...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
- 14 Jun 2026, 14:00
[On A Wing and A Prayer - Reflections on Morvern's Changing Habitat] - 16 Jun 2026, 20:00
[Concerts for a Summer’s Night 2026] - 17 Jun 2026, 13:00
[Free Online Composer Support Calls] - 17 Jun 2026, 20:00
[Concerts for a Summer’s Night 2026] - 18 Jun 2026, 20:00
[Concerts for a Summer’s Night 2026]
Recent updates
Works
- Sòlás Collective - Improvised, by Tom Macfadyen
- Quartet no 6 (Ma), by Matthew Whiteside
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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
- Call for delegates to UNM Denmark festival 2026
- New Music Scotland CPD Fund
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