Review | By (DM) / VITAL WEEKLY
Resonant Dowland | Matthias Engelke
Matthias Engelke from Stuttgart, Germany studied biology and chemistry. Besides he studied piano (classical and jazz) and developed a strong interest in electronic music. He works mainly as a composer for theatre- and dance productions. In his compositions, he often shows an interest in integrating analogue sounds in the context of electronically generated music. For ‘Resonant Dowland’ Engelke selected songs from Renaissance composer, singer and lutenist John Dowland. He embedded and integrated these solo vocals works in an electronic environment. Not however in the sense of background. The album is subtitled: ‘Songs for tenor and electronics’. For this project, subtitled ‘Songs for tenor and electronics’ seeks for another between the two. He is not the first one to confront this old music with modern idioms and techniques. John Surman and Barry Guy a.o. made a jazz-oriented version of some of his songs. Also, French guitarist, David Chevalier did this on his album ‘Dowland – a game of mirrors’ (2014). Engelke’s project is rooted in his biography. […]