John Dowland (1563–1626) was an English, possibly Irish-born, composer, sin… Read Full Bio ↴John Dowland (1563–1626) was an English, possibly Irish-born, composer, singer, and lutenist.
Very little is known of Dowland's early life, but it is generally thought he was born in London, or possibly Dublin. It is known that he went to Paris in 1580 where he was in service to the ambassador to the French court. He became a Roman Catholic at this time, which he claimed led to his not being offered a post at Elizabeth I's Protestant court. (However, he had told nobody of his conversion.) He worked instead for many years at the court of Christian IV of Denmark. He returned to England in 1606 and in 1612 secured a post as one of James I's lutenists. He died in London on the 20th February 1626.
Most of Dowland's music is for his own instrument, the lute. It includes several books of solo lute works, lute songs (for one voice and lute), part-songs with lute accompaniment, and several pieces for viol consort with lute.
He later wrote what is probably his best known instrumental work, Lachrimae or Seaven Teares Figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans, a set of seven for five viols and lute, each based on his well-known song "Flow My Tears". It became one of the best known pieces of consort music in his own time. His pavane "Lachrymae antiquae" was also one of the big hits of the seventeenth century.
Dowland's music often displays the melancholia that was so fashionable in music at that time, typified by a consort piece with the punning title "Semper Dowland, semper dolens" ("Always Dowland, always doleful").
Very little is known of Dowland's early life, but it is generally thought he was born in London, or possibly Dublin. It is known that he went to Paris in 1580 where he was in service to the ambassador to the French court. He became a Roman Catholic at this time, which he claimed led to his not being offered a post at Elizabeth I's Protestant court. (However, he had told nobody of his conversion.) He worked instead for many years at the court of Christian IV of Denmark. He returned to England in 1606 and in 1612 secured a post as one of James I's lutenists. He died in London on the 20th February 1626.
Most of Dowland's music is for his own instrument, the lute. It includes several books of solo lute works, lute songs (for one voice and lute), part-songs with lute accompaniment, and several pieces for viol consort with lute.
He later wrote what is probably his best known instrumental work, Lachrimae or Seaven Teares Figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans, a set of seven for five viols and lute, each based on his well-known song "Flow My Tears". It became one of the best known pieces of consort music in his own time. His pavane "Lachrymae antiquae" was also one of the big hits of the seventeenth century.
Dowland's music often displays the melancholia that was so fashionable in music at that time, typified by a consort piece with the punning title "Semper Dowland, semper dolens" ("Always Dowland, always doleful").
Come Heavy Sleep
John Dowland Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Come Heavy Sleep' by these artists:
Die Verbannten Kinder Evas Come heavy sleep, the image of true death And close…
Edin Karamazov Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
Edin Karamazov & Sting Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
Edin Karamazov/Edin Karamazov/Sting Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
Edin Karamazov/Sting Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
Edin Karamazov; Sting Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
Karamazov Edin / Sting Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
Sting Come heavy sleepe the image of true death; And close…
Sting & Edin Karamazov Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
Sting and Edin Karamazov Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
Sting Edin Karamazov Come heavy sleepe the image of true death And close up…
We have lyrics for these tracks by John Dowland:
Awake sweet love Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Can she excuse my wrongs Can she excuse my wrongs with Virtue's cloak? Shall I…
Come again Come again, sweet love doth now invite, thy graces that…
Come Again Sweet Days Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Come again sweet Love Come again Sweet love doth now invite Thy graces that refrai…
Come again sweet love doth now invite Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Come Again! Sweet Love Doth Now Invite Come again, sweet love doth now invite, thy graces that refr…
Come Again!: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite Come again, sweet love doth now invite, thy graces that…
Come Again: Come Again Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Come Again: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite Come again, sweet love doth now invite, thy graces that refr…
Come Away Come Sweet Love Come again: Sweet love doth now invite, Thy graces that ref…
Fine Knacks for Ladies Fine knacks for ladies, cheap, choice, brave and new, Good p…
First Booke of Songes: Come again: Sweet love doth now invite Come again Sweet love doth now invite Thy graces that refrai…
Flow My Teares Flow, my tears, fall from your springs! Exiled for ever, let…
From Silent Night From silent night, true register of moanes From saddest Soul…
Go Crystal Tears Go crystal tears, like to the morning show'rs And sweetly…
If my complaints could passions move If my complaints could passions move, Or make Love see wher…
In Darkness Let Me Dwell In darkness let me dwell; the ground shall sorrow be, The…
My Thoughts Are Wing'd With Hopes My thoughts are wing'd with hopes, my hopes with love. Mount…
Say Love if ever thou did'st find Say, love, if ever thou didst find A woman with a…
sorrow stay Sorrow, sorrow stay Lend true repentant tears To a woeful, w…
The Lowest Trees have Tops The lowest trees have tops, the ant her gall The fly…
Unquiet thoughts Unquiet thoughts, your civil slaughter stint, And wrap your …
Weep you no more Weep you no more, sad fountains; What need you flow so…
What if I never speed What if I never speed, shall I straight yield to despair, an…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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ALBUMS
Lyrics
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COME, HEAVY SLEEP
Artist
Composer
John Dowland
Lyrics
Come, heavy sleep
Come, heavy Sleep, the image of true Death;
And close up these my weary weeping eyes:
Whose spring of tears doth stop my vital breath,
And tears my heart with Sorrow's sigh-swoll'n cries:
Come and possess my tired thought-worn soul,
That living dies, till thou on me be stole.
Come, shadow of my end, and shape of rest,
Allied to Death, child to his black-fac'd Night:
Come, thou, and charm these rebels in my breast,
Whose waking fancies do my mind affright.
O come, sweet Sleep; come or I die for ever:
Come ere my last sleep comes, or come thou never.
@lucarinaldovillani63
Great Dowland song that gave spark to Britten Nocturnal for guitar in 1963...after seven modern variations and a fantastic Passacaglia, this song appears as a gem of unique beautyness.
@jimdavidson210
Funny enough, I'm here after practicing the Passacaglia. I thought "There's no way this is an EXACT statement of the theme." Nope, I was wrong: If you can play the version in the Passacaglia, you can play this.
@tomgamblemusic
+Jim Davidson It is a reverse Theme and Variations
@3emme974
Rondo will be perfect on that beat !!!
@user-fo6cg1xc3l
Wonderfully performed
@jtaforJesus
Ohhh, I love this! It sends chills right up my spine. Beautiful performance!!!!
@funkmastermoon
John Dowland rests in St Ann's Churchyard, Blackfriars - London. England's greatest song writer - to my mind. The fact that he became a Catholic excluded him from the Elizabethan court. Nevertheless, his work transfers superbly from the lute to the classical guitar. This piece, Come Heavy Sleep is a joy to play. The vocal here is excellent.
@philipboucherat113
Fantastic!
@MrGer2295
So Beautiful ! ! ! Thank you for posting !
@pelodelperro
You're welcome. Thanks for commenting.