Composer

:

John Dowland

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song: Lute Song

Compose Date

:

before 1603

Publication Date

:

1603

Average_duration

:

3:36

"Weep you No More, Sad Fountains" is a melancholic song composed by John Dowland, a prominent English Renaissance composer and lutenist. The song was composed in the late 16th century and was first published in Dowland's collection of lute songs, "The Second Booke of Songs or Ayres" in 1600. The song is written in a simple ABA form, with the first and last sections being identical and the middle section providing a contrast. The melody is set to a slow and mournful tempo, with a range of just over an octave. The lyrics, written by an unknown author, express the pain of lost love and the desire to forget the past and move on. The first section of the song begins with the line "Weep you no more, sad fountains," which is repeated throughout the song. The melody is simple and repetitive, with a descending line that emphasizes the sadness of the lyrics. The middle section provides a contrast, with a more lively and rhythmic melody that suggests a glimmer of hope. The lyrics in this section express the desire to forget the past and move on, with lines such as "Sorrow is vain and ruins close to joy." The final section returns to the mournful melody of the first section, with the repeated line "Weep you no more, sad fountains" serving as a reminder of the pain of lost love. The song ends on a melancholic note, with the final line "Down with the rose and in with the briar" suggesting that the pain of lost love will never truly go away. Overall, "Weep you No More, Sad Fountains" is a beautiful and haunting song that captures the pain of lost love and the desire to move on. Dowland's simple and repetitive melody perfectly complements the melancholic lyrics, making this song a timeless classic of the English Renaissance.

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