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.