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Weep You No More, Sad Fountains: SATB Choral Octavo

$1.75 USD

Weep You No More, Sad Fountains: SATB Choral Octavo

Name: Weep You No More, Sad Fountains: SATB Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-28613
Price: 1.75 USD
Availability: InStock

Words and music by John Dowland / ed. Russell Robinson

Item: 00-28613

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First published in 1603, this quintessential John Dowland madrigal has been newly edited by Russell Robinson. SATB and 3-part mixed choirs will enjoy the lush texture and rich harmonic structure, which exemplifies music of the Renaissance era, and appreciate the high quality of Dr. Robinson's tidy edition. Solid choral repertoire.

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Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 038081311579

SKU: 00-28613

More about this title

About the Composer: John Dowland

John Dowland (1562-1626) stands as one of the Renaissance's most celebrated lutenists and composers, with a career that spanned royal courts across Europe. His compositional output, though modest by some standards, profoundly influenced both instrumental and vocal music of his era. Dowland excelled at setting English poetry to music of remarkable emotional depth, creating works that balance technical sophistication with immediate expressive power. His madrigals and songs remain central to understanding how Renaissance composers merged text-painting with harmonic innovation.

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Why we love this

Russell Robinson's edition brings scholarly care to a piece that deserves regular performance in choral programs. The rich harmonic language and text-setting demonstrate why Dowland's music has endured for over four centuries, offering singers a genuine encounter with Renaissance polyphony rather than a watered-down approximation. The lush texture rewards careful voicing work without demanding extreme ranges, making it accessible to solid community and school choirs.

What to expect

Melancholic yet luminous, with a gentle forward motion that feels both conversational and deeply introspective. The harmonic shifts create moments of poignant color, while the flowing contrapuntal lines encourage a natural, singing legato that feels distinctly human rather than academic.

Who it's for

Intermediate to advanced SATB and 3-part mixed choirs seeking substantive Renaissance repertoire that performers actually enjoy singing. Directors programming madrigals or exploring secular vocal masterworks will find this an essential addition. Students benefit from direct engagement with a historical original rather than simplified arrangements.

How to get the most out of it

Attend closely to the text setting and allow the word-painting to shape your phrasing; Dowland uses harmonic color and rhythmic gesture to intensify the emotional arc of the poem.
Balance the soprano line against the lower voices, which carry much of the harmonic interest; this is not a soprano-dominated texture.
Tune the thirds carefully in the cadential moments, where Renaissance harmony's warmth depends on justly-intoned intervals.
Resist excessive vibrato, which muddies the clarity of the polyphonic lines; Renaissance repertoire benefits from a more direct, focused vocal sound.

How to use it

Pair this with other Dowland songs or madrigals by his contemporaries in a thematic concert exploring Renaissance text-painting and emotional expression. The piece's elegiac character works well in spring concerts or programs celebrating literary-musical connections. At eight pages, it's manageable for festival programming or sight-reading competitions where quality matters more than length.