Songs From The Labyrinth: 2006/07

The lute-playing rock star rediscovers 17th-century music in church...

Noblesse oblige. To perform his 'Songs From the Labyrinth,' a CD dedicated to John Dowland's Renaissance music, Sting chose the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, where he received the city's "seal." Small spaces, in short, the same ones the singer-songwriter chose in London and Berlin. It's certainly not enough for the hundred thousand people who welcomed him to Piazza Duomo last July for his most successful act: that of a rock star. In fact, whether due to the controversy or the repertoire, the basilica wasn't overrun by ticketless fans.

And how does Sting fare as a troubadour? Good, because he's a clever communicator, and he knows how to transform the rough spots along the way (some uncertainties in phrasing or a few slightly cold passages) into little surprises for those who listen. There he is, caressing the lute alone in the introductory "Walsingham," and there he is in a duo with the virtuoso Sarajevo lutenist Edin Karamazov, the instigator of this project, in "The Battle Galliard" or in "La Rossignol," previously unreleased on CD. And here, live, you realize the value of the operation. He had said it at the beginning. "Dowland is the father of all English singer-songwriters; with his ballads, he was the king of 17th-century pop." Noble music with popular roots, Walsingham is, not surprisingly, the elaboration of an ancient folk theme; and Sting captures precisely this spirit. Be careful, this is not a bland modern reinterpretation of ancient works; it is bringing a repertoire - locked away for too many years in an ivory tower - back to the people. If you look with disenchantment at the poetics of the lyrics presented here - from 'Flow My Tears' to 'Weep You No More Sad Fountains' to 'In Darkness Let Me Dwell' - they could be those of one of the most cultured and acclaimed songwriters of our time.

This is how Sting interprets them, with that seemingly thin voice that oscillates between one key and another and travels along free rhythms—supported by the depth of the chorus—putting his own spin on them while remaining as faithful as possible to the original. It's an art that transcends genres and styles, where even complex performances like 'Flow My Tears' become precious not so much for the clarity of the execution but for the pathos. "I don't have a Pavarotti voice, but I focus on the authenticity of the singing," Sting said at the album presentation. It's not an excuse; it's his way of experiencing music, straddling aestheticism and sensuality, cultured and popular, spontaneity and artifice, snobbery and simplicity. Sting recounts Dowland - a Catholic artist exiled by English monarchs - as he traveled through the courts of half of Europe, including that of the Medici. He does so by alternating music with readings of his vibrant letters, outlining his story. Before the dreamy and melancholy "Have You Seen the Bright Lily Grow," Sting discusses the author Robert Johnson, a renowned lute player and son of John Johnson, whom Dowland hoped to replace at the court of Elizabeth I in 1595.

It's a story that unfolds slowly, somewhere between reading and concert, where the evocative sounds of the delicate "Come Heavy Sleep" are echoed by a letter to Sir Robert Cecil expressing his desire to visit Florence and Venice.

A historical and musical journey that transforms ancient Shakespearean atmospheres into the present. It's the transfiguration of Sting, in short, who had never ventured so far in his wanderings to shores far from rock. No more sound barriers, that's Sting's message, which, to hammer home the audience, he plays classics like "Message in a Bottle" and "Fields of Gold" on the lute, as well as the dramatic blues "Hellhound on My Trail" by Robert Johnson, the king of the cursed blues (the same name as the one mentioned above), lending a touch of mystery to an idyllic evening.

© Il Giornale by Antonio Lodetti

With Sting, Robert Johnson's blues enters Santa Maria delle Grazie...

Okay, Sting's concert with lutenist Karamazov last night at Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan was about his 'Songs from the Labyrinth,' music in song form written between the 16th and 17th centuries by John Dowland: a lutenist composer who toured the courts of Europe, dreaming in vain of being hired by Queen Elizabeth I of England, who never did. Sting himself explained that Dowland was the ancestor of the frustrated singer-songwriter; and it's still remarkable that his songs still work today, as the former Police member demonstrated, also tinkering with a lute and composing songs that are only seemingly simple to perform.

What is curious, however, is that John Dowland wanted to replace the recently deceased John Johnson at court, who had a son named Robert and was a composer: in fact, he was the only known composer to have written music for Shakespeare (two songs for "The Tempest").

So, this composer was named Robert Johnson, just like the father of the blues who would arrive five centuries later. Sting even covered a piece by the sixteenth-century Robert Johnson; but at the end, in the encore, between "Fields of Gold" and "Message in a Bottle," he also indulged in a tribute to the black bluesman, playing "Hell Hound of My Trail" on the lute. And that dense, charged, elegantly rough blues rose toward the vaults of the beautiful church with great dignity: almost as if to thank that for the first time (and perhaps the last) the blues, always improperly called the devil's music, had managed to enter a church. And with what an officiant...

© La Stampa by Marinella Venegoni 

Sting Brings John Dowland's Music (and the Blues) to Santa Maria Delle Grazie

It could have been one of the events of the year: the City of Milan, as part of its pre-Christmas music festival, brought Sting to one of the city's most evocative locations: the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, home to Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. It wasn't a rock concert, but rather one of the rare previews of the tour of 'Songs From The Labyrinth,' a work for voice and lute published by Deutsche Grammophone and dedicated to the 16th-century English composer John Dowland.

Announced a few weeks ago, yesterday's concert, December 13th, immediately turned into an event: a hunt for tickets (a few hundred seats available, most invited and just under 200 given away free) and the resulting "royal parterre" of self-styled "VIPs."

Once inside the church, the view is impressive: the dome is illuminated with coloured lights, and the stage, located in front of the altar, is completely covered in white cloth, even the speakers, so as not to obstruct the view while admiring Brunelleschi's masterpiece. People jostle for reserved seats, many standing behind the columns. At Sting's request, the evening's host asks for no applause during the performance, along with the usual reminder to turn off cell phones. Sting himself appears intimidated by the venue: he begins by telling the story of Dowland, of his frustrations at not being recognized during his lifetime. He alternates readings with "songs" by Dowland and his contemporary Robert Johnson ("not the bluesman," he jokes). He's clearly struggling to warm up his voice, which falters at times, and after three songs, he calls for applause, almost as if seeking a little warmth. He's accompanied by Bosnian lutenist Edin Karamazov, occasionally taking up the lute himself, and on a couple of occasions the English vocal group Stile Antico takes the stage to complete the performance.

After less than an hour, the main concert, dedicated to 'Songs From The Labyrinth,' is over. Sting returns and, surprisingly, begins the encore with reworkings of modern repertoire for voice and lute: 'Fields of Gold' and 'Message in a Bottle,' sung with the same vocal tone as Dowland's music. In between, there's also a cover, Robert Johnson's 'Hell Hound on My Trail,' this time by the bluesman himself. The attempt is to showcase the ancient roots of modern music, but the result falls short of its intentions, merely succeeding in bringing into a church the music of a bluesman who, it is said, sold his soul to the devil.

There's still time for a proper encore from Dowland, and the evening ends, with VIPs leaving and commenting, some even escorted by bodyguards. It could have been one of the events of the year, a rock star playing in a place so steeped in history. Instead, it was just another social event, and musically, it wasn't as impressive as one might have imagined.

For the record, Sting will return with the full 'Songs From The Labyrinth' tour for three dates in early 2007: one, yet to be confirmed, at the Auditorium Parco Della Musica in Rome, and two in Florence (Teatro Del Maggio) and Milan (Teatro degli Arcimboldi), on February 22nd and 23rd, respectively.

© Rockol