Come
Again
John Dowland
Patrick Peters
MUS_CLAS 205 Conducting 1 Spring 2018
Overview
Composer
Born sometime in the early 1560s, John Dowland is widely regarded as one of the
premier composers for voice and lute. 1 He was born either in London, England or Dublin,
Ireland. Given his Protestant upbringing, it seems like London is the more likely of the
locations, however it is still up for debate. After living in the aristocratic household of Sir
Henry Cobham, Dowland eventually went to Oxford, graduating with a bachelor of music
degree in 1588. 2 In 1597, Dowland published his First Book of Song and Ayres, in an effort to
continue bolstering his reputation as an influential lute musician in England. Dowland, who
had craving a position in an English court, had ironically been passed over several times,
despite his enormous popularity and the prices he was paid to perform. Over the coming years,
Dowland would continue printing out books of his music, including The Second Booke of Songs
or Ayres (1600), The Third and Last Booke of Songs or Ayres (1603), A Pilgrimes Solace (1612), and his
most famous work, Lachrimae: Or, Seaven Teares (1604).3
Dowland’s lute music was unprecedented in the way it was formatted on the page. As
opposed to releasing books for each part, Dowland’s book has each actual score included,
similar to the score I am using for “Come Again.”
Composition
“Come Again, Sweet Love doth Now Invite,” shortened to “Come Again” in this book was originally
written for soprano voice and lute back in 1597. The song was first published in Dowland’s First Book of
Song and Ayres. While soprano and lute were the original parts, Dowland also published a tenor, alto and
bass part on the following page. A copy of the original score is shown in Figure 1.1. The version that I
will be conducting is a reduction of original lute part rewritten for piano. It also includes the original
soprano part and the alto and bass part written by Dowland. While it does not give me an idea of who
transcribed or arranged this, it is found within David A. Waybright’s Basic Conducting textbook,
published in 2006.
1
Great Lives from History: Renaissance & Early Modern Era, 1454-1600, (Hackensack: Salem Press,
2013).
2
Ibid
3
Ibid
Figure 1.1: Original Score for John Dowland’s “Come Again” from First Book of Song and Ayres
The piece, written with only two verses in this edition, shows a drastic difference of tone between the first
and second time through. The first time sings of joyous love (“to see, to hear, to touch, to kiss”).
However, the second run through takes a much darker turn, as those same words are replaced directly by
“I sit, I sigh, I weep, I faint.” The original score had six verses, though reading through them did not seem
to change the tone set by the second verse.
As said earlier, the arrangement I am conducting contains 3 voice parts (soprano, alto, and bass) as well
as a piano accompaniment. The piece is two pages long, with page containing measures 1-7, and
measures 8-13, including the repeat) on the second page.
Historical Perspective
John Dowland served as a beacon for English music to the outside world, and in many ways, he served as
a transmitter of information from the outside world back into England. England generally was lagging
behind the rest of Europe as far as musical advancements, so Dowland’s constant movement through
Europe allowed him to grow as a musician and bring many of those ideas and advancements back to
England through his lute music.4
Dowland also a revolutionary in the melancholic atmosphere of late 1500s, early 1600s Renaissance
music. Arguably his most famous work: Lachrime, contained his famous tear motif. That motif would be
copied very often by other composers of his day (often without credit), and grounded him as a messenger
of artistic expression. Dowland later penned many complaints about things like musical innovation, court
politics, and music criticism only helped to solidify his standing as a more melancholy, artistic musician
and composer.5
Score Analysis
Melody
The melody of “Come Again” stays almost entirely true to its home key of G Major. Throughout all the
voice parts, only one note has an accidental, beat 2 of measure 7 in the alto part, when the music moves to
a V of V, shown in Figure 1.2. The piano part also has only one accidental located on the ‘and of 1’ in
that same measure.
4
Great Lives from History: Renaissance & Early Modern Era, 1454-1600, (Hackensack: Salem Press,
2013).
5
Ibid.
