Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol.1-5 [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Dowland did for lute music what Haydn did for the string quartet and Beethoven the piano sonata. The finest lutenist and songwriter of his age--he composed several of the greatest hits of the late 16th and early 17th centuries--the surviving lute works constitute a sort of encyclopedia of the possibilities of the instrument. There are song arrangements, dance pieces, tributes to the composer's friends, even a musical self-portrait. Much of the music is fashionably sad. Lute songs generally deal with the agony of lost love, and Dowland's most popular tune was called Lachrimae (Tears). Paul O'Dette is simply the best lutenist alive. These five discs are available together at a special price, or separately. A reference edition. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

A Piece Without Title - Dowland
Pavana - Dowland
Mr Knights Galliard - Dowland
My lord willobies wellcome home - Dowland
The frogg galliard - Dowland
A Fancy - Dowland
My Ladie Riches galyerd - Dowland
The Lady Laitons Almone - Dowland
A Dream (Lady Leighton's Paven) - Dowland
Galliard - Dowland
Orlando sleepeth - Dowland
What if a Day - Dowland
Mrs Winters Jumpp - Dowland
Galliard - Dowland
M. Giles Hobies Galiard - Dowland
Dr Cases Pauen - Dowland
Mellancoly Galliard - Dowland
Galliard - Dowland
Mistris Whittes thinge - Dowland
Go from my windowe - Dowland
Almain - Dowland
Mrs Whites Nothing - Dowland
Pavan - Dowland
Galliard - Dowland
Farewell - Dowland

Tracks:

My lady hunnsdons puffe
Solus cum sola
Suzanna Galliard
Sir John Smith his Almain
Sweet Robyne
Dowlands first galliard
Master Pypers Pavyn
Captain Digorie Piper his Galliard
As I wen to Walsingham
Monsieur's Almaine
Mrs Brigide fleetwoods paven alias Solus sine sola
Dowlands Galliard
Farwell (As
Captain Candishe his Galyard
Aloe
Can she excuse
A Coye Joye
Mrs vauxes Gigge
Mrs vaux Galliarde
Sir Henry Guilforde his Almaine
Mignarda
Lachrimae
Sir John Souch his galliard
Fantasia

Tracks:

The most high and mightie Christianus, the fourth King of Denmark, his Galliard
Sir John Langton his Pavin
Mr. Langtons galliard
A Fancy
A Pavan
The most sacred Queene Elizabeth, her Galliard
Mrs. Cliftons Allmaine
The Right Honourable the Lady Cliftons Spirit
tarletones riserrectione
Tarletons Willy
fortune my foe
The Queenes galliard
Wallsingham
A Galliard (on Walsingham)
Dowlands Adew for Master Oliver Cromwell
The Right Honourable Ferdinando Earle of Darby, his Galliard
Lord Strangs March
Mistresse Nichols Almand
forlone Hope fancye
Mr. Dowlands Midnight
Semper Dowland semper dolens

Tracks:

Preludium
A Fancy
Lachrimae
Galliard to Lachrimae
A Fantasia
An Almand
Pavana
The Right Honourable Robert, Earl of Essex, his Galliard
A Galliard (on a galliard by Daniel Bachelar)
My Lord Wilobies Welcom Home
The Shoemakers Wife. A Toy
The Right Hounourable The Lord Viscount Lisle, his Galliard
Coranto
A Galliard
The Lady Russells Paven
Galliard (on Awake sweet love, set by Fr. Cutting)
The Frog Galliard
Come Away
La mia Barbara
Loth to Departe

Tracks:

A Fancy
Pavana Dowlandi Angli (Mylius #2)
Doulands rounde battell galyarde
Pavin
The Erle of Darbies Galiard
Mistris Norrishis Delight
A Jig
The Erle of Essex Galliard
Galliard
Une Jeune Fillette
Gagliarda
Pavana Lachrimae
Squires Galliard
A Fancy
Hasellwoods Galliard
Sir Thomas Monson, his Pavin
Sir Thomas Monson, his Galliard
Almande
Sir Henry Umptons Funerall
Captayne Pipers Galliard
A fantasie

Amazon.com

Dowland did for lute music what Haydn did for the string quartet and Beethoven the piano sonata. The finest lutenist and songwriter of his age--he composed several of the greatest hits of the late 16th and early 17th centuries--the surviving lute works constitute a sort of encyclopedia of the possibilities of the instrument. There are song arrangements, dance pieces, tributes to the composer's friends, even a musical self-portrait. Much of the music is fashionably sad. Lute songs generally deal with the agony of lost love, and Dowland's most popular tune was called Lachrimae (Tears). Paul O'Dette is simply the best lutenist alive. These five discs are available together at a special price, or separately. A reference edition. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2007-03-31

If you are a fan of the music of John Dowland, you must own this CD. The playing is outstanding to say the least.

It's not heavy breathing.......2006-08-22

It's great that O'Dette gives us the complete solo works, of course. I have the common reaction to O'Dette: his technique is flawless, his performance unengaging.

Others have remarked on the "heavy breathing" noticeable on the recordings -- it's not heavy breathing, but the movement of his fingers on the gut strings making that sound.

Technically good, emotionally bland. .......2006-04-11

Considering the extreme paucity of (especially solo) lute recordings currently available worldwide,
but especially in the US, this set becomes an essential "must have" for all lovers of the lute.
Yet it somehow disappoints.
I am sure that Paul O'Dette is brimming over with virtuousity and a technical expertise
that I am hardly one to pass sound judgement upon.
But the recordings have a flatness and monotony;
the songs are rendered with precision, but seem to lack feeling, empathy, or enthusiasm throughout the offering.
It is an impressive compendium, and I'm glad I purchased it.
There are very few lutenists out there producing any music at all, so Mr. O'Dette should certainly be praised
for delivering such a substantial feast to our ears.
It just should have had more flavor.
Where is Konrad Ragossnig when you need him?

