There is an article by Diana Poulton regarding this question. Her conclusion was that Dowland was NOT a professional singer.
Best wishes, Rainer aus dem Spring IS department, development Tel.: +49 211-5296-355 Fax.: +49 211-5296-405 SMTP: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > -----Original Message----- > From: gary digman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 12:33 PM > To: lutelist > Subject: [LUTE] Re: Sting and his CD > > Here, here, Stewart! I heartily agree. One question: Mr. > Sting describes Dowland as the first English > singer/songwriter. Is there any evidence that Dowland > actually sang professionally? > > Gary > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Stewart McCoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Lute Net" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 11:28 AM > Subject: [LUTE] Sting and his CD > > > > Dear Alfonso, > > > > If what you say is true, there must be something wrong with how they > > assess lutenists at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. I have > > listened to Sting's CD, and I have to say I am impressed with what > > he has done: > > > > 1) All the words are sung clearly. So many singers, who are admired > > for the quality of their voice, do not enunciate the words clearly. > > For them, the music is more important than the words. In my opinion > > it should be the other way round. > > > > 2) The words are sung with understanding and with a suitable variety > > of tone colours to reflect the meaning. There is no all-purpose > > lovely tone. > > > > 3) The music is sung in time when it needs to be, so that, for > > example, "Can she excuse" goes with a real swing, as it should, > > because it is essentially a dance tune (a galliard). > > > > 4) Dowland's lute songs are essentially solo songs. For many of them > > there are optional alto, tenor and bass parts, but I have never been > > convinced that singing these songs with four voices is satisfactory. > > The songs are rhetorical in nature, and benefit from being sung by a > > solo singer. Sting's novel idea is to use the other voice parts, but > > they are sung quietly in the background, so that the solo voice > > still stands out as a solo. > > > > 5) Sting makes no claims to have a wonderful voice. In the sleeve > > notes he modestly describes his voice as an "unschooled tenor". His > > voice might not be what we have come to expect with performances of > > Dowland, but it is as valid as anyone else's. Our mistake is to > > type-cast the lute song, so that we expect singers to sing these > > songs in a particular way. People will buy the CD, because they like > > Sting's voice, not, I imagine, because they are keen on Dowland, and > > not because they expect him to sound like Alfred Deller or Emma > > Kirkby. > > > > 6) By risking the sort of prejudiced criticism, which he has > > received on this lute net and in newspaper reviews, Sting has put > > his reputation on the line. No wonder he confesses to being more > > nervous singing Dowland to a small audience than singing his usual > > stuff to an audience of 5,000. He has an affection for Dowland's > > music, which he wants to share with others. With one CD he has done > > much to promulgate the quality of the lute and Dowland's music. > > > > Best wishes, > > > > Stewart McCoy. > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Alfonso Marin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "Lute Net" <Lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > > Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 7:58 PM > > Subject: [LUTE] Re: O Sting, where is thy death? > > > > > > > > > > On 16-okt-2006, at 20:41, Daniel Shoskes wrote: > > > > > > > The lute playing however was much worse than on the CD. Horrible > > > > tone, illogical tempo changes, rattling glissandi, lots of > > > > mistakes. Probably the worst "professional" performance I have > > ever > > > > heard. > > > > > > I guy did not pass the entrance exam in the Conservatorium van > > > Amsterdam playing much better that Karamazov in "Come again". > > > > > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.4/480 - Release > Date: 10/17/2006 > > > > > > > CONFIDENTIALITY DISCLAIMER *************************** The information in this email and in any attachments is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy this message, delete any copies held on your systems and notify the sender immediately. You should not retain, copy or use this email for any purpose outside of any NDA currently existing between Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH and yourselves.
