John Dowland

b. 1562, Nr. Dublin; d. 1626, London

Dowland was a lutanist and composer. He travelled widely in Europe and in 1598 he obtained a position at the Danish court of Christian IV. He did not gain an appointment at the English court until 1612 but during his life his songs gained considerable popularity and were widely published in such cities as Amsterdam, Paris, Nuremberg and Leipzig.

His most characteristic output are his melancholic compositions with such titles as Lachrimae, Sorrow Stay and Flow my Tears.

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