Conducted by Stanford Robinson.
All creatures now are merry-minded John Bennet
Come again! sweet love doth now invite Dowland

John Bennet, the only composer in this programme of English music for voices of whose career listeners have not already been told, is one of whom we know very little apart from his music. Our only clue as to the date of his birth is on the title page of his "Madrigalls to Foure Voyces", which appeared in 1599. He calls them "first fruits of my simple skill", and later, "indeauors of a young wit". Five years later he contributed five tunes to Barley's Psalter, and when these were reprinted in Ravenscroft's Psalter in 1621, there was a pleasing reference to Bennet in the preface:
"Maister lohn Bennet, a Gentleman admirable for all kindes of Composures, either in Art, or Ayre, Simple or Mixt, of what Nature soeuer. I can easily belieue he had somewhat more then Art, euen some Naturall instinct or Better Inspiration, by which, in all his workes, the very life of that Passion, which the Ditty sounded, is so truly exprest, as if we had measured it alone by his owne Soule, and inuented no other Harmony, then his owne sensible, feeling in that Affection did affoord him".
He contributed a number of Madrigals to the "Triumphes of Oriana", tho most popular of which is probably "Weep, O mine eyes". But they are all simple and melodious in character, and finished with fine workmanship, although such big men as Weelkes and Morley outstripped him in originality.
The Madrigal in this programme is the fourth in the series "The Triumphes of Oriana", published in 1601.