Figure 1.2: One accidental in the piece, as it moves to a V of V (A chord)
V ----------------------àV
The most notable theme in this piece occurs from measures 8-10 when the soprano and alto trade off on a
short two note motif that starts on the offbeat and lands on the downbeat. The passage is shown in Figure
1.3. Not only is the rhythmic motif interesting, but the two pitches ascend diatonically up the G Major
scale each time the rhythm is repeated.
Figure 1.3: Two note rhythmic motif (square) is repeated throughout measures 8-10 and ascends
diatonically
While it isn’t quite word painting, the ascending nature of measures 8-10, help build the climax to the
final lyric of measure 10 which is “to die” and “I die” in verse 1 and 2. Death is a far more impactful
object or action than anything mentioned beforehand. The creation of tension or expectation through the
rising line only makes those lyrics more impactful come measure 10. Figure 1.4 displays that text and the
two ascending lines in the soprano and alto.
The main melody in the soprano has just over an octave in range, with the tessitura going from the D
below the staff to 4th space E. The alto part has a tessitura from the A below the staff to a B on the third
line. Both ranges are somewhat limited overall, having only a 9th in total distance from bottom to top. The
bass line is similar though its tessitura, B in the staff to C above the staff (in bass clef) is a half step less in
total range from top to bottom than the soprano and alto parts.
Harmony
Structurally, the piece never veers far from its original key of G Major. The movement is almost
completely diatonic. The only non-diatonic pitches (discussed in Figure 1.2) are located in the short time
that the music shifts key centers. Briefly, the music dances around and tonicizes the V chord (D in
measure 5-7), shown in Figure 1.4.
Figure 1.4: Tonicization of the V chord in measures 5-7 (D chord->A->D)
V (D) V (A) -----------àV (D)
The piece contains only one perfect cadence, and that is the big closing PAC in measure 13, displayed in
Figure 1.5. Beats 1 and 2 show a V chord before emphasizing a V7 on the and of 2 (C located in the piano
and alto voice part), and finally closing with a powerful one chord, containing 4 roots (out of 7 voices).
Figure 1.5: PAC in measure 13. (V -> V7 -> I)
V V7 I
The chords that are used are sparse. Aside from the obvious I and Vs, the only other chords found in this
piece are ii and its inversions, as well as the occasional playing of the vi (relative minor). Because of this,
the intervallic relation between the chords are only one of three things, either a Major second [for
example, I (G) and ii (A)], or a Perfect 5th [I (G) to V (D)], or the inverse of a perfect 5th, a perfect 4th [ii
(A) to V (D)].
Of note is the way that tension is built up in the alternating offbeats section (measures 8-10). The first
chord is a simple inversion (I6), but with each new restatement of the rhythmic idea, the chord moves
farther and farther from I, going from I6 to ii6 to V to vi to V6 and finally back to I. This is displayed in
Figure 1.6.
Figure 1.6: Tension building as the chords stray from 1 in measures 8-10.
I6 ii6 V vi V6 I
A complete chordal analysis can be located below in Figure 1.7.
Figure 1.7: Chordal analysis of “Come Again,” by John Dowland.
Rhythm
The tempo of “Come Again” sits at a cool moderato (moderate), with quarter note sitting somewhere
between 108-112. There are no marked tempo changes in this piece. The contour of the line, especially
soprano tends to promote a slight ritardando from measure twelve to thirteen, though that is more of a
stylistic choice, and is not marked anywhere in the music.
Sitting in between fast and slow, the tempo doesn’t necessarily inspire and feelings. The emotion comes
out of the lyrics themselves which dichotomize love and anguish from verse to verse. The tempo does not
change to accompany those two drastically different feelings, which does make the listener uncomfortable
(intentionally) when the second, more upsetting verse is sung.
There is a fermata that sits on the final note of the piece (measure 13, beat 3). The fermata can be
interpreted multiple ways. Because measures 8-13 repeat, you can ignore the fermata on all but the last
time, or you can choose to keep it in and restart conducting over the hold.
The piece sits in 4/4 meter, the most standard simple duple meter for musicians and stays in that meter for
the entirety of the piece.
