TIME
STANDS
STILL
text yet to be polished
John Dowland, one of the most influential figures of the late English Renaissance, is celebrated for his refined and poetic musical language. His works often explore the depth of human emotion, especially the subtle shades of melancholy that lie between sorrow, beauty, and contemplation. In this union, the warm, intimate sound of the Renaissance lute—resembling a magnetic human voice—intertwines with the clear and expressive tone of the recorder, creating a delicate dialogue that guides the listener through an introspective musical landscape.
Throughout the program, tears appear as a recurring image, symbolizing not only grief and longing but also reflection, inspiration, and quiet joy. The music gives voice to moments of love, loss, and uncertainty, revealing the inner struggles of the human heart and the search for meaning within them.
Another central idea is the experience of time. In moments of profound emotion or beauty, time seems to pause, allowing us to fully behold what lies before us. Such stillness invites reflection on the present and on our relationship with art and life.
Through these Renaissance songs of love and longing, the duo invites the audience on a journey of self-discovery—an inward search shaped by emotion, memory, and reflection. Within the fragile beauty of these sounds, time seems to suspend itself, allowing each note to unfold in quiet stillness. In such moments, music becomes a mirror of life itself, reminding us that meaning is often found not in what has passed or what is yet to come, but in the delicate art of truly beholding and cherishing the present.
Program
Preludium of Voorspel - Jacob van Eyck (ca. 1590-1657)
King of Denmark - John Dowland (1563-1626)
It Was A Time When Silly Bees Could Speak - John Dowland
Complaint - John Dowland
Mr. Bucton's Galliard - John Dowland
I Must Complain - John Dowland
Susanne un jour - Orlando Di Lasso/Girolamo Dalla Casa (c. 1543–1601)
Fantasia & Echo - Jacob van Eyck (c. 1590–1657)
Preludium - John Dowland
Flow, my tears - John Dowland
Lachrimae gementes - John Dowland
Pavane Lachrymae - Jacob van Eyck
Sir John Smith, His Almain - John Dowland
M. Giles Hobies His Galliard - John Dowland
d’Lof-zangh Marie - Jacob van Eyck
Vestiva i Colli - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina/Francesco Rognoni (1570-1626)
Time stands still - John Dowland
粼粼 - André Ferreira (1992)
Uppon la mi re - Thomas Preston (?-1563)
Come heavy sleep - John Dowland
What if i never speed - John Dowland
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Review
"行雲流水... As I marvelled at how the same windows, the same openings on the instrument, could yield such rich detail too fleeting to grasp, the musicians surrendered to inspiration. Music followed intention, composing with unrestrained abandon.
Like a piece of cursive calligraphy, written in one effortless breath—a single, unbroken stroke!
Familiar melodies were freely interpreted into drifting blossoms of a dream, or like endless threads of rain, fine as sorrow. a faint melancholy, sad yet not wounding, tearful yet not weeping. What depth of artistry could so eloquently unfold such truths, so utterly sincere? No flamboyant gestures meant to astonish, no aggressive displays demanding attention—only focused devotion, earnest narration of distant tales...
Countless unspoken words dissolved into innumerable notes—ingenious, nimble—woven into a light, gossamer veil that soared through this magical space.
Moving clouds and flowing water, executed in one seamless breath; the voices lingers in the rafters for days." - Yung-Tai Liu
