Belgian harpsichordist Ewald Demeyere has put together a fascinating programme of 17th-century music of loss and lament. The disc is framed by John Dowland's celebrated Lachrimae Pavan, in keyboard treatments by William Byrd and Melchior Schildt. At its heart is Thomas Tomkins's almost monumental Sad Pavan for these Distracted Tymes. This is preceded by a suite by Johann Jacob Froberger, which includes the Lamento sopra la dolorosa perdita della Real M.stá de Ferdinando IV, and is followed by a Suite in F by Louis Couperin, which ends with the Tombeau de Mr de Blancrocher. The playing, whether on harpsichord or virginals, is contemplative and inward, so much so that the high emotion of the music seems contained even in recordings as close-sounding as these. challenge.nl