Kristiina Watt

vocals, theorbo (UK / Estonia)

‘I desired beyond the seas’ – Dowland in Italy

“My mind being troubled, I desired beyond the seas” – In 1594, after being passed over for the position of court lutenist for Queen Elizabeth, lutenist John Dowland embarked on a tour of Europe. The culmination of his journey was to be a visit to Italy in order to study with the renowned madrigalist Luca Marenzio in Rome. On his travels, Dowland visited the courts of Brunswick and Hessen, where local dukes vied for his service, eventually reaching Italy and passing through the musical centres of Venice and Ferrara. It was in Florence that his fortunes took a turn for the worse when he got involved with a circle of Englishmen who, unbeknownst to him, were plotting against the Queen. Still hoping for a court position in England, Dowland sought to distance himself from this circle immediately, left Italy in haste and drafted a lengthy letter of apology to Sir Robert Cecil, begging pardon for his misjudgement.

This programme draws a musical map of Dowland’s journey from from its optimistic outset through to the remorseful end through his own music as well as that of his contemporaries including Caccini, Huwet, Luzzaschi, Molinaro and Terzi.