# First Book of Airs

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THE
ENGLISH SCHOOL OF
LUTENIST SONG WRITERS
Transcribed, Scored and Edited
from the
Original Editions
by
EDMUND HORACE FELLOWES,
JOHN DOWLAND.
First Book of Airs.
1597.
PART I.
Nos. 1—10.
STAINER & BELL, Ltd.
58, BERNERS STREET, LONDON, W.1.
Copyright 1920
STAINER & BELL, Ltd.
THE GENERAL PREFACE
The English School of Lutenist song-writers stands by itself as something which had no parallel in the contemporary Schools of music in Europe. Not the least remarkable feature of this School was the shortness of the period during which it shone so brilliantly; for it began with the publication of John Dowland's first volume in 1597 and practically ended with the same composer's A Pilgrim's Solace published in 1612; John Attey's volume followed this as much as ten years later in 1622 as an isolated and final example of the same class of composition.
During the period between 1597 and 1612 some thirty volumes, or sets, were issued, of which copies have survived to our own time; but no more than a single exemplar of several of these sets is known to exist. The most prolific of this group of song-writers were Thomas Campian and Robert Jones with five volumes each, and John Dowland with four. Campian's song-books are especially remarkable since they represent him in the dual capacity of poet and composer. Among other important composers in this School were Thomas Morley, Philip Rosseter, Thomas Ford, William Corkine, and Francis Pilkington.
We have in this collection of volumes a rich store of national song, the music of which is wedded to superb verse belonging to the finest period of our national literature. And the words were set by these Lutenist composers with a true appreciation of their poetic value; their sole purpose was to enhance the beauty of the recitation of such lines through the medium of simple musical expression as opposed to any idea of elaborate device. It was their wonderful success in carrying out this special purpose that placed this group of English song-writers in the highest rank.
The song-books of the Lutenists each contained, as a general rule, about twenty songs; a majority of the volumes consist of exactly twenty-one numbers, but no reason can now be suggested to explain such a large measure of uniformity in this matter. An accompaniment for the lute was printed below the solo voice-part, the notation employed for this purpose being that known as lute tablature. The lute accompaniment was sometimes reinforced in the bass by a bowed instrument such as the viol da gamba. In many instances the composers also arranged their songs for an alternative method of performance, namely, for four unaccompanied voice-parts, and these voice-parts were printed on a single page on a plan which enabled the four performers to stand in a semi-circle and to sing their music from one book placed in the middle. The harmonies of these additional voice-parts do not quite invariably conform with those of the lute, and occasional examples could be cited to show that the simultaneous performance of the lute accompaniment with the full vocal arrangement would produce a definite conflict of harmony. Moreover, the lutenist, who must necessarily have been seated while playing, would have been put to no little inconvenience in the scheme just mentioned, in which the performers all looked over one book. On the other hand, the title pages of some of the song-boo;s suggest that a good deal of freedom in these matters was sanctioned by the composers themselves, but there can be little room for doubt that the main purpose of these musicians was to write songs for solo-voice with lute accompaniment, while as a secondary interest they also arranged many of them as unaccompanied part-songs. It seems certain that Dowland, the greatest of all the performers on the lute, and also a notable singer, used to sing his songs to his own accompaniment.
In the present Edition two versions of each song are given. In the first, the melody, or cantus-part, is reproduced together with the lute-tablature exactly as it stands in the original editions, and showing the composer's own barring of the music. Immediately over the tablature the Editor has inserted a strictly literal transcription of the lute-part in terms of modern notation, retaining the idiom of the lute even where it is not suited to the Pianoforte. The method of transcription here adopted differs from the usual practice, the Editor having exercised his own discretion in interpreting the individual values of the notes as plucked on the lute; but the percussion of the notes on the Pianoforte precisely corresponds with that on the lute, and nothing further is added except phrase-marks.
This literal version thus very closely represents the Composer's original accompaniment. It will not be found wholly ineffective for practical use on a Pianoforte, and when played upon a Harpsichord the effect quite nearly approaches that of the lute.
