Dowland for guitar
24 Transcriptions for guitar by Martin Hegel
Schott: 37 pages
Reviewed 17th January 2018
Of course the great lutenist John Dowland’s music surely needs no introduction; after all he remains one of the, if not THE finest composer/performer for the Renaissance lute. A book of his music arranged for guitar is an easier process than you might think. All Dowland’s lute music was written in Lute Tablature, a system that, unlike much of today’s Tab, included the rhythmic signs as well, albeit without any part – writing inherent in the actual music; that had to be interpreted by the performer. So today’s guitarist merely has to retune his 3rd string to F# to mimic the lute tuning, and if you feel it necessary, (and some do, some don’t) place a capo at fret three , thus placing the guitar in the most easily recognized lute tuning, and you can simply read straight off the lute tablature ( providing it is only for a six – course instrument ) , or , as Hegel has done here, write it all down into notation and work out the part – writing.
So here in roughly ascending difficulty you find fabulous pieces (it is hard to find a boring or second – rate Dowland piece) such as Mr Dowland’s Midnight , Mrs Winter’s Jump, Tarleton’s Resurrection, Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home in the easier to intermediate section , and Sir John Smith His Almain, The Frog Galliard , and My Lady Hunsdon’s Puffe in the harder section.
The music is timeless and wonderful and the book is a good example of a nice collection of them.
Chris Dumigan