John Dowland’s 1604 Lachrimae is described on its title page as “Seven Tears figured in seven passionate pavans, with diverse other pavans, galliards and almans, set forth for lute, viols, or violins, in five parts”.
At the heart of the work are the seven melancholy pavans, whose surface serenity contains but never masks the darkness of their emotional heart. The particularly haunting combination of lute and viols ensures that the tone set at the start seeps into the lighter dances which follow.
This song-based music is of a nature that, once it grips you, it’s unlikely ever to let go, especially in a performance as finely balanced as this.