But an alternative version of the songs was also considered desirable. In this alternative version the original barring of the voice-part had been somewhat modified with the object of simplifying the interpretation of the music. The principle of irregularity in this matter has been retained, and it is very important that singers and accompanists who may use this Edition should understand that the crotchet (or minim) unit remains constant in value right through each song, whatever may be the variations of rhythm, and regardless of such inequalities of bar-length as will be found throughout these compositions. The rare exceptions to this rule as, for example, in Dowland's Second Book No. 5, are duly noted in each case. In many cases a crotchet unit has been substituted for the original minim unit. In view of the irregularity of bar-lengths so generally occurring, it was considered undesirable to give any time-signatures in this alternative version. The original signatures are reproduced in the literal version, and it must be ​remembered that time-signatures at the beginning of a piece of Elizabethan music never indicated the number of beats in a bar but merely the relative value of the longer notes to the shorter. Rhythms of 4/4, 3/2, 3/4, and 6/8, not to mention more complex rhythms, were introduced promiscuously by these composers, and they were indicated by the true accentuation of the words rather than by any system of time-signatures or of barring. It is, in consequence, necessary that a singer should acquire perfect facility in dealing with the sudden and frequent changes of rhythm in order to interpret Elizabethan music satisfactorily.
In a few instances the songs have been transposed with the object of bringing them all into line for voices of medium compass. Those who desire to do so can of course transpose them to any key that suits their own individual requirements.
The accompaniment in this alternative version has been arranged by the Editor exclusively from the composer's own material, but the comparatively narrow compass.of the lute has been suitably extended, especially in its upper ranges, and the idiom of the lute has been adapted to that of the Pianoforte as far as possible without sacrificing the character of the music. A short introductory phrase to each song has also been added by the Editor where none existed in the original Edition, and these phrases are designed upon material to be found in the songs themselves. Modern key-signatures have been added, and also expression-marks, none whatever being found in the original Editions.
In this last particular the Editor has no desire to hamper the individual discretion of those who may sing these songs; and, indeed, his suggestions mainly apply only to the first-verse of the songs, for it would give a confused appearance to print different expressions-marks for each verse. It should be remembered that the first verse alone was, as a general rule, printed with the music in the original editions, the remaining verses appearing in metrical form at the foot of the page. Although, of course, the metre of the subsequent verses is identical with that of the first, it is not infrequently necessary to re-arrange the position of the words of the later verse in order to fit them to some of the smaller phrases of the music. A good example of this will be found in No. 20 of Dowland's first book.
The authorship of the words was seldom recorded in the original Editions. Whenever it has been possible to identify the poet, his name has been given in the present Edition.
No complete Edition of the Lutenist songs has ever been issued since the original editions appeared, now more than three hundred years ago. It is hoped that the present Edition may be instrumental in making these superb English songs known, as they deserve to be, throughout the world. No library, either public or private, which devotes any space to the English poets, should lack a copy of these song-books; the songs themselves should find a place on a large proportion of Concert-programmes.
I desire to express my cordial thanks to my friend the Rev. A. Ramsbotham for valuable advice in connection with the Pianoforte accompaniments, and for help in reading the proofs.
EDMUND H. FELLOWES
The Cloisters, Windsor Castle,
September 1st, 1920.
Preface to Dowland’s First Book of Airs.
John Dowland stands out as a remarkable personality even in an age which produced more men of mark than any other in English History. He was the greatest of all the English lutenists; he enjoyed a European reputation as a composer, singer and virtuoso; and his praises were sung by the famous poets of his time. As evidence of the popularity of his music it may be stated that his "First Book of Airs," published in 1597, ran through as many as five editions in sixteen years, a most notable experience, to which no other song-book of the time offers any parallel. It is not a little strange that Dowland should have come to be so completely forgotten by succeeding generations of English people, for it is not too much to say that his name is almost unknown, even in musical circles, to-day. Yet he was not only one of the greatest song-writers that this country has ever produced, but he is to be placed unhesitatingly among the world's greatest song-writers of all time.
Our knowledge of Dowland's personal history is mainly due to the researches of Mr. Barclay Squire, supplemented by those of Dr. W. H. Grattan-Flood. He came of Irish stock. His father was living at one time at Dalkey, County Dublin, and it is not improbable that this was the composer's birth-place, although no positive evidence can be cited to conform the conjecture. The surname in this particular form is not common but it is to be met with in the neighbourhood of Dublin at that time. Thus, Richard Dowland was sexton of Christ Church Cathedral, and may have been a brother of John. Matthew Dowland who was buried at St. Margaret's, Westminster, in 1628, may either have been a brother or a son of the composer. The more common form of the name in Ireland is Dolan; other variants are Doland and Douland.