As mentioned earlier in the analysis, the one syncopated rhythmic passage (measures 8-10) is of note. As
opposed to the voices moving together to break the pulse, the soprano has its own syncopated part,
whereas the alto and bass have a syncopated part that does not line up. This creates a cool stacking effect
as the two voices pick up right where the other leaves off. This stacking drives the line forward until it
dies back down to the cadence in measure 13.
Dynamics
“Come Again” peaks at a forte in loudness and a mezzo piano in softness. Measures 1-7 sit at a mezzo
forte, though the melodic line seems to stagnate in measure 7, setting us up to get quiet for the mezzo
piano in measure 8. From measure 8 until 11, the music crescendos from a mezzo piano to a forte,
through the alternating rhythms section discussed earlier, to peak on the strong 1 chord on beats 2 and 3 in
measure 10, in the soprano and alto part respectively.
The parts are scores in an interesting way, where two parts will almost always be rhythmically in unison,
while one part moves against that. From bars 1-7, soprano and bass move together and are the main
melody and harmony. Meanwhile the alto part serves as a countermelody, probably at about the same
volume as the two voices. In measure 8 to 10, the alto joins the bass, and the soprano becomes
independent. These two relationships are shown in Figures 1.8 and 1.9. All three parts eventually split and
move around each other until the end (although the alto and bass parts are mimicked in the piano right
and left hand).
Figure 1-8: Rhythmic unison between the alto and bass lines.
Figure 1-9: Rhythmic unison between the alto and bass line
Form and Structure
The piece is an ABB form and repeats once (ABBABB). The second time through the ABB, the lyrics
change.
SECTION MEASURE EVENT AND SCORING
A 1-7 Mezzo forte. Sentence. Soprano melody. Bass harmony. Alto
countermelody. Piano plays independently.
Happy lyrics (“Come again sweet love…To do me due delight”)
B 8-13 Starts at mezzo piano. Crescendo to beat 3 of measure 11. Alternating
rhythmic melody. Alto and bass harmony until measure 11, when all
parts split. Soprano lone melody. Piano doubles alto and bass.
Fermata optional. Repeat back to 8.
B 8-13 Same as last B section., including lyrics. Fermata optional (but
recommended before the transition to new lyrics.)
A 1-7 Mezzo forte. Sentence. Soprano melody. Bass harmony. Alto
countermelody. Piano plays independently.
Sad lyrics (“Come again that I may cease…for now left and forlorn”)
B 8-13 Starts at mezzo piano. Crescendo to beat 3 of measure 11. Alternating
rhythmic melody. Alto and bass harmony until measure 11, when all
parts split. Soprano lone melody. Piano doubles alto and bass.
Fermata optional. Repeat back to 8. Lyrics now unhappier but tempo
stays up.
B 8-13 Same as last B section., including lyrics. Fermata on final note.
Orchestration
The basic orchestration is SAB + Piano, or Soprano-Alto-Bass + Piano.
The bass voice peaks at a C above the staff and has a low of a 2nd line B (in bass clef). The alto voice has
a low of the A below the staff with a high of a 3rd line B. The soprano has a low of the D below the staff
and a high of a fourth space E. Both the alto and soprano are written in treble clef. The piano generally is
playing 3 or 4 voice harmony, though it occasionally dips to just two voices for a single beat at a time.
The official orchestration is displayed in Figure 1-10.
Figure 1-10: Official score orchestration: SAB + Piano.
As mentioned several times in earlier passages, the piano does spend some time mirroring the lines in the
alto and bass parts. From measures 1-7, the piano plays independently, but from 8 to the end, the piano
plays both the alto and bass part quite often.
The texture described above in this analysis indicate that the piece is highly polyphonic as the voices are
never all in unison and several countermelodies are always running up against each other. Outside of the
bass part, which is serving as a harmony for one of the other two parts for most of the piece, the voices
move with a lot of independence and importance. While the sopranos are primarily carrying the main
melody, the alto’s countermelody helps to battle the soprano while keeping the piece steady, allowing the
soprano melody to speak very well with good support.
