John Dowland – English Lute Songs, selected and edited by Brian Jeffery, as a printed book

John Dowland’s English Lute Songs presents twelve of Dowland’s best-known songs with accompaniments for lute and also for guitar in normal tuning. The lute tablature is provided, and also accompaniments are provided  arranged for guitar (in normal guitar tuning) for each song, so that they can be sung with either lute or guitar accompaniment. A very popular Tecla book, selected and edited by Brian Jeffery.

32 pages.  12 x 9 inches. First published by Tecla in 1982, now in its fourth printing.

Because of damp in a warehouse in the past, all our copies have some rust on their staples (not very much, but it is there).  Please be aware of this when you order.  Of course remember that the music is fine.

This book Dowland’s English Lute Songs contains the following songs:

• Come again! sweet Love doth now invite
• Sleep, wayward thoughts
• Awake, sweet love
• Flow, my tears [Dowland’s most famous song]
• I saw my lady weep
• Shall I sue
• Flow not so fast, ye fountains
• Say, Love, if ever thou didst find
• Sweet, stay awhile
• To ask for all thy love
• Stay, Time, awhile thy flying
• Time stands still

The vocal range is not high at all if the songs are sung with a normal guitar: only up to D or E at most.  If the songs are sung with a lute in G, then the voice sings a minor third higher, up to E or F or G except three songs which only go up to D.

The very fine calligraphy in this edition was done by Barry Mason, who then for a long time ran the Spanish Guitar Centre in Cranbourn Street, London.

REVIEWS

Alan Moore writes:

“What a delight – I wish I had discovered Tecla Editions years ago. The quality of the collections that I have bought so far is really impressive and how sensible to offer a price incentive to dissuade people from photocopying.  [This refers to the special low prices which we offer when singers buy two copies of a book at the same time, one for the singer and one for the pianist or guitarist, as for example for this book English Lute Songs, see above.]

The Dowland English Lute Songs is superb. I haven’t yet played them with a singer but the accompaniments alone are a delight to play as solos! Having tried a capo for the first time, as you recommend for some of the songs; I am quite astonished by the difference in the sound quality – it is almost as though I am playing a different instrument. Everyone who enjoys Elizabethan music must try this book. Thank you Brian Jeffery – it is a pleasure to deal with your company.” Alan Moore

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Copyright 2003 by Tecla Editions. Errors and omissions excepted.