John Dowland was born at Christmas-tide 1562. His father died in 1577 when the boy was scarcely fifteen years old. In the following year he made his way to England. He had influential friends and in 1580, at the age of seventeen, he went to Paris, holding some minor appointment in the train of Sir Henry Cobham. During the following three years he travelled, as he himself describes it, through "the chiefest parts of France, a nation furnisht with great variety of Musicke." His marriage must have taken place shortly after his return to England, for bis son Robert was born in 1586 when he was not more than 23 years of age. This period was largely devoted to serious musical study, he having aimed at the musical profession from childhood. He took the Mus. Bac. degree at Oxford in 1588 and was a contributor to East's "Whole book of Psalms" 1592. Some of his songs were written about this time, for he states that the greater part of his first Set were, at the time of publication, "ripe inough by their age," and there can be little doubt that it was Dowland's setting of Peele's words which Sir Henry Lea sang at Westminster in 1590 on the occasion of his retirement from the position of Champion to the Queen. It was at this period too that Dowland applied unsuccessfully for an appointment to the Court of Queen Elizabeth and his failure may possibly be ascribed to his having become a convert to Roman Catholicism during his stay in Paris. He then travelled to Germany, where he spent some months and was well received wherever he went, and in 1594 "past over the Alpes into Italy," where he was received with enthusiasm in Venice, Padua, Genoa, Ferrara, Florence, and elsewhere. He also became the friend and pupil of the famous Italian madrigalist Luca Marenzio.
It is somewhat strange in this connexion that Dowland did not follow Marenzio in the direction of madrigal-composition, but it was consistent with his noieworthy independence of character that he should have struck out an entirely original line and given to the world a new Art-form, namely, the Lutenists' "Air"—or "Ayre," as it was very generally spelt. This "First Book of Airs," as already mentioned, was published in 1;97, at a time when he seems to have been in residence at Trinity College, Dublin, as a graduate. In the following year he left England again to take up an appoin ment at Elsinore as lutenist to Christian IV. King of Denmark: and, except for one brief visit to England in 1601, he remained abroad until 1609. In the meanwhile his second and third Books were published, in 1600 and 1603 respectively. On his final return to England he became lutenist to Lord Audley of Walden at Audley End, and in his latter years he was made one of the six lutenists to King Charles I. His death took place on 21st January, 1625—6, but the place of his death is uncertain and that of his burial remains unknown.
A fourth volume of Airs was published by Dowland in 1612 under the title of "A Pilgrim's Solace" In the preface to this work he indulged in complaints of the conduct and attitude of the other lutenists of his time; and it would seem that he had the bitter experience of finding himself neglected and forgotten in his own country after having been the darling of all Europe and having gained triumph upon triumph, as he travelled throughout France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Denmark and elsewhere, singing his superb songs to his own matchless accompaniment on the lute. Furthermore, he seems, like many another artist, to have spent his earnings rapidly and with a light heart without considering the future, so that poverty and disappointment no doubt undermined his health and hastened his death.
Dowland's four books of Airs contain in all 84 songs, and four more were included in the collection made by his son Robert, published in 1610 under the title of "A musical Banquet." None of these books has ever been reprinted in complete form with the exception of the first which was issued to members of the Musical Antiquarian Society, and has been long out of print. The lute accompaniment was not reprinted in that edition. It may be hoped that this new Edition, which presents these compositions in the form of solo-song, the form in which the composer himself would have sung them, and which without doubt took precedence in his mind over the alternative version designed for four voices, will lead to something like the same popularity for the songs as that which they enjoyed in Dowland's day.
EDMUND H. FELLOWES.
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TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR GEORGE
CARY, OF THE MOST HONORABLE ORDER
OF THE GARTER KNIGHT,
Baron of Hunsdon, Captaine of her Maiesties Gentlemen Pensioners,
Gouernor of the Isle of Wight, Lieutenant of the Countie of Southt:
Lord Chamberlaine of her Majesties most Royall House, and of
her Highnes most honorable priuie Counsell.
THAT harmony (Right honorable) which is skilfullie exprest by Instruments, albeit, by reason of the variety of number & proportion of it selfe, it easily stirs up the minds of the hearers to admiration & delight, yet for higher authority any power hath been euer worthily attributed to that kind of Musicke, which to the sweetnes of instrument applies the liuely voice of man, expressing some worthy sentence or excellent Poeme. Hence (as all antiquity can witnesse) first grew the heauenly Art of musicke: for Linus Orpheus and the rest, according to the number and time of the Poemes, first framed the numbers and times of musicke: So that Plato defines melody to consist of harmony, number and words; harmony naked of it selfe: wordes the ornament of harmony, number the common friend and uniter of them both. This small booke containing the consent of speaking harmony, ioined with the most musicall instrument the Lute, being my first labour, I haue presumed to dedicate to your Lordship, who for your vertue and nobility are best able to protect it, & for your honorable fauors towards me, best deseruing my duety and seruice. Besides your noble inclination and loue to all good Arts, and namely the deuine science of musicke, doth challenge the patronage of all learning, then which no greater title can be added to Nobility. Neither in these your honours may I let passe the dutifull remembrance of your vertuous Lady my honorable mistris, whose singular graces towards me haue added spirit to my unfortunate labours. What time and diligence I haue bestowed in the search of Musicke, what trauell in forreine countries, what successe and estimation euen among strangers I haue found, I leaue to the report of others. Yet all this in vaine were it not that your honourable hands have vouchsaft to uphold my poore fortunes, which I now wholy recommend to your gratious protection, with these my first endeuors, humbly beseeching you to accept and cherish them with your continued fauours.
