John Dowland's career can perhaps be summarized by the statement 'Failure at home: time spent aboard'. In the early part of his career he converted to Catholicism whilst working for Henry Cobham, the ambassador to France. After he had returned to England in 1583, whilst under the employment of Henry Noel, he was passed over several times when lutenist positions became available in Elizabeth I's court. At the time, the country was officially Protestant; Church of England. However, Elizabeth (seeking to pacify the majority of her subjects) was sympathetic to Catholics. But, unfortunately for Dowland, she may not have wanted them employed at her court.

Frustrated in England, Dowland accepted a lucrative post as lutenist to Christian IV of Denmark in 1598, where he remained until 1606. During his time in Denmark, Dowland often went on extended periods of leave to England to oversee the publishing of his works and to perhaps also make appearances: still in hope of court employment. In 1612, Dowland was finally awarded an English Royal Lutenist's post in the long-dormant place of Richard Pike. By this time, namely 1603, Elizabeth I had died been by James I: the last of the Tudor monarchs.

Daniel Bacheler was apprenticed at the age of seven to his uncle Thomas Cardell, the lutenist and dance master at Elizabeth I's court. After having what must have been an excellent start in life, he proceeded to work for the ill-fated Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex between 1594-99. In 1603, he became a Lutenist and Groom of her Majesty's Privy Chamber. Although now classed as a 'lesser-known' composer from the Golden Age, Bacheler was possibly the most successful lutenist in England in his own lifetime. The reasons for his current lack of popularity are due to his compositions being complex and difficult to play, often requiring the now rarer and larger renaissance lutes, such as instruments with nine or ten courses. Bacheler's long span of compositional activity resulted in an output that is stylistically diverse. The musical forms found throughout his works show that he lived through the change in taste between the Elizabethan and Jacobean courts. They include: pavans, galliards, allemandes and sets of variations, one fantasia, courantes, and six preludes.

Alfonso Ferrabosco probably is more famous for introducing the madrigal to England than for his compositions. Born in Bologna, he visited England in 1562 and immediately found employment with Elizabeth I. During his time working at the English court he made many trips to Italy; this in addition to being unusually highly paid for a musician, causing many to think he was a spy. Ferrabosco's madrigal style was considered skillful by his English peers. But looking back on it now, he largely ignored the progressive style developing in Italy that featured expressive chromaticism and word-painting. In 1578, Ferrabosco left England never to return (despite regular requests from Elizabeth). In 1588, he died in Bologna.

Francis Cutting is one of the earliest English lute composers that we are aware of today. Little is known of his early life and musical training. At some point in his career he was employed as a musician for the Howard family which included the so-termed 'Catholic martyr' Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel. Cutting had an impressive ten children, one of whom, his son Thomas became a distinguished lutenist.

Cuttings compositions are a balanced display of the English lute style during the 1580s and 1590s. He composed no fancy or ground basses and can be more easily recognized by his contrapuntally-perfect pavans, galliards and allemandes. Several of his surviving works appear in William Barley's 'A New Booke of Tabliture (1596)'.

Contrary to expectations Anthony Holborne did not have an appointment as a musician at Elizabeth I's court. He most likely held a position such as 'Gentleman Usher to Queen Elizabeth' by the time his book 'The Cittharn School' was published; in it he is styled 'Gentleman and servant to her most excellent Majestie'. In the final years of his life, 1599-1602, he also worked for Robert Cecil, the 1st Earl of Salisbury. Unlike some musicians of the time he was well educated and could versify and write in Latin; suggestive of training at court, one of the inns, or university. He was a significant composer of cittern and bandora music as well as lute music.

Orlande de Lassus was a world famous Franco-Flemish composer. He started his career by studying in Naples in the early 1550s, working as both a singer and composer for Costantino Castroto. He next moved to Rome, working under Cosimo I de'Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. At the tender age of twenty-one he was appointed the 'maestro di cappella' of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the ecumenical mother church of Rome. In 1556 he had joined the court of Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria in Munich, becoming the 'maestro di cappella' by 1563. He would live in Munich for the rest of his life.

By the 1560s Lassus was famous. Many leaders in Europe paid tribute to him; Emperor Maximillian II conferred nobility upon him (rare for a composer), Pope Gregory XIII knighted him and Charles IX (King of France) invited him to visit, twice.

Lassus died in Munich in 1594, the same day that his employer decided to dismiss him for economic reasons. He never saw the letter. Lassus did not write music specifically for the lute as far as we know, but the piece in this program can be found in the Matthew Holmes Manuscripts I: Cambridge University Library MS Dd.2.11 and is a contemporary arrangement.

1. Susanne un jour (Orlande de Lassus arr Anon)
2. Pavane (Daniel Bacheler)
3. Pavane- Sedet sola (Anthony Holborne)
4. Miserere (Alfonso Ferrabosco)
5. Pavane- Patencia (Anthony Holborne)
6. Galliard (Daniel Bacheler)
7. A Fancy (John Dowland)
8. Monsieur's Allemande (Daniel Bacheler)
9. Pavane (Daniel Bacheler)
10. Pavana 'Bray' (William Byrd arr Francis Cutting)
11. Last Will and Testament (Anthony Holborne)

Listen to: the entire album.

Release date: 01/26/2018
Alex McCartney lives in York England

Tagged as: Classical, Renaissance, Baroque, Instrumental, Composer: Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger, Composer: Anthony Holborne, Composer: Daniel Bacheler, Composer: John Dowland, Composer: Orlande de Lassus, Composer: William Byrd, Lute

1. Reverie by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
2. Mozart 4 Quartets for Strings and Winds by American Baroque: Spectacular Baroque and Classical chamber music
3. The Melodious Birde - Keyboard Music By William Byrd by Colin Booth: solo harpsichord music
4. Bach Cello Suites on 8 String Guitar by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
5. JS Bach Trios on Guitar by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
6. SL Weiss on 11 Strings by Paul Berget: renaissance lute, modernized.
7. Bach and Telemann - Sonatas, Preludes and Fantasias by Voices of Music: Lilting Renaissance & Baroque vocal interpretations
8. Dances and Suites of Rameau and Couperin by American Baroque: Spectacular Baroque and Classical chamber music
9. Bach-Paternoster by Vito Paternoster: cellist extraordinaire
10. Conversations Galantes by Ensemble Mirable: rare and extraordinary music of the Baroque
11. JS Bach on 8 string guitar, vol 1 by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
12. Dowland on 8 String Guitar by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
13. CD2 - Bach - The Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin by Lara St John: Bach violin concertos
14. Canconier by Canconier: Medieval music from the 12th to the 15th centuries
15. Pastourelle by Fortune's Wheel: a spirited rediscovery of the riches of medieval musical traditions
16. Goldberg Variations (JS Bach) by Andreas Almqvist: elegant classical guitar
17. Litha by Skarazula: medieval European, Turkish and Arabic music
18. Cimarosa on Guitar by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
19. Bach Violin Concertos by Lara St John: Bach violin concertos
20. JS Bach on Solo Mandola by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar

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