John Dowland
Keyboard Music
Harpsichord, virginals or clavichord
edited by Christopher Hogwood
Although these pieces are apt for harpsichord or virginal, the fact that they are derived from lute pieces makes a clavichord the ideal choice of keyboard instrument. A lute’s subtle voice, transparency, expressive hints and inflections can be well matched on the clavichord. This volume is an indispensable addition to our music shelves.
The British Clavichord Society Newsletter, Derek Adlam, No. 34, February 2006
Edition HH are to be congratulated on two fine new editions of 17th-century keyboard music, well printed, with extensive introductions and commentaries in the old style.
Early Music, Timothy Roberts, Vol. 34, 2006
I would therefore recommend it to every keyboard-player to expand their expressive range and to every nonlutenist wanting to explore the music of Dowland, to learn about the art of variation, or to further their knowledge of this great composer.
The Consort, Penelope Cave, Summer 2006, Vol. 62
The music of John Dowland, the greatest English lute composer of that Golden Age, circulated widely in keyboard adaptations during his lifetime, suitable for performance on harpsichord, virginals or clavichord. Thirty such arrangements and intabulations made by his contemporaries in England and mainland Europe including Byrd, Peter Philips, Ferdinando Richardson, Scheidt, Schildt, Scheidemann, Sweelinck and many anonymous settings from tablatures in Lüneburg, Krakow, Stockholm, Florence, Turin, Copenhagen and elsewhere are gathered together for the first time in this collection.
Multiple versions of the most popular pieces such as Lachrymae Pavan, Piper’s Galliard, the Frog Galliard and Can she excuse permit comparison between contemporary arrangers and their techniques; other favourite numbers include the Battle Galliard, the pavan ‘Solus cum sola’ and Lady Layton’s Allmaine, several transcribed and published for the first time.
A full listing of all known keyboard arrangements of Dowland is included as an appendix.
With introduction, concordances and critical notes by Christopher Hogwood, well known for his work on English baroque repertoire, both as musicologist and performer.
Mit dieser reizvollen und soliden wissenschaftlichen Anthologie soll nicht nur das Repertoire für Clavieristen erweitert werden, sondern auch Modelle für eigene moderne Bearbeitungen von Lautenmusik jener Zeit an die Hand gegeben werden.
Toccata, Armin Schmid, Mai-Juni 2008
Descriptive leaflet (pdf)