Drawing together various previous releases from the Brilliant Classics collection, this compendium pays tribute to an instrument that was once at the forefront of everyday music making, tracing its extensive and highly fruitful career.

The lute counts among its writers some of the greatest names in music history, and indeed the anthology contains a large corpus of music by John Dowland – one of Britain’s most prolific Renaissance composers. His extraordinarily varied music is accompanied by the likes of Henry Purcell, who rounds off the compilation, and by Johann Sebastian Bach, whose lute offerings represent the florid repertoire of the courtly salon music then in vogue. Interspersed between these big names, however, is a rich catalogue of works that are the missing links to understanding the development of lute music and of music in general.

While Miguel Yisrael’s 'Les Baricades Mistérieuses' programme recalls the dominance of the French school during the 17th century, Germany appears to have taken over as the new centre of European lute music by the mid‐18th century, as evidenced by the rich culture of music making at the court of Bayreuth (CD12). Here a more galant, or cantabile expression of music was developing, and in Austria, too, lute music – particularly the lute trio – was seen as a precursor to the emergence of Viennese Classicism and the establishment of the new Empfindsamer style.

The collection contains a wealth of lutenists, all of whom are at the top of their profession and enjoy international careers. Guaranteed to provide hours of engaging listening, this release records an essential but often-overlooked facet of music history and is a must-buy for anyone with an interest in string repertoire.

Contents:
CD 1
Dowland: Complete Lute Music I
Varietie of Lute Lessons:
- The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard (41)
- The Right Honourable Robert, Earl of Essex, His Galliard (42a)
- The Right Honourable the Lady Clifton’s Spirit (45)
- Sir John Smith, His Almain (47)
- Sir John Langton His Pavan (14a)
- The Most High and Mighty Christianus the Fourth, King of Denmark, His Galliard (40)
- The Right Honourable Ferdinando, Earl of Derby, His Galliard (44a)
- Sir Henry Guildforde His Almain
- The Right Honourable the Lady Rich, Her Galliard (43a)
- A Fantasie (1a)

A Musicall Banquet
- The Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Lisle, His Galliard (38)

From Cambridge University Library, Ms. Dd.5.78.3:
- A Piece Without Title (51)
- The Lady Russell’s Pavan (17)
- Mr Knight’s Galliard (36)
- A Pavan (16)
- Sir John Souch’s Galliard (26)
- Mr Giles Hobie’s Galliard (29)
- Farewell (3)
- A Galliard (27)
- Lady Hunsdon’s Puffe (54)
- A Galliard (on a Galliard by Daniel Bacheler) (28)
- Lachrimae (15)

A Pilgrimes Solace:
- 23 Galliard to Lachrimae (46)

CD 2
Dowland: Complete Lute Music II
From Cambridge University Library, Ms. Dd.9.33:
- Forlorn Hope Fancy (2)
- Walsingham (67)
- Mrs Vaux Galliard (32)
- Mrs Vaux’s Jig (57)
- A Fancy (7)
- A Galliard (76)
- The Shoemaker’s Wife (58)
- A Fancy (6)
- Mrs Brigide Fleetwood’s Pavan (Solus sine sola) (11)
- Mignarda (34)
- Langton’s Galliard (33)
- Loth to Depart (69)
- A Fancy (73)
- Robin (70)
- A Pavan (18)
- A Galliard (35)
- Farewell (on ‘In nomine’) (4)

From The Marsh Lute Book:
- Mrs Norrish’s Delight [77)

From The Mynshall Lute Book:
- A Coy Joy (80)

From William Barley’s A New Booke of Tabliture, for Lute and Orpharion:
- Fortune My Foe (62)

From The Wickhambrook Lute Book:
- Tarleton’s Resurrection (59)

CD 3
Dowland: Complete Lute Music III
From Cambridge University Library, Ms.Dd.2.11:
- Piper’s Pavan (8)
- Captain Digorie Piper’s Galliard (19)
- Mrs Nichols’ Almain (52)
- Mrs White’s Thing (50)
- Mrs White’s Nothing (56)
- John Dowland’s Galliard (21)
- Monsieur’s Almain
- Melancholy Galliard (25)
- Lord Strang’s March (65)
- Dr Case’s Pavan (12)
- Dowland’s First Galliard (22)
- Orlando Sleepeth (61)
- A Dream (75)
- A Galliard (on Walsingham) (31)
- Galliard (24)
- An Almain (49)
- Tarleton’s Jig (81)
- Complaint (63)
- A Galliard (30)
- Dowland’s Galliard (20)

From The Euing Lute Book: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens (9)
- Go from My Window (64)
- Solus Cum Sola (10)
- A Piece Without Title (78)
- A Fancy (72)

CD 4
Dowland: Complete Lute Music IV
From The Dowland Lute Book:
- My Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home (66a)
- What If a Day (79)
- Mrs Clifton’s Almain (53)
- Can She Excuse (42)
- Mrs Winter’s Jump (55)
- Round Battle Galliard (39)
- The Frog Galliard (23a)

From Cambridge University Library, Add. 3056:
- A Fancy (5)

From Cambridge University Library, Nn. 6.36:
- Resolution (13)
- Come away (60)

From The Jane Pickering Lute Book:
- A Fantasia (71)

