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Dowland: First Booke of Songes (1597)
Grace Davidson (soprano) & David Miller (lute)
The atmosphere is intimate and confiding; the music presented simply with minimal ornament. Occasionally the long lines of the slower songs can bring a certain smoothing-out of the text, but...
Dowland: First Booke of Songes (1597)
Grace Davidson (soprano) & David Miller (lute)
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The atmosphere is intimate and confiding; the music presented simply with minimal ornament. Occasionally the long lines of the slower songs can bring a certain smoothing-out of the text, but...
About
Following her debut release of Baroque works by Vivaldi and Handel earlier this year, Grace Davidson returns to disc on Signum with an intimate disc of Dowland’s first book of lute songs, accompanied by David Miller. Blending melancholy with wit in his writing for both lute and voice, John Dowland’s songs have continued to enchant audiences and singers for nearly 400 years. The ‘First Booke’ includes some of Dowland’s less well-known works, and was recorded in the sensitive acoustic of Ascot Priory in Berkshire, UK.
Contents and tracklist
Awards and reviews
Christmas Issue 2018
The atmosphere is intimate and confiding; the music presented simply with minimal ornament. Occasionally the long lines of the slower songs can bring a certain smoothing-out of the text, but in faster ones, many setting what were originally dance tunes, Davidson puts the words across gently but with gratifying naturalness.
December 2018
Davidson has one of the loveliest voices in early music but whether she has the expressive range for this artful collection of miniatures is less certain. Fresh, sweet and true, with barely a flicker of vibrato, Davidson’s instrument inevitably begs comparison with Emma Kirkby, Slightly fuller of tone, her voice more evenly weighted through the range, Davidson comes off well; but with Dowland lovelier isn’t always better.
