"Can she excuse my wrongs?" - Dowland

St John's church, Peterborough, 19th February 2022
Dowland Youth Works:
Cantus - Rachel Dawson
Alto - Sebastian Carrington
Tenor - Benjamin Staniforth, William Lewis
Bass - Fabian Tindale Geere
Dowland Works:
Cantus - Emma Kirkby, DBE
Alto - Clemmie Franks
Tenor - Michael Williams
Bass - Laurence Williams
Lute - Sam Brown
Music by John Dowland
Lyrics (anon. attrib. Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex)
Can shee excuse my wrongs with vertues cloake
Shall I call her good when she proves unkind
Are those cleere fiers which vanish into smoake
Must I praise the leaves where no fruit I find.
No no where shadowes do for bodies stand,
Thou maist be abusde if thy sight be dime.
Cold love is like to words written on sand,
Or to bubbles which on the water swim.
Wilt thou be thus abused still,
Seeing that she will right thee never,
If thou canst not ore come her will,
Thy love will be thus fruitles ever.
Was I so base that I might not aspire
Unto those high joyes which she houlds from me,
As they are high so high is my desire,
If she this deny what can granted be.
If she will yeeld to that which reason is,
It is reasons will that love should be just,
Deare make me happie still by granting this,
Or cut of delayes if that dye I must.
Better a thousand times to dye
Then for to live thus still tormented,
Deare but remember it was I
Who for thy sake did dye contented.

[@wamix58]

Excellent balance of voices! You showed one of the most beautiful faces of this song. Thank you so much!

[@omramchandrajieducational]

Why does this only have 875 views?? Should have a "k" after that number. Beautiful and unique performance!

[@fabiantindalegeere]

Haha thanks Om! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@carmenm.4091]

Love how theatrical you’ve preformed this piece with all the different voices. ❤

[@fabiantindalegeere]

Agreed, it's so much fun that way, and that's surely how it was performed in Elizabethan times.

[@guidononne3765]

Fantastic!!! 👏👏🤩

[@Nottsboy24]

Excellent 👏👏👏👏

[@peter2uat]

very effectful arranged - I like it even better after reading the backstory to this song

[@fabiantindalegeere]

I think it's hilarious. Robert Devereux was an absurdly brash character

[@twitnitt7339]

Amazing, this deserves way more views!

[@fabiantindalegeere]

Thanks! Always a pleasure to work with Emma and Sam :)

[@hetedeleambacht6608]

is that Emma Kirkby on the right????

[@fabiantindalegeere]

Yes! We were very happy to have her with us that day :)

[@danielwalther5841]

Tolles Tempo und sehr gute Sängerinnen, aber leider ist die Tonaufnahme nicht so geglückt, finde ich. In dieser Zusammensetzung professioneller Aufnehmen vielleicht - bitte?!

[@fabiantindalegeere]

Dieses Konzert wurde leider nicht professionell aufgezeichnet. Bitte schauen Sie auf meinem Kanal nach anderen (qualitativ besseren) Aufnahmen dieser Gruppe!

[@mavisemberson8737]

The words are those of a lover to his unkind mistress. Her unkindness means she will not admit him to her chamber . Not a suitable song for a church , perhaps !