Signs and Secrets – Dowlands Foundry

Dowland’s Foundry

Gwendolen Martin – Soprano
Clemmie Franks – Alto
Daniel Thomson – Tenor
Timothy Dickinson – Bass
Sam Brown – Lute

Excerpt from the Prologue to the First Book
Fantasia
Whoever thinks or hopes of love for love

My thoughts are wing’d with hopes
If my complaints could passions move
Earl of Essex Galliard
Sleep wayward thoughts

Go, crystal tears
All ye whom love or fortune hath betrayed
Semper Dowland, semper Dolens
Wilt thou unkind thus reave me

Lute arise and charm the air
I saw my lady weep
O sweet woods
If floods of tears
Robin is to the greenwood gone
Now cease my wand’ring eyes
Robin reddocke
A shepherd in a shade
Clear or cloudy

Commemorating the 400th anniversary of John Dowland’s death, Dowland’s Foundry explore his wonderful songs with their distinctive melodies and poignant lyrics. Dowland was also a spy for Lord Cecil – using his international renown as a musician as a cover. The concert includes a talk given by Frederick Forman from the National Trust linking Dowland to the Selby family who owned Ightham Mote and spied for Sir Francis Walsingham. Walsingham and Cecil were the most powerful ministers of Elizabeth I and between them established modern espionage.