Time Stands Still: Lute Songs by Dowland & His Contemporaries

Dive into the enchanting world of Renaissance music with Emma Kirkby's "Time Stands Still: Lute Songs by Dowland & His Contemporaries." Released in 1987, this captivating album features the ethereal vocals of Dame Emma Kirkby, accompanied by the masterful lute playing of Anthony Rooley. The collection spans 16 exquisite tracks, each a testament to the timeless beauty of early Baroque music.

At the heart of the album is the music of John Dowland, a composer renowned for his poignant and introspective songs. Dowland's works, including "Flow Not So Fast, Ye Fountains" and "Time Stands Still," are complemented by pieces from his contemporaries, such as Philip Rosseter's "What Then Is Love But Mourning?" and Jean Chardevoine's lively "Mignonne allons - Live."

The album's themes of mutability and metamorphosis are beautifully explored through Dowland's lyrics and melodies, offering a profound reflection on the passage of time and the transient nature of life. Kirkby's delicate soprano and Rooley's nuanced lute playing bring these themes to life, creating an immersive and evocative listening experience.

"Time Stands Still" is a celebration of the human voice and the lute, two instruments that have been intertwined in Western music for centuries. Kirkby's crystalline vocals and Rooley's virtuosic lute playing showcase the rich harmonic and melodic possibilities of this pairing, making this album a treasure for lovers of classical, choral, and early opera music.