile

“To my worthy friend Mr. William Jewel of Exceter Colledge in Oxford”

1

Sweet stay awhile, why will you rise?
The light you see comes from your eyes:
The day breaks not, it is my heart,
To think that you and I must part.
O stay, or else my joys must die,
And perish in their infancy.

2

Dear let me die in this fair breast,
Far sweeter than the Phoenix’ nest.
Love raise desire by his sweet charms
Within this circle of thine arms:
And let thy blissful kisses cherish
Mine infant joys, that else must perish.

III. To ask for all thy love

1

To ask for all thy love, and thy whole heart
’twere madness,
I do not sue,
nor can admit
(Fairest) from you
to have all, yet
Who giveth all hath nothing to impart,
but sadness.

2

He that receiveth all, can have no more
than seeing.
My love by length
of every hour,
Gathers new strength,
new growth, new flow’r.
You must have daily new rewards in store,
still being.

3

You cannot every day give me your heart
for merit:
Yet if you will,
when yours doth go,
You shall have still
one to bestow:
For you shall mine when yours doth part
inherit.

4

Yet if you please, I’ll find a better way,
than change them:
For so alone
dearest we shall
Be one and one,
another’s all.
Let us so join our hearts that nothing may
estrange them.

IV. Love those beams

1

Love tho...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Dedication
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• INTRODUCTION
• THE THIRD AND LAST BOOKE OF SONGS OR AIRES.
• A Pilgrimes Solace.
• A MVSICALL BANQVET.
• Galliard to Lachrimae - from A Pilgrimes Solace