Highly recommended.......2005-10-23

I bought Volume 1 of this set a couple of years ago. It has become one of my favorite CDs, so I thought I would enjoy the full set. I have not been disappointed. I find the sound quality excellent, the playing superb. The included booklet has a lot of interesting background material. The music is great as background for a dinner party or intimate conversation, but has depth aplenty for concentrated listening. I often listen to it while working at the computer where I swear it improves concentration and productivity!

A few tunes appear more than once as Dowland reused some work, but the arrangements are sufficiently different to be interesting. It is his complete lute works, after all. Some might criticise the set for sounding too much in the same style. It is the work of one composer, and if you happen to like the style, as I do, this is a pro rather than a con.

Another reviewer mentioned obtrusive breathing on the recording. I had listened to Volume 1 for two years before reading the review and had not noticed this. On listening carefully, there is breathing audible, but I do not find it a problem. Perhaps it depends whether one listens to the music or the background.

just a warning..........2005-10-14

Beautiful music, but... you can hear Paul's heavy breathing throughout. Apparently a lot of other reviewers either don't hear the heavy breathing, or aren't bothered by it, but for me, it's a near deal-breaker. Go ahead and mark my review as unhelpful, but I had to put the warning out there.

John Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5

Average customer rating:

John Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Dowland: Complete Works for Lute, Vol. 4
John Dowland Complete Lute Work, Vol. 2
John Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol. 1

ASIN: B0000007F9
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: (A Fancy)
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Pavana Dowlandi Angli (Mylius #2)
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Doulands rounde battell galyarde
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Pavin
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: The Erle of Darbies Galiard
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Mistris Norrishis Delight
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: (A Jig)
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: The Earl of Essex Galliard
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Galliard
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Une Jeune Fillette
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Gagliarda
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Pavana Lachrimae
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Squires Galliard
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: (A Fancy)
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Hasellwoods Galliard
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Sir Thomas Monson, his Pavin
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Sir Thomas Monson, his Galliard
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Almande
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Sir Henry Umptons Funerall
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: Captayne Pipers Galliard
Complete Lute Works, Vol. 5: A fantasie

John Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

To "A music fan".
Heavy breathing?
5-star music
reflective and open
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

John Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

John Dowland Complete Lute Work, Vol. 2
Dowland: Complete Works for Lute, Vol. 4
Songs from the Labyrinth (Music by John Dowland)

ASIN: B0000007F5
Release Date: 1995-06-20

Tracks:

A Piece Without Title
Pavana (Mylius, 1622)
Mr Knights Galliard
My Lord Willobies Wellcome Home
The Frogg Galliard
A Fancy
My Ladie Riches Galyerd
The Lady Laitons Almone
A Dream (Lady Leighton's Paven)
Galliard
Orlando Sleepeth
What If A Day
Mrs Winters Jumpp
Galliard
M. Giles Hobies Galiard
Dr Cases Pauen
Mellancoly Galliard
Galliard
Mistris Whittes Thinge
Go From My Windowe
Almain
Mrs Whites Nothing
Pavan
Galliard
Farwell

Customer Reviews:

To "A music fan"........2003-07-11

What you are hearing is NOT breathing. It's fret and string noise. It's very noticeable when you have a guitar, lute, or string solo.

This CD is fascinating. It's very well done. When I heard it on my public classical station, I just had to order the real thing.

Heavy breathing?.......2003-01-28

Okay, two stars for this work isn't really fair... but I just want people to be aware that through most of this disc, you can hear the performer breathing. It's very low-pitch, and always seems to happen during the crescendos of the music. Another reviewer likened it to a 'hum'... I disagree... a constant hum wouldn't bother me at all, but the intermittent gutteral sounds drive me up the wall. Couldn't they have digitally edited that out? As for the music on the disc, it's excellent (5 stars). Call me paranoid, but I find myself focusing on the breathing, and it really jars me. I've found the only time I can listen to this disc is when I'm in my car, and the drone of the road (hey, I drive a Civic) cancels out the breathing noises. Then I love this disc.

5-star music.......2002-11-09

I don't get the 4-star ratings. I have the complete 5 volume set, and I'm overjoyed. The range of emotions, etc., etc., and the playing is fantastic. I hear Mr. O'Dette groan or moan or whatever sometimes, but it's a hundred times less disturbing than Glenn Gould's humming. If O'Dette has to utter a few sounds to play this well, so be it. Act now: buy all 5 volumes.

reflective and open.......2001-07-05

As an early music fan I have walked with Paul O'Dette through his often faithful and always insightful recordings of John Dowland's complete lute works with great expectation and wonder. Dowland's repertoire was not a small one; and Mr. O'Dette deserves great credit for this massive undertaking.

Volume one is a perfect example of all the things that characterize the rest of recordings in the series...It contains delightful songs (some standouts here are: "Mistris Whittes Thinge"; "A Dream"; and "Mr. Knight's Galliard"). All of songs are played masterfully by Mr. O'Dette. In fact, I would go so far as to say that what we have here are songs written by a master composer and in turn played by a musician who is a master of his craft.

Dowland's music is great for "slipping into." It is the kind of music that is both reflective and open. This is great stuff for thinking, meditating, or for playing in the background during good conversation among friends.

If you are a fan of Early Music, or someone who enjoys lovely, introspective music--this recording is for you. I recommend it highly.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........2001-06-11

Despite some shoddy production--the hum of a ventilation system (or something) is quite audible at the opening of this record--COMPLETE LUTE WORKS VOL. 1 is a fine recording, and a tempting inviation to buy the rest of the series.