DOWLAND: FLOW MY TEARS

EXPRESSION 1

Setting of text is mostly syllabic except for ornamentation of cadences and very occasional passing notes. Eg, passing 7th in bar 6.

TEXTURE 2

Imitation between instruments and voice. Eg, bars 12-14 and 19-20.

HARMONY 2

Modal features: phrygian cadences (IVb-V): bar 2,4,6,15-16,19. tierce de picardie: C# in bar 8,24. false relations: G natural and G# in bars 5-6,19. musica ficta- F# in bar 7, G# in bar 15.

TONALITY

Modal- Aeolian, emerging A minor

HARMONY 1

Diatonic, in a consonant style.

CONTEXT 3

First performance: unknown. But given by the composer in a private setting, such as an aristocratic house. Publication date suggests it might have been at the court of the King of Denmark.

RHYTHM 1

Flexible, following word rhythm. Some syncopation (bar 6) and anticipated entries.

MELODY 3

Melodic decorations at cadence. Final cadence of each section is decorated with scales by lute to maintain momentum.

MELODY 2

Melody is dominated by the descending four note 'Lachrimae' motif, of which there is an inversion at bar 17.

RHYTHM 2

Metre is common time but with the feel of a slow duple (2/2).

CONTEXT 2

Much of Dowland's music reflects his natural melancholy and his greatest works display a preoccupation with tears, sin, darkness and death, eg. 'In Darkness Let Me Dwell', 'Sorrow Sorrow Stay'. This melancholy was very fashionable at the time.

MELODY 1

Much of the writing is step-wise, leaps are narrow, no greater than a 4th.

CONTEXT 1

Published 1600 in Second Booke of Songs or Ayres. Genre=lute song (ayre)

INSTRUMENTATION

Solo voice (male alto), lute and viola da gamba (bass viol).

FORM 3

Suggests this song is closely related to the dance style called a pavan.

HARMONY 3

Suspensions make the music more expressive: 4-3 Susp: 2,7,18,23. 7-6 Susp: 6,15,

FORM 2

Three strains, each repeated twice: AA-BB-CC

TEXTURE 1

Three-part homophony consisting of the vocal part, the upper part by the lute, the bass part by the viola da gamba. Eg, bars 4, 10-11 and 14-15.

FORM 1

Tripartite structure

TEXTURE 3

When not contrapuntal, the texture is thickened by chords. Eg. bar 9 and 17

EXPRESSION 2

Word painting. Eg. 'happie' is on the highest note in the piece- E. bar 20.

RHYTHM 3

Word setting is mostly syllabic, apart from melismas at cadential points.