Fretwork with Ian Bostridge & Elizabeth Kenny

John Dowland died 400 years ago, the finest lutenist of his age, and one of the greatest song writers in the English language. This intimate programme features some of Dowland’s most iconic works including Flow my tears, In darkness let me dwell, and selections from his 1604 Lachrimæ collection; a journey of seven Pavans based on his most famous song. The falling fourth Pavan is subjected to intense scrutiny and transformation, with a sequence that maps a voyage from despair to hope, from falling to rising, from minor to major. 

Adrian Williams wrote Teares to Dreams (2004) as a reflection on Dowland’s pavans, employing the same forces and bringing a contemporary sensibility to the 17th century form. Blending Renaissance and contemporary voices, the concert explores themes of sorrow, introspection and musical continuity across centuries.