The Anatomy of Melancholy

The English lutenist and composer John Dowland (1563–1626) has been referred to as the Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, or even Neil Young of the Renaissance. This is likely due to the eloquent poetry, as well as the subtle irony and dark melancholy of his music. Dowland undertook extensive tours across Europe, was engaged as a royal lutenist in Copenhagen, and later became a member of the English court. Among his most popular songs are "In darkness let me dwell" and "Flow my tears." From the latter, Dowland distills the first four notes and makes them the starting point of a unique instrumental cycle: "Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares" portrays, in uncompromising, dark mastery, seven types of tears, including "sighing," "true," or even "forced." They are intended for a consort of like instruments. In our performance, the cycle resonates with the enchanting sound of recorders. Shortly after Dowland offers a variety of reflections on the theme of tears, his contemporary Robert Burton addresses melancholy in a more than lavish manner: In over 1000 pages (or about half a million words), he discusses its causes, cures, and specific forms such as religious or love melancholy. After the impressive tome, which he revised five times, Burton would publish nothing more, but with "The Anatomy of Melancholy," he not only crafted a compelling work on this motif but also painted a panorama of his time.