On Saturday 10 May at 2:30pm, the Stanbridge Hall in Daylesford will come alive with the hauntingly beautiful music of John Dowland, one of the English Renaissance’s most expressive composers. The second in the 2025 Christ Church Concert series is O Sweet Woods, a concert inspired by Dowland’s deeply emotional works, promises a captivating afternoon of song and lute, performed by some of Australia’s finest early music artists.
Curated by renowned lutenist Rosemary Hodgson, O Sweet Woods showcases a carefully selected program of Dowland’s songs that explore themes of beauty, nature, and love. The concert will feature soprano Kate Macfarlane, tenor Timothy Reynolds, bass Matthew Champion, and Christopher Roache, who will perform in both alto and tenor roles. These seasoned performers will lend their voices to some of Dowland’s most beloved compositions including Come Away, Come Sweet Love, Go Cristall Tears, and the pastoral Robin is to the Greenwood Gone.
The heritage listed Stanbridge Hall offers acoustics well suited for the delicate interplay of lute and voice. The program draws inspiration from Sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia, and is designed to reflect the intricate beauty and poetic melancholy that define Dowland’s work.
Rosemary Hodgson is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading lutenists, with a celebrated international career spanning solo performances, ensemble collaborations, and acclaimed recordings. A graduate of the Royal College of Music in London, she studied under the legendary Jakob Lindberg, and in 2024, became artistic director of the inaugural Melbourne International Lute Festival. Rosemary has performed with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Opera Australia, and Musica Viva, and has recorded extensively with ensembles such as La Compania. Her solo albums, including Sorrow Stay and Walsingham, have been met with critical praise both locally and abroad.
Joining her is Kate Macfarlane, a versatile soprano with a master’s in Baroque vocal performance from Cologne’s Hochschule für Musik. Kate has sung with many of Australia’s top baroque and opera ensembles, including Adelaide Baroque and Victorian Opera, and has performed extensively throughout Europe.
Christopher Roache, a countertenor and tenor based in Kyneton, brings his rich choral experience from the UK and Australia, including performances with the Melbourne Octet and Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields Festival. Timothy Reynolds has sung across Europe and Australia with renowned groups such as The Gesualdo Consort Amsterdam and Opera Australia, while Matthew Champion, a historian and accomplished bass, rounds out the ensemble with deep expertise in early music performance.
John Dowland’s music is renowned for its emotional depth and lyrical melancholy, capturing the spirit of Elizabethan England’s fascination with introspection and sorrow. His songs, often likened to the poetic stylings of Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits, reflect a time when melancholy was not only fashionable but viewed as a sign of emotional intelligence and artistic sensitivity.
This unique performance offers a rare opportunity to hear Dowland’s rich polyphony interpreted by some of Australia’s top early music specialists. With voice and lute echoing through the historic halls of Stanbridge, O Sweet Woods will offer a musical experience that is as moving as it is exquisite. Don’t miss this enchanting journey into the heart of Renaissance music.
Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
Time: 2:30 pm
Venue: Stanbridge Hall, 54 Central Springs Rd, Daylesford
Bookings: TryBooking
Enquiries: Frank Page, email: frank@pagebell.com, mobile: 0417 010 817
