Legendary English composer, lutenist, and singer John Dowland (1563 - 1626) was widely known in his lifetime as a virtuoso lutenist, and today is widely “recognized as the greatest English composer of lute music and lute songs” (Holman, 2001). In addition to his prodigious accomplishments as a composer and lutenist, he is also one of the first composers to bring the song form of an air to a large audience (an air is a vocal or instrumental composition that has a lyrical quality, similar in content to an aria).
Air by John Dowland
Air by John Dowland
Air by John Dowland
Legendary English composer, lutenist, and singer John Dowland (1563 - 1626) was widely known in his lifetime as a virtuoso lutenist, and today is widely “recognized as the greatest English composer of lute music and lute songs” (Holman, 2001). In addition to his prodigious accomplishments as a composer and lutenist, he is also one of the first composers to bring the song form of an air to a large audience (an air is a vocal or instrumental composition that has a lyrical quality, similar in content to an aria).