The Varietie of lute lessons, published in 1610 in London by Robert Dowland, is a monument to the glory of the English hey-day of the lute, and more particularly to the music of John Dowland, Robert's father. The word "lesson" in the title is somewhat misleading. In spite of its extensive pedagogical preface, consisiting of a translation of the Observations on Lute playing by Jean-Baptiste Besard and a short treatise by John Dowland himself, the meaning of the word lesson here is to be interpreted more in the sense of "readings" than in the modern sense of a set of pieces intended to improve a student's ability on the instrument.

Technically speaking, the level of skills needed to play those pieces is rather high, if not virtuosic, witness for instance Daniel Batchelard's Mounsieurs Almayne or John Dowland's Sir Langton's Pavan. Although the English school is well represented in the collection, several pieces from the Continent, probably gathered by John Dowland during his extensive travels, are there to complement the picture of a highly sophisticated musical environment where the lute held its place as sometimes both king and queen of instruments.

Yet, overall, the Varietie is also a bit of a swan song. John Dowland's best years as a performer were behind him, and the English style of playing was being rapidly challenged by experiments conducted abroad with both new tunings and new styles of playing, particularly le style brisé that would ultimately result in a complete transformation of both the instrument and its music. The looming Civil War would also contribute to the decline in popularity of the instrument in England, as well as the growing popularity of the viol. Conspicuous in its absence is any form of religiously inspired music. The volume is a courtly one, a token of past better days that yet still shines by the sheer quality of its music, that four centuries later we still have no trouble enjoying and appreciating.

Links of interest:

Facsimile on IMSLP: http://imslp.org/wiki/A_Varietie_of_Lute_Lessons_%28Dowland,_Robert%29

Facsimile (Godfrey's bookshelf): http://www.shipbrook.net/jeff/bookshelf/details.html?bookid=40

Richard Nolde's master's thesis: https://scholarship.rice.edu/bitstream/handle/1911/13135/1323127.PDF?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Recordings:

Nigel North: http://www.allmusic.com/album/varietie-of-lute-lessons-mw0001822783

Lutz Kirchhof: http://www.discogs.com/Lutz-Kirchhof-Varietie-Of-Lute-Lessons-The-Renaissance-Lute/release/6132093

Matt Wadsworth: http://www.discogs.com/Matthew-Wadsworth-The-Knight-of-the-Lute-Music-from-the-Varietie-of-Lute-Lessons-1610/release/6735320