Born in the final years of the reign of Elizabeth 1, Henry Lawes (1602-1645) belonged to the generation which succeeded the great composers of the English Renaissance and sought to impart a new Italian-inspired musical style.

In the troubled times of 17th century England Lawes was, in his lifetime, acknowledged as one of the finest composers for the voice. With extended vocal ranges, expressive melodic formulas, vibrant dissonances and the high poetic quality of his texts, Lawes is a subtle painter of the melancholy of his age, situated between John Dowland and Henry Purcell.