From The Trumbull Lute Book:
- Aloe (68)

From The Margaret Board Lute Book:
- Preludium (98)
- An Almand (96)
- The Queene’s Galliard (97)
- Coranto (100)
- Mr Dowland’s Midnight (99)

From The Schele Lute Book:
- La mia Barbara (95)
- Lady Laiton’s Almain (48)
- Pavana (94)

From The Hainhofer Lute Book:
- Gagliarda

From Johann Daniel Mylius’s Thesaurus gratiarum:
- 1. Pavana
- 2. Pavana

CD 5
Dowland: The First Booke of Songes
1. Unquiet Thoughts
2. Whoever Thinks or Hopes of Love
3. My Thoughts Are Wing’d with Hopes
4. If My Complaints Could Passions Move
5. Can She Excuse My Wrongs?
6. Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part
7. Dear, If You Change
8. Burst Forth, My Tears
9. Go Crystal Tears
10. Think’st Thou Then by Thy Feigning?
11. Come Away, Come Sweet Love
12. Rest Awhile You Cruel Cares
13. Sleep, Wayward Thoughts
14. All Ye, Whom Love or Fortune Hath Betray’d
15. Wilt Thou, Unkind, Thus Reave Me?
16. Would My Conceit
17. Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
18. His Golden Locks
19. Awake, Sweet Love
20. Come, heavy sleep
21. Away with These Self Loving Lads

CD 6
J S Bach: Complete Lute Music I
- Suite in E Minor, BWV 996
- Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998
- Suite in G Minor, BWV 995

CD 7
J S  Bach: Complete Lute Music II
- Partita in C Minor, BWV 997
- Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a
- Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999
- Fugue in G Minor, BWV 1000

CD 8
Kapsberger: Libro primo d’intavolatura di lauto, 1611

CD 9
Lauffensteiner & Weichenberger: Partitas
1. Partita in G Minor: I. Andante
2. Partita in G Minor: II. Aria
3. Partita in G Minor: III. Courante
4. Partita in G Minor: IV. Largo
5. Partita in G Minor: V. Menuet
6. Partita in G Minor: VI. Gigue
7. Partita in C Minor: I. Tombeau
8. Partita in C Minor: II. Courante
9. Partita in C Minor: III. Sarabande
10. Partita in C Minor: IV. Bourrée
11. Partita in C Minor: V. Menuet
12. Partita in C Minor: VI. Gigue
13. Partita in B-Flat Major: I. Symphonia
14. Partita in B-Flat Major: II. Passepied
15. Partita in B-Flat Major: III. Aria
16. Partita in B-Flat Major: IV. Bourrée
17. Partita in B-Flat Major: V. Menuet
18. Partita in B-Flat Major: VI. Gigue
19. Partita in C Major: I. Allemande
20. Partita in C Major: II. Courante
21. Partita in C Major: III. La Petite Bourrée
22. Partita in C Major: IV. Menuet
23. Partita in C Major: V. La Grande Gigue
24. Partita in B-Flat Major: I. Entrée
25. Partita in B-Flat Major: II. Courante
26. Partita in B-Flat Major: III. Sarabande
27. Partita in B-Flat Major: IV. Bourrée
28. Partita in B-Flat Major: V. Menuet
29. Partita in B-Flat Major: VI. Gigue

CD 10
Les Baricades Mistérieuses: Kellner • Weiss • Couperin • Saint-Luc • Gaultier • Gallot
1. Chaconne in A Major
2. Prelude in D Major
3. Passacaglia in D Major
4. Les Baricades Mistérieuses: Rondo in B-Flat Major
5. Entrée in G Major
6. Chaconne in G Major
7. La Cascade: Chaconne in F Major
8. Prelude in A minor
9. Les Folies d’Espagne

CD 11
Piccinini: Intabulations for Lute and Chitarrone, Book I

CD 12
Piccinini: Intabulations for Lute and Chitarrone, Book II

CD 13
Purcell: Songs
1. Crown the Altar
2. Strike the Viol
3. If Music Be the Food of Love
4. In The Black Dismal Dungeon of Despair
5. Music for a While
6. Since from My Dear Astrea’s sight
7. Thrice Happy Lovers
8. By Beautious Softness
9. Here the Deities approve
10. O Solitude
11. Sweeter than Roses
12. Tis Nature’s Voice
13. The Queen's Epicedium
14. One Charming Night
15. An Evening Hymn

CD 14
The Court of Bayreuth: Hagen • Falckenhagen • Scheidler
1. Sonata in F Minor: I. Largo
2. Sonata in F Minor: II. Allegro
3. Sonata in F Minor: III. Gustoso
4. Sonata in G Minor: I. Largo
5. Sonata in G Minor: II. Allegro un poco
6. Sonata in G Minor: III. A tempo giusto
7. Variations in F Major on a theme from Mozart’s Don Giovanni
8. Sonata in E-Flat Major: I. Largo
9. Sonata in E-Flat Major: II. Allegro un poco
10. Sonata in E-Flat Major: III. Vivace
11. Sonata in B-Flat Major: I. Andante
12. Sonata in B-Flat Major: II. Allegro ma non troppo
13. Sonata in B-Flat Major: III. Allegretto