Track Listing

1. Walsingham
2. Can she excuse my wrongs?
3. Ryght honorable: as I have bin most bounde unto your honor Â…
4. Flow my tears
5. Have you seen the bright lily grow
6. Then in time passing on Mr. Johnson diedÂ…
7. The Most High and Mighty Christianus the Fourth, King of Denmark
8. The lowest trees have tops
9. And accordinge as I desired ther cam a letterÂ…
10. Fine knacks for ladies
11. From thenc I went to the Landgrave of HessenÂ…
12. Fantasy
13. Come, heavy sleep
14. Forlorn Hope Fancy
15. And from thence I had great desire to see ItalyÂ…
16. Come again
17. Wilt thou unkind thus reave me
18. After my departure I caled to mynde our conferenceÂ…
19. Weep you no more, sad fountains
20. My Lord WilloughbyÂ’s Welcome Home
21. Clear or cloudy
22. Men say that the Kinge of Spain is making gret preparationÂ…
23. In darkness let me dwell

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3464 in Music
• Released on: 2006-10-10
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Album Description
StingÂ’s Songs From The Labyrinth is an album of 17th century music composed by John Dowland and performed on the lute, an ancient acoustic guitar. After being given a lute nearly two years ago as a gift, Sting became fascinated and immersed himself with the instrument and the history of lute music. Reminded of his almost 25 year long enthrallment with the works of John Dowland, the Elizabethan composer who wrote songs for the lute, Sting has recorded a new album of vocal and lute music. All songs were composed by Dowland in the 17th century, but have been given new life in these fresh new recordings by Sting. Sting not only sings all the songs (accompanied by leading lutenist Edin Karamasov, who appears on two Andreas Scholl albums), but also plays lute on two instrumental duets with Edin and reads short extracts from a fascinating autobiographical letter by Dowland. Sting has also written a brilliant account of the album's genesis, along with notes on the individual tracks, which serves as the CD booklet.

Amazon.com
In choosing to cover the music of John Dowland (1563-1626), who is known as the "melancholy madrigalist" from his output of cheerful ditties like "Flow My Tears," Police bandleader Sting has entered into a whole new realm of austere eeriness. Originally inspired by the gift of a lute, the rock superstar and activist sings the songs, deliciously sweet and tender or spirited by turn, accompanying himself, with Edin Karamazov sitting on lute and archlute. For listeners accustomed to hearing material of this period interpreted by rigorously trained early music stylists, especially countertenors and the like, Sting's sometimes tight-jawed, chest-heavy vocals may seem amateurish. It's undeniable that in four-part harmonies, the singer, tightly overdubbed, comes across like a combination of the Swingle Singers and Queen (meaning Freddy Mercury and crew, NOT the first Elizabeth). But it's important to remember that music of this period was routinely heard as a casual diversion in private homes, even more often than at Court. It was considered a crucial social skill to be able to join in with an adequate degree of skill, but not everyone was able to negotiate the perilous melodic twists and turns typical of the era's music. With this in mind, the overall effect is of a candle-lit, postprandial entertainment in the home of an English gentleman. Muttered readings from Dowland's letters and brief snippets of sampled birdsong aside, it is a courageous effort, displaying heartfelt admiration for the composer and a considerable degree of earnest charm. --Christina Roden

From the Artist
"For me they are 17th-century pop songs, and I relate to them in that way," Sting explains. "They have beautiful melodies, fantastic lyrics and great accompaniments. I have every respect for this music."

Customer Reviews

If you like this, please consider
"John Dowland: Songs for Tenor and Lute" by Nigel Rogers with Paul O'Dette on Virgin Classics, there's really no comparison technically or interpretively. Sting get's an A for effort and also an A for putting his reputation on the line in the name of a beautiful repretoire. As a lifetime lover of this music, I am thrilled to see Sting take it on as another "cause". If this cd turns on just one person to lute or classical guitar music, I say great.

As another musician/reviewer suggests, if you forget that you are listening to Sting the results seem amateurish and student-like, but the truth is that you are listening to Sting and that of course changes everything! In Sting's defense, it's true these are not operatic arias but rather intimate art songs, they are pop songs of sorts and they do mark the beginning of a long line of self-expressive songwriting that does include Sting himself. Glad they at least found a roadie who could tune a lute :)

The art of the Lutenist in Sting's Songs From the Labyrinth
When I heard that Sting was coming out with a new collection of music, I tried to stop my giddy grin, and went on and preordered it. When I opened it up, I was hit with a bit of surprise. For one, it was released on the Deusche Grammophon label, which usually devote themselves to classical works. Looking closer I saw that it was not an array of pop songs, but rather a review of the works of John Dowland.

Oh boy, am I in for an adventure! I thought and eager ripped off the packaging and into the cd player it goes.

I was enchanted right from the start. The singing is wonderful, there was only one really bad track, and even Sting reading from one of Dowland's letters to an influential courtier at James I's court was interesting. There's a haunting quality to the songs, music written by a man who was an outsider in the land of his birth (Dowland was a catholic in a fiercely protestant England), and from what the letter tell us, a man who was living on the edge between being comfortable and poverty.

Not all of the songs are great, and there are several real clunkers in this -- for me, I detested listening to Can she excuse my wrongs? but several others are haunting in their beauty and touch of melancholy. Slipped in between the musical selections is Sting reading from a letter of Dowland's, written in 1595, to an influential courtier in Queen Elizabeth's court, and Dowland is hoping that he can gain the patronage of Lord Robert so that he can gain employment and return to England. While at first, it feels odd to have the readings in there, but eventually you get a cohesiveness that makes Dowland's story all the more poignant.

The liner notes contain the text of the letter, song lyrics, an extensive essay from Sting talking about how he came to the music of Dowland and his study of the lute, and its bigger brother, the archlute. Several photographs are included as well, and the design is very beautiful throughout.

No, it's not a perfect album. Very few are, and there are always several clunkers it seems, and this one is no different. However, for sheer exhurberance, I give this one a solid five stars -- it's bold, it's something new, and I do have to applaud Sting for getting out there and stepping out of his role as a pop icon and trying something new.

No, not everyone is going to like it. Quite a few will hate this one, but if you want to hear music of the Renaissance performed by a masterclass musician, go on and give this one a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

An Honorable Stab at Dowland
Sting and Dowland are an odd mix, but he makes an honorable stab at it, and it definitely a good purchase for anyone wanting a way in for music from the turn of the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries. There area numerous books on the subject of early vocal style and a host of fabulous period instrument and period voice recordings to choose from. My advice - compare and contrast, there is no single definitive performance of this repertoire. While I definitely would NOT count Sting's CDs here as close to a definitive performance, closing the book on Dowland, but it is a book worthy openi9ng, not closing. These performances examine Dowland from a unique perspective, and are a worthy addition to anyone's music collection, classical or otherwise.

Dr. Phillip W. Serna, DMus

Doctor of Music, Northwestern University, 2007
Double Bass, Viola da Gamba, Bass Guitar & Guitar
Orchestra Member: Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra & the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra
Early Music Member: The Chicago Early Music Consort & The Spirit of Gambo, a Chicago Consort of Viols
Chicago Federation of Musicians, Local 10-208 of A.F.M. #55608
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