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").
Go Crystal Tears
John Dowland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And sweetly weep into thy lady's breast.
And as the dews rerive the drooping flow'rs,
So let your drops of pity be address'd,
To quicken up the thoughts of my desert,
Which sleeps too sound whilst I from her depart.
Haste restless sighs, and let your burning breath
Whose frozen rigour like forgetful Death,
Feels never any touch of my desert:
Yet sighs and tears to her I sacrifice,
B oth from a spotless heart and patient eyes
In John Dowland's song "Go Crystal Tears," the singer is speaking directly to his own tears, asking them to flow like morning rain into his lady's bosom. He compares his tears to dew on plants, hoping that they will revive his thoughts and emotions, which have gone dormant since he last saw his beloved. The second verse turns its attention to his "restless sighs," urging them to warm his lady's cold heart, which is compared to "forgetful Death" - it never remembers the singer or responds to his feelings. Despite the coldness he feels from his lady, the singer holds out hope that his "spotless heart and patient eyes" will eventually earn her love.
Overall, "Go Crystal Tears" is a poem of romantic despair, with the singer begging for relief from his heartache while keeping up a plaintive cry for his beloved's attention. The imagery of tears, dew, and warmth all reflect his longing for a connection, and the stark contrast between his emotive outbursts and his lady's silence suggests that the relationship may be one-sided. Despite his pain, the singer remains persistent, willing to sacrifice his own sadness for a chance at happiness with his beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Go crystal tears, like to the morning show'rs
Oh tears, pure as crystals, flow like morning showers
And sweetly weep into thy lady's breast.
and weep softly into the bosom of my lady
And as the dews revive the drooping flow'rs,
Just as the dew refreshes the wilting flowers
So let your drops of pity be address'd,
May your tears work to awaken pity,
To quicken up the thoughts of my desert,
And rouse my beloved who is oblivious to my pain
Which sleeps too sound whilst I from her depart.
And despite being away, she sleeps soundly, unaware of my agony
Haste restless sighs, and let your burning breath
Oh, my sighs that can't find peace, hurry and exhale burning breath
Dissolve the ice of her indurate heart,
Melt the ice of my beloved's unfeeling heart
Whose frozen rigour like forgetful Death,
Her cold resolve, like death itself, forgets my pain and feelings
Feels never any touch of my desert:
She feels no impact from my desert, my barren and harsh existence
Yet sighs and tears to her I sacrifice,
Despite all this, I offer my pure heart, my tears, and my sighs,
Both from a spotless heart and patient eyes
to her, with an honest and pure heart and patient eyes.
Contributed by Lily M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Bearded_Tattooed_Guy
Go crystal tears, like to the morning show'rs
And sweetly weep into thy lady's breast
And as the dews revive the drooping flow'rs
So let your drops of pity be address'd
To quicken up the thoughts of my desert
Which sleeps too sound whilst I from her depart
Haste restless sighs, and let your burning breath
Dissolve the ice of her indurate heart
Whose frozen rigour like forgetful Death
Feels never any touch of my desert:
Yet sighs and tears to her I sacrifice
Both from a spotless heart and patient eyes
@Bearded_Tattooed_Guy
Go crystal tears, like to the morning show'rs
And sweetly weep into thy lady's breast
And as the dews revive the drooping flow'rs
So let your drops of pity be address'd
To quicken up the thoughts of my desert
Which sleeps too sound whilst I from her depart
Haste restless sighs, and let your burning breath
Dissolve the ice of her indurate heart
Whose frozen rigour like forgetful Death
Feels never any touch of my desert:
Yet sighs and tears to her I sacrifice
Both from a spotless heart and patient eyes
@IPMusic
There are so few lutenists who also sing, sadly. But this ... my goodness ... perfect in every way.
@schnubbediglugs
Indeed, what a voice. Thank you God, that I may listen to her
@gstlb
You are a very special talent to both play and sing with such sensitivity. Wonderful.
@drogers447
Your performances are so moving and make the listener imagine that they’re sitting in a 16 th century room while sharing a precious musical moment with a friend.
@mattcecil9007
This is so wonderful! Feels like the way Dowland was meant to be performed.
@mattcecil9007
Also I hope you keep making videos like this! It’s something that YouTube doesn’t have enough of
@SrdjanAsanovic8
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!! I am so deeply touched with your stunning performance dear Emma-Lisa!! I am speechless!! This is true art!! More please!! Warmest greetings, best wishes and tubby hug to you!! :)
@EmmaLisaRoux
Thank you for your kind words! I am definitely planning on posting more, thank you very much for the encouragement.
@JuanGonzalez-cj4is
Excelente interpretación, hermosa música y el laud increíble instrumento, lo amo, saludos desde ciudad de México.