Celebrating two centenaries

Quatercentenaries actually. John Dowland died in 1626 and his name is instantly associated with the lute, but not so much with the cittern. Delving into the cittern manuscript books from Cambridge University Library, however, we can find intabulations of a few of his compositions, some set as solos, others as chord accompaniments to consort arrangements.

These inspired me to include three tracks by Dowland on my cittern album Tempro La Cetra. First was Dowland’s Galliard with one of those manuscripts giving a solo tune and another giving its consort setting, to which I added a third line to create a ‘consort of citterns’. I have always loved Dowland’s Midnight and challenged myself to arrange it for cittern – as would have any of Dowland’s contemporaries. It worked beautifully, and I’d be happy to share it with any cittern players. The third piece is Orlando Sleepeth, played straight from source and it works perfectly.

1626 was also the year that Nederlandtsche Gedenck-clanck was published in Harlem, an extraordinary book put together by amateur musician and poet Adrian Valerius. Its premise was as a morale-booster for the battered authorities and populus of Flanders during the 80-year conflict with Spain. The book contains 76 poems, each set to a popular tune of the day. Below the tune is a tablature version for lute which could be played either as a solo or to accompany the singer. Below that is a version for 4-course diatonic cittern. My initial excitement was short-lived when I realised that nearly all (73) of the arrangements were riddled with errors. It became my 2020 pandemic project to correct all the cittern pieces, which are now available as a pdf book. Four of those tunes appear on the CD: two French dances, one Flemish ballad arrangement, and an Italian madrigal setting. Maybe one day I’ll record all the Valerius cittern pieces. It’s tempting!

Enzo Puzzovio

Tempro la Cetra‍ ‍Bazimakoo‍ ‍Rosasolis‍ ‍Nederlandtsche Gedenck-clanck (pdf)