Inspired by Dowland’s melancholic song Flowmy Tears, and the heart-breaking stories ofrefugees which are never far from the news,vocal ensemble Stile Antico and DartingtonArts commissioned poet Peter Oswald tocreate texts for Dowland’s instrumentalLachrimae pavans.

Based on testimonies from today’srefugees and migrants, these newpoems about displacement andexile present a contemporary anddeeply moving counterpoint tothis exquisite music; Dowlandwas himself no stranger touncertainty and misfortuneduring his own, self-imposedexile. Between the pavans,London-based Syrian musicianRihab Azar intersperses partlyimprovised music for oud.