Your Lordships most humble servant,
iohn Dowland
To the courteous Reader.
HOW hard an enterprise it is in this skilfull and curious age to commit our priuate labours to the publike view, mine owne disability, and others hard successe do too wel assure me: and were it not for that loue I beare to the true louers of musicke, I had conceald these my first fruits, which how they wil thriue with your taste I know not, howsoeuer the greater part of them might haue been ripe inough by their age. The Courtly iudgement I hope wil not be seuere against them, being it selfe a party, and those sweet springs of humanity (I meane our two famous Vniversities) wil entertain them for his sake, whome they haue already grac't, and as it were enfranchisd in the ingenuous profession of Musicke, which from my childhood I have euer aymed at, sundry times leaving my natiue country, the better to attain so excellent a science. About sixteene yeres past, I trauelled the chiefest parts of France, a nation furnisht with great variety of Musicke: But lately, being of a more confirmed iudgement, I bent my course toward the famous prouinces of Germany, where I found both excellent masters, and most honorable Patrons of musicke: Namely, those two miracles of this age for vertue and magnificence, Henry Julio Duke of Brunswick, and learned Maritius Lantzgraue of Hessen, of whose princely vertues & fauors towards me I can neuer speake sufficiently. Neither can I forget the kindnes of Alexandro Horologio, aright learned master of musicke, seruant to the royall Prince the Lantzgraue of Hessen, & Gregorio Howet, Lutenist to the magnificent Duke of Brunswick, both whom I name as well for their loue to me, as also for their excellency in their faculties. Thus hauing spent some moneths in Germany, to my great admiration of that worthy country, I past ouer the Alpes into Italy, where I found the Citties furnisht with all good Artes, but especially musicke. What fauour and estimation I had in Venice, Padua, Genoa, Ferrara, Florence, & diuers other places I willingly suppresse, least I should any way seeme partiall in mine owne indeuours. Yet can I not dissemble the great content I found in the proferd amity of the most famous Luca Marenzio, whose sundry letters I receiued from Rome, and one of them, because it is but short, I haue thought good to set downe, not thinking it any disgrace to be proud of the iudgement of so excellent a man.
Multo Magnifico Signior mio offeruandissimo.
PER una lettera del Signior Alberigo Maluezi ho inteso quanto con cortese affetto si mostri desideroso di effermi congionto d'amicitia, doue infinitaniente laringratio di questo suo buon' animo, offerendomegli all' incontro se in alcuna cosa la posso seruire, poi che gli meriti delle sue infinite virtù, & qualità meritano che ogni into & me Vammirino & osseruino, & par fine di questo le bascio le mani. Di Roma a' 13. di Luglio. 1595.
Luca Marenzio.
Not to stand too long vpon my trauels, I will only name that worthy master Giouanni Crochio, Vicemaster of the chappel of S. Marks in Venice, with whome I had familiar conference. And thus what experience I could gather abroad, I am now readie to practise at home, if I may but find encouragement in my first assaies. There have been diuers Lute-lessons of mine lately printed without my knowledge, false and vnperfect, but I purpose shortly my selfe to set forth the choisest of all my Lessons in print, and also an introduction for fingering, with other bookes of Songs, whereof this is the first: and as this Andes fauor with you, so shall I be affected to labor in the rest. Farewell.
Iohn Dowland.
Tho. Campiani Epigramma de
instituto Authoris.
Famam, posteritas quam dedit Orplico, Dolandi melius Musica dat sibi, Fugaces reprimens archetypis sonos: Quas & dclitias praebuit auribus, Ipsis conspicuas luminibus facit.
FIRST BOOK OF AIRS.
Part I.
CONTENTS.
PAGES
THE
ENGLISH SCHOOL OF
LUTENIST SONG WRITERS
Transcribed, Scored and Edited
from the
Original Editions
by
EDMUND HORACE FELLOWES,
JOHN DOWLAND.
First Book of Airs.
1597.
PART II.
Nos. 11—21.
STAINER & BELL, Ltd.
58, BERNERS STREET, LONDON, W.1.
COPYRIGHT 1921
BY
STAINER & BELL LTD
FIRST BOOK OF AIRS.
Part II.
CONTENTS.
PAGES
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1951, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 72 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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