Sting - Songs from the Labyrinth
‘Songs from the Labyrinth’
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: John Dowland, Robert II Johnson
Genre:
Chamber
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Magazine Review Date: 13/2006
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 49
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: 170 3139GH

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Settings of Ballads and Other Popular Tunes, Movement: Walsingham, P67 |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
(The) First Book of Songs or Ayres, Movement: Can she excuse my wrongs with vertues cloake (= The Earl of Essex Galliard) |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
(The) Second Booke of Songs or Ayres, Movement: Flow my teares fall from your springs |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
Have you seen the bright lily grow? |
Robert II Johnson, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute Robert II Johnson, Composer Sting, Singer |
Galliards, Movement: The Battle Galliard (The King of Denmarke his Galliard), P40 |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
(The) Third and Last Book of Songs or Aires, Movement: The lowest trees haue tops |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
(The) Second Booke of Songs or Ayres, Movement: Fine knacks for Ladies, cheap, choise, braue and new |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
Fantasies and Other Contrapuntal Pieces, Movement: Fantasie in G minor, P6 |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
(The) First Book of Songs or Ayres, Movement: Come heauy sleepe |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
Fornlorn Hope Fancy |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
(The) First Book of Songs or Ayres, Movement: Wilt though vnkind thus reaue me me of my hart |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
(The) First Book of Songs or Ayres, Movement: Come againe: sweet loue doth now enuite |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
(The) Third and Last Book of Songs or Aires, Movement: Weepe you no more sad fountaines |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Archlute |
(The) Second Booke of Songs or Ayres, Movement: Cleare or Cloudie sweet as 'April' showring |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
In darknesse let mee dwell |
John Dowland, Composer
Edin Karamazov, Lute John Dowland, Composer Sting, Singer |
Author: William Yeoman
A few years back, Sting’s friend the guitarist Dominic Miller gave him a nine-course lute as a gift; Miller also introduced him to lutenist Edin Karamazov, a meeting which eventually resulted in this recording of songs and lute pieces interspersed with readings from a letter by Dowland addressed to Sir Robert Cecil. Bizarre? Undoubtedly; but even more so is the fact that it actually works.
Sting’s readings are well considered and evocative; an equally careful attention to the song texts evinces a willingness to give into the prevailing affect while still in contemporary mode, the decision to treat the songs as pop material resulting in a rawness and emotional energy that’s often lacking in more polished performances. The four-part realisations of some verses (Sting’s voice here multi-tracked) results in an appropriately surreal effect, much like looking at one’s reflection in a broken mirror, while Karamazov’s dazzling lute playing (the two Fantasies on this recording are spectacular) is suitably brash and improvisatory, providing the perfect complement to Sting’s “unschooled tenor”.
Sting says the idea was to give “a sense of the man himself” and I really think both he and Karamazov manage to bring Dowland before the listener as a living, breathing person in a way more orthodox recordings often fail to do. The success of this enterprise almost defies logic – it’s like one of those Buddhist koans that confounds the mind in order to reach the truth. You’ll either love “Songs from the Labyrinth” or you’ll hate it – but you’ll not be left unmoved.
Sting’s readings are well considered and evocative; an equally careful attention to the song texts evinces a willingness to give into the prevailing affect while still in contemporary mode, the decision to treat the songs as pop material resulting in a rawness and emotional energy that’s often lacking in more polished performances. The four-part realisations of some verses (Sting’s voice here multi-tracked) results in an appropriately surreal effect, much like looking at one’s reflection in a broken mirror, while Karamazov’s dazzling lute playing (the two Fantasies on this recording are spectacular) is suitably brash and improvisatory, providing the perfect complement to Sting’s “unschooled tenor”.
Sting says the idea was to give “a sense of the man himself” and I really think both he and Karamazov manage to bring Dowland before the listener as a living, breathing person in a way more orthodox recordings often fail to do. The success of this enterprise almost defies logic – it’s like one of those Buddhist koans that confounds the mind in order to reach the truth. You’ll either love “Songs from the Labyrinth” or you’ll hate it – but you’ll not be left unmoved.
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