Date:
1597
Description:
Gush Forth My Tears is a pavan composed by William Holborne and published in The Cittharn Schoole, a collection of songs and instrumental works. It shares thematic and musical similarities with Dowland’s Flow, My Tears, reflecting the intense emotional expression typical of late Elizabethan melancholy music.
Discussion:
Holborne’s piece is a dignified and expressive instrumental pavan, characterised by its slow tempo, minor tonality, and flowing melody. While originally intended for solo cittern, it is often arranged for consort performance. It captures the elegiac tone popular in late 16th-century English music and lends itself well to dynamic shaping and ensemble expression.
Composer:
William Holborne
Arranged by:
Original for voice and lute; various modern arrangements exist for solo voice with piano, lute, or guitar accompaniment, as well as for ensemble performance.
Sheet Music:
The arrangement we use is available here as a pdf, mus or musescore file
Parts:
Instrumental ensemble (typically 4–5 parts)
Type:
Pavan / instrumental consort piece
Language:
Instrumental
Ranges:
Suitable for viols, recorders, or plucked strings; ranges are moderate, requiring attention to phrasing and tone quality rather than technical virtuosity.
Advice for beginners:
This piece is best approached with a focus on tone and blend. The slow tempo allows time to concentrate on intonation and ensemble cohesion. Phrasing should be lyrical and sustained, with careful attention to the cadences and expressive contour.
Sound Files:
Here are some sound files for reference. All parts, alto, cantus, bass, all parts(line 1 loud), all parts(line 2 loud), all parts(line 3 loud)