A challenge!
The fantasy is arranged from the notation in keyboard format of Poulton & Lam The collected lute music of John Dowland (1995), pp 7 – 12, which I have followed closely. This is Dowland’s revised version, as published by his son Robert in Varietie of Lute-Lessons (1610).
P & L distinguished up to four voices which we cannot really reproduce on the ukulele, but I have tried to indicate as many as possible. The upper voice is always there, and the lower three voices compressed. Some of the bass notes, which on the lute are played on the open strings, have to be fingered and it may not be possible to hold them for the specified time. They are one or two octaves higher than in the original.
The first notes of this piece were also used in Dowland’s (simpler) “Fancy P74”, my previous post.
A fantasia has the feeling of an inspired improvisation, with no rigid structure, in which a main motif and subsequent ideas are freely developed. To help myself I divided this one into eight sections, repesenting a change in idea or treatment, and often heralded by a distinctive cadence.
I can do no better than quote Diana Poulton on this piece (my section letters).
“It opens with [a] lovely serene passage.” § A. (The main theme is in bars 1 – 4, with a partial repeat an octave lower starting at the end of bar 10.)
“The theme [is] worked through a complex contrapuntal section.” §§ B, C, D.
“A series of short phrases, each with its echo at the octave. Here Dowland makes great play with the device of resolving the leading note an octave … below.” § E
“A swiftly running section.” § F.
“A display of virtuosity for the player.” § H. (The section is set in 12/8 time, following Poulton and Lam, but as I find this difficult to read, I have added intermediate broken-line bars in the middle.)
Available for free download in the following formats.
NB These are the first links to Google Drive rather than to my file depository site. If nothing works, please let me know. Thanks!
