author
John Dowland
d. 1626
A master of the English lute song, this Elizabethan composer wrote music of rare intimacy and feeling, including the unforgettable "Flow, my tears." His works blend elegance, melancholy, and lyrical beauty in a way that still feels immediate centuries later.
1 Audiobook
Fine Knacks for Ladies
by John Dowland
About the author
Born in 1562 or 1563, John Dowland became one of the most admired lutenists and song composers of his age. He spent time in Paris early in his career and later worked across Europe, including at the court of King Christian IV of Denmark, building an international reputation as a performer and composer.
Dowland is best remembered for his lute songs and instrumental pieces, especially Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares and songs such as Flow, my tears. His music is often associated with a refined, expressive sadness, but it also shows great craftsmanship, vocal grace, and a strong sense of line that helped make it enduringly popular.
He eventually served as one of the lutenists at the English court and died in London in January 1626. Although only a portion of his life is well documented, his music has outlasted the uncertainties of his biography and remains central to the sound world of the late Renaissance.