Originally recorded on a pair of LPs in 1976 and 1978, this collection of Dowland lute songs, along with works by his near contemporaries Thomas Campion (here given in the unusual "Campian" spelling), John Danyel (or Daniel), and Philip Rosseter, formed part of the second generation of countertenor recordings in the LP era. The instrument of countertenor James Bowman was durable enough to keep him active well into the next century, even as a greater variety of countertenor voices came on the scene, and this release may be ...
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Originally recorded on a pair of LPs in 1976 and 1978, this collection of Dowland lute songs, along with works by his near contemporaries Thomas Campion (here given in the unusual "Campian" spelling), John Danyel (or Daniel), and Philip Rosseter, formed part of the second generation of countertenor recordings in the LP era. The instrument of countertenor James Bowman was durable enough to keep him active well into the next century, even as a greater variety of countertenor voices came on the scene, and this release may be regarded as a cornerstone of the library of countertenor recordings. It reflects its era in various ways. The program consists of an almost unbroken succession of songs, with just three solo lute pieces for contrast. And Bowman's voice has the rounded, Julia Child-a-couple-of-octaves-up quality favored by the early exponents of countertenor singing. This said, countertenors who have developed their own styles in the years since this recording appear to owe a great deal to this release...
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