Alaúdista, virtuoso, cantor e compositor, nascido provavelmente em Dublim na Irlanda, John Dowland viaja para França entre 1580 e 1584 (está então ao serviço do embaixador da Inglaterra em Paris). Reside na Alemanha entre 1594 e 1598 (cortes de Brunsvique e Hesse, Nuremberga), em 1595 efectua uma viagem a Itália (Roma, Veneza, Florença). De 1598 a 1606 é alaúdista na corte de Christian IV da Dinamarca. Em 1601, volta a Londres para comprar instrumentos. A partir de 1597, John Dowland publica livros de árias, bem como peças para alaúde. Em 1612 obtém o lugar de segundo alaúdista na corte de Charles I de Inglaterra. Famoso em toda a Europa, John Dowland foi provavelmente o maior alaúdista do seu tempo.

John Dowland (1563-1626) Mistris Winters Jumpe
John Dowland (1563-1626) Orlando Sleepeth
John Dowland (1563-1626) The sick tune

Obra para alaúde solo de John Dowland (Diana Poulton & Basil Lam) :
Fantasie :
Forlorn Hope Fancy
Farewell
Farewell (An "In Nomine")
A Fancy 1
A Fancy 2
A Fancy 3

Pavans :
Piper's Pavan
Semper Dowland Semper Dolens
Solus Cum Sola
Mrs. Brigide Fleetwood's Pavan alias Solus Sine Sola
Dr. Case's Pavan
Resolution
Mr. John Langton's Pavan
Sir John Langton's Pavan
Lachrimæ
A Pavan
The Lady Russell's Pavan
A Pavan

Gaillards :
Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard
Dowland' Galliard
John Dowland's Galliard
Dowland's First Galliard
The Frog Galliard
A Galliard (In D major)
Melancholy Galliard
Sir John Souch's Galliard
A Galliard (on a galliard by Daniel Bacheler)
Giles Hobie's Galliard
A Galliard (In G minor)
A Galliard (on Walsingham)
Mrs. Vaux Galliard
Mr. Langton's Galliard
Mignarda
A Galliard (In G minor)
Mr. Knight's Galliard
My Lord Chamberlain, His Galliard (an invention for two to play upon one lute)
The Right Honourable The Lord Viscount Lisle His Galliard
Round Battle Galliard
The Most High and Mighty Christianus The Fourth King of Denmark, His Galliard
The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard
Can She Excuse
The Right Honourable Robert Earl of Essex, His Galliard
The Lady Rich' Galliard
The Right Honourable The Lady Rich, Her Galliard
The Earl of Derby' Galliard
The Right Honourable Ferdinando Earl of Derby, His Galliard
The Right Honourable The Lady Clifton's Spirit
Galliard to Lachrimæ

Almains :
Sir John Smith, his Almain
Smythes Allmayne
Lady Laiton's Almain
An Almain
Mrs. White's Thing
A Piece Without Title
Mrs. Nichols' Almain
Mrs. Clifton's Almain
Lady Hunsdon's Puffe

]igs and other pieces in 6/8 rhythm :
Mrs. Winter's Jump
Mrs. White's Nothing
Mrs. Vaux's Jig
The Shoemaker's Wife
Tarleton's Riserrectione

Song Arrangement :
Corne Away

Settings of Ballad Tunes :
Orlando Sieepeth
Fortune
Complainte
From My Window
Lord Strang's March
My Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home
Walsingham
Aloe
Loth to Depart
Robin

Pieces of uncertain ascription, but probably by Dowland :
A Fantasia
A Fancy
A Fancy
A Fancy
A Dream
A Gaillard
Mrs. Norrish's Delight
A Piece Without Title
What If A Day
A Coy Toy
Tarleton's Jig