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Track(s) taken from CDH55241

Say, Love, if ever thou didst find

composer
John Dowland (1563-1626)
1603; The Third and Last Booke of Songs and Aires, London
author of text
Anonymous - Renaissance

James Bowman (countertenor), David Miller (lute)
Recording details: February 1990
Tudeley Church, Tonbridge, Kent, United Kingdom
Produced by Robert King & Ben Turner
Engineered by Antony Howell
Release date: March 1991
Total duration: 2 minutes 5 seconds
 

Other recordings available for download

Mark Padmore (tenor), Elizabeth Kenny (lute)
Iestyn Davies (countertenor), Thomas Dunford (lute)
Ian Partridge (tenor), Jakob Lindberg (lute)

Reviews

‘James Bowman’s usual ease of tone is in full evidence here. He gives us meltingly sweet, gorgeous, resonant high notes, and fluidity of vocal line. Meanwhile, David Miller’s lute playing is sensitive and agile. Whether pleading for God’s redemption or wooing a lover, both singer and lutenist capture the word painting which is such a feature and strength of these songs. This is one to savour’ (bbc.co.uk)
The image of the moon is common to songs that touch on the symbol of the Virgin Queen (constant yet ever-changing). Whether or not Elizabeth’s razor-sharp intellect would have been taken in by the extravagance of Say, Love, if ever thou didst find (‘Say, Love, if ever thou didst find/A woman with a constant mind?’), it is a wonderful song.

from notes by Elizabeth Kenny © 2008

L’image de la lune est courante dans les songs touchant au symbole de la Virgin Queen (constante et néanmoins toujours changeante). Que la vive intelligence d’Élisabeth ait ou non été saisie par l’extravagance de Say, Love, if ever thou didst find? («Say, Love, if ever thou didst find/A woman with a constant mind?», «Dis, Amour, si tu as jamais rencontré/une femme à l’esprit constant?»), c’est là un merveilleux song.

extrait des notes rédigées par Elizabeth Kenny © 2008
Français: Hypérion

Das Bild des Mondes kommt häufig in Liedern vor, die sich mit dem Symbol der jungfräulichen Königin befassen (beständig, doch im ständigen Wandel). Ungeachtet, ob Elisabeths äußerst scharfsinniger Verstand von solchen Ausschweifungen wie Say, Love, if ever thou didst find („Geliebter, hast du je geseh’n/Beständigkeit bei Frauen schön?“) eingenommen wurde oder nicht, ist das ein wunderbares Lied.

aus dem Begleittext von Elizabeth Kenny © 2008
Deutsch: Elke Hockings

Other albums featuring this work

Dowland & Campion: It fell on a summer's day
Ian Partridge (tenor), Jakob Lindberg (lute)
CDH88011Download only
Dowland: Lute Songs; Britten: Nocturnal
Mark Padmore (tenor), Elizabeth Kenny (lute), Craig Ogden (guitar)
CDA67648
Dowland: The Art of Melancholy
Iestyn Davies (countertenor), Thomas Dunford (lute)
Studio Master: CDA68007Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

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