Robert Dowland (c. 15911641) was an English

lutenist A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lute" commonly r ...

and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

. He was the son of the lutenist and composer

John Dowland John Dowland ( – buried 20 February 1626) was an English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep", " Come again", " Flow my tears", " I saw my Lady weepe", " N ...

, who wrote almost 90 lute songs and other pieces written for the lute. Robert Dowland wrote only a few known compositions, including several in ''Varietie of Lute Lessons.'' In 1610 he published two collections of music, ''A Varietie of Lute Lessons'' and ''A Musical Banquet'' (an anthology of work by other composers including his father). In 1626 his father died and Robert succeeded him as royal lutenist.

References

* *"Dowland, Robert".

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* 1590s births 1641 deaths Composers for lute English Baroque composers English lutenists 17th-century English classical composers English male classical composers 17th-century English male musicians {{string-musician-stub