Lessons Jonas Nordberg

• John Dowland (1563 - 1626): Prelude, P. 98:
• 1Dowland: Prelude, P. 9801:27
• A Fancy, P. 73:
• 2Dowland: A Fancy, P. 7303:07
• The Frog Galliard, P. 23a:
• 3Dowland: The Frog Galliard, P. 23a02:00
• Farewell, P. 4 "In nomine":
• 4Dowland: Farewell, P. 4 "In nomine"03:56
• A Fancy, P. 6:
• 5Dowland: A Fancy, P. 602:42
• The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard, P. 41:
• 6Dowland: The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard, P. 4101:15
• Forlorn Hope, P. 2:
• 7Dowland: Forlorn Hope, P. 203:41
• The Earl of Derby's Galliard, P. 44a:
• 8Dowland: The Earl of Derby's Galliard, P. 44a02:17
• Loth to Depart, P. 69:
• 9Dowland: Loth to Depart, P. 6906:10
• Can She Excuse, P. 42:
• 10Dowland: Can She Excuse, P. 4201:38
• Solus cum sola, P. 10:
• 11Dowland: Solus cum sola, P. 1004:46
• Sir John Smith, His Almain, P. 47:
• 12Dowland: Sir John Smith, His Almain, P. 4702:37
• Orlando Sleepeth, P. 61:
• 13Dowland: Orlando Sleepeth, P. 6103:16
• Lady Hunsdon's Puffe, P. 54:
• 14Dowland: Lady Hunsdon's Puffe, P. 5401:40
• Semper Dowland semper dolens, P. 9:
• 15Dowland: Semper Dowland semper dolens, P. 908:03
• The Most High and Mighty Christianus the Fourth, King of Denmark, His Galliard, P. 40:
• 16Dowland: The Most High and Mighty Christianus the Fourth, King of Denmark, His Galliard, P. 4003:00
• A Fantasie, P. 1a:
• 17Dowland: A Fantasie, P. 1a04:10
• Piper's Pavan, P. 8:
• 18Dowland: Piper's Pavan, P. 805:24
• A Fancy, P. 5:
• 19Dowland: A Fancy, P. 502:22
• Lachrimae, P. 15:
• 20Dowland: Lachrimae, P. 1505:24
• Galliard to Lachrimae, P. 46:
• 21Dowland: Galliard to Lachrimae, P. 4602:49
• Total Runtime01:11:44

Info for Lessons

In English Renaissance collections of music, the term ‘lessons’ is often used to describe instrumental pieces, even though they aren’t pedagogical exercises as such. But as Jonas Nordberg writes in an introduction to his new album ‘there remains much in them to be studied’. John Dowland is one of the composers whose music was a driving force of the Early Music revival already at the beginning of the 20th century. He has also played a central role in the rediscovery of the lute itself, an ongoing process which began more than a hundred years ago.

Like many other musicians, Jonas Nordberg is continuously exploring the intimate relationship between a score and the instrument it was written for: ‘The pieces by Dowland on this album contain an entire musical universe, in which I have spent many years, discovering new layers of meaning. In that way these lessons – in combination with the instrument on which I play them – have also been my teachers. So it is a great pleasure to invite you to share them with me, and to explore for yourselves the rich combination of melancholy, joy and beauty to be found in these works.’

Jonas Nordberg, lute

Jonas Nordberg
Swedish lutenist and guitarist Jonas Nordberg belongs to the new generation of exciting musicians in the field of plucked instruments. A graduate of the Mozarteum University Salzburg (MA Summa cum Laude 2011), he has an active schedule as a performing artist on lutes and guitars. Thereby his repertoire ranges from early renaissance lute music to contemporary soundscape explorations. In between we find solo repertoire for baroque lute, baroque guitar, early 19th century guitar and theorbo.

He has an extensive collaboration with choreographer Kenneth Kvarnström, resulting in several large scale stage works in recent years. The meeting between baroque music and contemporary dance gives the music a new dimension, a visual chamber music partner for the solo pieces and a way to communicate through physical gestures and impulses. In 2013 Nordberg and Kvarnström teamed up for a critically acclaimed duet, sofa(r), combining elements of dance, baroque music for lute and theorbo, electronic music and speech in a dark work exploring death. This also marked his debut as a dancer.

Nordberg has a strong interest in collaborating with singers and past colleagues include Susanne Rydén, Olle Persson, Ruby Hughes, Elin Rombo, Christina Larsson Malmberg, Lena-Susanne Norin and Christina Högman. He also works together with Operabyrån, co-creating the cutting edge stage work Love and the Courtesan (2013) together with Christina Larsson Malmberg (soprano), Catalina Langborn (baroque violin) and Karin Modigh (dance). It is a piece based on a libretto on the life of Barbara Strozzi including music by her and other female 17th century composers.

Venues and festivals the past seasons include Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus, Greenwich Early Music Festival, Stockholm Early Music Festival, Movimentos festwochen Wolfsburg, Herculessaal Residenz München, Mozarteum Salzburg, Malmö Opera, Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, Helsingfors Stadsteater, Salzburger Landestheater, Palladium Malmö, Concertgebouw Brügge, Theater Bonn Opernhaus, Grand Théatre Luxembourg, Vadstena Gamla Teater and Norrlandsoperan amongst several other concert halls and churches around Sweden and Europe.

He has recorded three albums for BIS Records with recorder player Dan Laurin, two of them to be released later this year. October 5th marks the release of his solo debut album for Eudora Records. His work has also been seen and heard on Swedish state television (SVT), BBC Radio, Sveriges Radio & Deutschlandfunk.

Booklet for Lessons