Stylistic Considerations
Outside of the marking of a crescendo, which is an increase in loudness, the piece does not have any
expression markings. If we were to use the words as the way to push the expression, then it may make
sense for the first run through to be very bright and bouncy, conveying the ‘love’ being expressed by the
narrator. The second run through could go multiple way. First, it could keep the same style, light and
bouncy, which would directly oppose the words, which could create a more eerie vibe for the ‘anguish’
based text. Instead, the more traditional route could be taken where the vocal inflection becomes a bit
more reserved to express the deep ‘misery’ of the narrator.
This piece was written in the Baroque era. The Baroque era was known for ornamentation across all
forms of art, but it certainly present in music. While it may not be appropriate to ask for the soprano voice
to add ornaments to their part, you can see even in the writing itself, that ornaments where involved. IN
measure 3, the alto puts a little turn on their pitch in beat 2. You can also see the little turn in the final
measure of the piece in the soprano line to set up the final cadence.
Textual Analysis and Text Interpretation
The text from this arrangement only has two verses, verses one and two from the original composition.
The words and music were both written by Dowland. In order to fit it to the ABB structure of the song,
the stanzas are performed in the following order: first, second, second, third, fourth, fourth.
The text itself has been described in other parts of the analysis, but basically tells two different intense
emotions over the same set of music, including notes, tempo, dynamics, etc. The first story (stanza 1 and
2), tells a story of love that the vocalist has for their partner. The music then takes a complete 180 degree
turn in the second half though as the third and fourth stanza express extreme and “deadly pain” and
“endless misery.”
Come Again, John Dowland
Come again,
Sweet love doth now invite
Thy graces, that refrain
To do me due delight,
To see, to hear,
To touch, to kiss,
To die With thee again
in sweetest sympathy
Come again,
That I may cease to mourn
Through thy unkind disdain.
For now left and forlorn
I sit, I sigh,
I weep, I faint
I die In deadly pain
And endless misery
Interpretation
Interpretation
Personally, I like the tempo of the piece very much, and the idea of keeping that steady between both the
happy and sad verses also seems like a good idea. I’m no as much of a fan of the dynamics though. That
is, I believe there is a little more than is being placed in on the page. There are only three marked
dynamics, as mentioned earlier, mezzo forte from measures 1-7, mezzo piano at measure 8 that
crescendos to forte in measure 11. The mezzo forte is a good measure of starting volume, but the phrase
calls for so much more dynamic contrast than just that. The alto part specifically serves as a nice
guideline for how to dynamically move the piece. It increases slightly in measure 2 before dipping into
measure 4, rising in measure 5, then once again settling down in measure 7 and decrescendo-ing into that
mezzo piano at measure 8.
I agree with the rising dynamic into measure 10, but I believe that beat of measure 10 should be the forte,
then the line will build naturally louder as the alto and bass join in the harmony of that note a beat later.
The pulsating nature of the bass line will only drive it to increase further, without the soprano having to
continue getting louder. From measure 11, beat 3, to the end, I will be looking to bring the group dynamic
down just a dynamic marking, back to mezzo forte. That said, I am also looking for a different kind of
mezzo forte here. Whereas the beginning is more a whimsical feel, the final measures aim to be more
nostalgic
The fermata in measure 13 at the end of the B section will occur only on at the end of the first and second
time through the piece. So, in the ABBABB form, only the 2nd and 4th B will have the fermata held. The
fermata is indefinite, though I will likely be aiming to have the group cut off for about a beat before the
piece cycles from the start again.
Anticipated Conducting Challenges
The biggest challenge of this piece is going to be handling the alternating syncopated rhythm between the
soprano and the alto/bass part in measures 8-10. My goal is to try and coordinate the gesture of
syncopations between my two hands. Early signs worry me though as I’m finding it really difficult to
keep my pulse going in the right hand. I’m also worried that my hands going in seemingly opposite
directions will be really confusing for those in the class who are singing along.
Appendix 1: Synthesis Analysis Chart