In Darkness Let Me Dwell is a lute song by John Dowland (1563-1626) that was first published in 1610. John Dowland was an English composer, vocalist and lutenist that composed many beautiful songs for voice and lute, as well as works in other genres. I chose to arrange this work first for Choir and then later for Brass Ensemble, as I felt that his musical aesthetic was similar to my own and therefore his use of harmony would lend itself to expansion. The melody and lyrics are both stunningly beautiful, and I feel that as a composer he was very much ahead of his time in his treatment of harmony and particularly of dissonance. The rich, dark qualities of the work seem a perfect match for brass, and when asked by my conducting professor, Takayoshi "Tad" Suzuki, to arrange something for his own ensemble, I could not resist the opportunity.

Trumpet (3), Horn (2), Trombone (3), Euphonium, Tuba, Percussion (3)

Catalogue No. 05012

In Darkness Let Me Dwell - John Dowland
In darkness let me dwell, the ground shall sorrow be;
The roof despair, to bar all cheerful light from me;
The walls of marble black, that moisten'd still shall weep;
My music, hellish jarring sounds, to banish friendly sleep.
Thus, wedded to my woes, and bedded in my tomb,
O let me living die, till death do come, till death do come.