This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
All ye, whom love or fortune hath betrayed
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
SATB · Brian Russell
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All ye, whom love or fortune hath betrayed by John Dowland — Lyrics
1. All ye whom Love or Fortune hath betrayed,
All ye that dream of bliss, but live in grief,
All ye whose hopes are ever more delay'd,
All ye whose sighs or sickness wants relief:
Lend ears and tears to me, most hapless man,
That sings my sorrows like the dying swan.
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About All ye, whom love or fortune hath betrayed
John Dowland sets a text of profound personal lament in this exquisite SATB madrigal. The music opens with a sense of desolation, the voices entering in a close, plaintive texture that immediately conveys the sorrow of the text. Dowland masterfully portrays the singer's 'woe' and 'sorrow' through expressive harmonies and careful word-painting, particularly in the repeated pleas for relief and the final, resigned image of the 'dying swan'. This secular English song offers a moving exploration of heartbreak and unfulfilled longing, its carefully constructed vocal lines creating a rich and poignant emotional landscape for the choir.
