...shadows that in darkness dwell...
Timothy Cooper
I imagine the character of John Dowland, a reclusive and private man with a mysterious past: as a musician in the court of the Danish King, Dowland was also working as an English spy. Dark, shadowy and melancholic the ensemble inhabit a labyrinthine sound world that explores the mood and feeling of Dowland’s sombre set of seven Pavanes. This isn’t a piece about subterfuge but one that explores the very darkest depths present in Dowland’s work through a heightened approach to performing on early instruments. Each verse of Dowland’s work is represented in an extended exploration of the mood and sentiment of the text in three main passages titled Flow, Fled and Darkness.
Pitch: A415
Instrumentation notes:
Recorder - Renaissance Treble and Tenor Recorders
Composed for Baroque Cello with baroque bow
Instrumentation Genre Ensemble and electronics
Tag orchestra
Duration 18 minutes
Instrumentation Tenor recorder [1 player]; Countertenor [1 player]; Theorbo [1 player]; Cello [1 player]
Performances of this work
| Date | Venue | Performer | Link |
| 10/12/2019 (*premiére) | Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK | ||
| 11/12/2019 | Hug and Pint, Glasgow, Scotland, UK | ||
| 12/12/2019 | Belmont Film House, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK |
NMS opportunities
Upcoming events
- 28 Aug 2026, 11:00
[New Music Scotland 2026 Gathering and Celebration] *NMS event - 24 Sep 2026, 19:30
[BBC SSO: Zemlinsky's Lyric Symphony] - 08 Oct 2026, 19:30
[BBC SSO: Willem Jeth's 'Mors Aeterna'] - 09 Oct 2026, 19:00
[BBC SSO: Willem Jeth's 'Mors Aeterna'] - 29 Oct 2026, 19:30
[BBC SSO: Enrico Chapela's 'Antiphaser' (Concerto for electric violin and orchestera)]
Recent updates
Works
- Les Mélodies Nutritives, by Julien Lonchamp
- Sòlás Collective - Improvised, by Tom Macfadyen
- Quartet no 6 (Ma), by Matthew Whiteside
Events
- BBC SSO: Enrico Chapela's 'Antiphaser' (Concerto for electric violin and orchestera)
- BBC SSO: Takemitsu & Fujikura
- BBC SSO: Erland Cooper's Dawn Chorus
Projects
- Pete Stollery conducts Joe Stollery premiere
- Aides... mémoires... Project album launch
- On a Wing and a Prayer
Opportunities
- Nordic Music Days 2027: Call for Works
- Call for delegates to UNM Denmark festival 2026
- New Music Scotland CPD Fund
