John Dowlands “Lachrimae – the 7 Teares”

Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 3:30 pm
Queen Emma Community Center, Kealakekua BUY TICKETS HERE

Saturday, February 18, 2023, at 7:30 pm
Lutheran Church of Honolulu. BUY TICKETS HERE

“If the title promises tears, invited unwelcome in these times of rejoicing, those that Music cries are no less pleasant; moreover, tears are not always shed in pain, for they sometimes accompany joy and gladness. John Dowland, preface to Lachrimae, 1604

Dowland’s Lachrimae have become a canon in the annals of consort music! “Unwelcome guests in these times of rejoicing”, these seven tears of extreme beauty are shed by five viols and a lute, Dowland’s favorite instrument. The composer is himself a renowned instrumentalist who would have had his place at the court of Elizabeth, had it not been for his adhesion to the papist faith since a youthful trip to France. Despite his honorary degrees obtained at Oxford and Cambridge, Dowland spent most of his life in Italy, Germany and Denmark, where he was appointed lutenist to King Christian IV, which did not prevent him from acting as a spy for his Queen Elizabeth, to whom he remains devoted.

This performance of the Lachrimae differs markedly from most of the others, because the music is ornamented in the style of the time, going against a certain modern Puritanism which demands total conformity to the written page. These embellishments give Dowland’s art an expressive elegance and musical freedom that we hope will enhance the “joy and joy” of our audience!

Les Voix Humaines thanks the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec for its financial support. Les Voix Humaines thanks the Canada Council for the Arts for its financial support.

PLEASE NOTE: Because of the increase in the number of Covid infections, masks are appreciated.