View source for Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares

{{Short description|1604 collection of instrumental music by John Dowland}}
{{italic title}}
[[File:Dowland Lachrymæ.gif|thumb|Front page of ''Lachrimae or Seaven Teares Figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans''.]]
'''''Lachrimæ or seaven teares figured in seaven passionate [[Pavane|pavans]], with divers other pavans, [[galliard]]s and [[allemande|allemands]], set forth for the lute, viols, or violons, in five parts''''' is a collection of instrumental music composed by [[John Dowland]]. It was published by [[John Windet]] in 1604.
It consists of a set of seven slow pieces which the composer calls tears ("teares" in [[Early Modern English|Early Modern]] spelling) plus other pieces including some livelier numbers.
The title page of ''Lachrimæ'' is adorned with a [[Latin language|Latin]] [[epigram]]: ''"Aut Furit, aut Lachrimat, quem non Fortuna beavit"'' ("He whom Fortune has not blessed either rages or weeps").
Dowland points out in his dedication that there are different types of tears. “The teares which Musicke weeps” can be pleasant; “neither are teares shed always in sorrow but sometime in joy and gladnesse”.
==Instrumentation==
As the title page suggests, the music is scored for five [[viol]]s, or alternatively [[violin]]s (that is, members of the violin family), and [[lute]].
==''Lachrimae'' pavans==
The seven pavans are variations on a theme, the "''Lachrimæ'' pavan", which Dowland had already made well known as a lute solo and a song. (That pavan was reworked into the song "[[Flow my tears]]" in Dowland's ''[[The Second Book of Songs (1600)|Second Book of Songs]]'' (1600)<ref>[[Diana Poulton]]. "John Dowland" 2nd Edition. University of California Press. 1982, p.124)</ref> and begins with a "falling tear" [[Motif (music)|motif]] of four notes.) The harmonies of the seven are intense, with lines weaving close together. Each was given a title by the composer, and there has been speculation that the group forms a narrative or musical journey, though any meaning remains unclear:
* ''Lachrimæ antiquae (Old Tears)'' — already existed as a lute solo and a song
* ''Lachrimæ antiquae novæ (Old Tears Renewed)'' — a harmonic [[parody#Music|parody]] of ''Lachrimæ antiquæ''
* ''Lachrimæ gementes (Sighing Tears)''
* ''Lachrimæ tristes (Sad Tears)''
* ''Lachrimæ coactae (Forced Tears)'' — a harmonic [[parody#Music|parody]] of ''Lachrimæ tristes''
* ''Lachrimæ amantis (A Lover’s Tears)''
* ''Lachrimæ veræ (True Tears)''
==Other compositions==
{{listen|type=music
| filename     = John Dowland (1563-1626) - The King of Denmark Galliard à5, Lachrimae, No.11 for Treble, Tenor & Bass Viols with Great Bass Violone in G.ogg
| title        = John Dowland (1563-1626) - The King of Denmark Galliard à5, Lachrimae, No.11
| description  =
| filename2    = John Dowland (1563-1626) - Mistress Nichols Almand à5, Lachrimae, No.20 for Treble, Tenor & Bass Viols with Great Bass Violone in G.ogg
| title2       = John Dowland (1563-1626) - Mistress Nichols Almand à5, Lachrimae, No.20
| description2 =
| filename3    = John Dowland (1563-1626) - M. George Whitehead His Almand, Lachrimae, No.21 for Treble, Tenor & Bass Viols with Great Bass Violone in G 1604.ogg
| title3       = John Dowland (1563-1626) - M. George Whitehead His Almand, Lachrimae, No.21
| description3 = Performed by Phillip W. Serna
}}
The “divers other” compositions are: two ''[[allemande]]s'' (“almands”), nine lively ''[[galliard]]s'' (“galiards”), two sombre [[Pavane|pavans]], and a “funerall.” They are dedicated to people of varying social rank, including a [[pirate]], Digorie Piper, who is not fully named.<ref name="Opera">{{cite web | url=http://www.operatoday.com/content/2014/02/john_dowland_in.php | title=John Dowland | work=Opera Today | accessdate=28 July 2014 | author=Seymour, Claire}}</ref> “M” is mister, “Mss” is mistress. Still the scoring is for lute and 5 viols (or violins):
* Pavan ''“Semper Dowland semper Dolens”'' P9
* “Sir Henry Umptons Funerall” [sic]
* “M John Langtons Pavan” [sic] P14
* “The King of Denmarks Galiard” [sic] P40
* “The Earle of Essex Galiard” [sic] P42, dedicated to [[Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex]]
* “Sir John Souch his Galiard” [sic] P26
* “M Henry Noell his Galiard” [sic] P34
* “M Giles Hoby his Galiard” [sic] P29
* “M Nicholas Gryffith his Galiard” [sic]
* “M Thomas Collier his Galiard with 2 Trebles” [sic]
* “Captaine Piper his Galiard” [sic] P88
* “M Bucton his Galiard” [sic]
* “Mss Nichols Almand” [sic] P52
* “M George Whitehead his Almand” [sic]
==Publication==
From 1598 Dowland was employed as lutenist to [[Christian IV of Denmark]], but he still published in London, where he seems to have maintained a family home. The title-page of ''Lachrimae'' states that the book can be purchased from the "author's house" in [[Fetter Lane]]. In the case of the [[The Second Book of Songs (1600)|''Second Book of Songs'']] (1600), we know that Mrs Dowland was in London and handed over the manuscript. In the case of ''Lachrimae'', he may have been back in England long enough to oversee the publication process directly. The book was dedicated to [[Anne of Denmark]], and Dowland mentions meeting her at Winchester, which suggests his involvement in her October 1603 masque, ''[[Prince Henry's Welcome at Winchester]]''.<ref>John Leeds Barroll, 'Inventing the Stuart Masque', David Bevington & Peter Holbrook, ''Politics of the Stuart Court Masque'' (Cambridge, 1998), p. 123.</ref><ref>Peter Holman, ''Dowland: Lachrimae, 1604'' (Cambridge, 1999), p. 4.</ref>
==Recordings==
Recordings include ''Lachrimae, or Seven Tears'' by the viol consort [[Phantasm (music group)|Phantasm]] with Elizabeth Kenny (lute) directed by [[Laurence Dreyfus]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017 |title=John Dowland: Lachrimæ, or Seven Tears |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05l9132 |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=[[Record Review (radio programme)|Record Review]]. BBC}}</ref>
==References==
* Peter Holman with Paul O'Dette. "John Dowland", Grove Music, ed. L. Macy. {{ISBN|0-333-60800-3}}
* Peter Holman, ''Dowland: Lachrimae (1604)'', {{ISBN|978-0-521-58196-7}}
==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Collections by John Dowland]]
[[Category:1604 works]]
[[Category:Music books]]
[[Category:Music with dedications]]