By this time everyone has completed their dissection of Sting and his performance, stored the parts in formalin, and rendered their opinion, informed or not, but here are a couple of footnotes.

The reviewer of the cd in BBC Magazine gave it three stars- very good, but not great. He liked Sting's approach to the vocals.

In the August 2006 issue of BBC Music, reviewer Paul Riley gives lutenist Nigel North five stars (tops!) for his cd, "DOWLAND- Lute Music, vol. 1: Fancyes, Dreams & Spirits," Naxos 8.557586.
"Pre-eminently the lutenist's lutenist, North is steeped in the music- and technically beyond reproach." ... Elevated music-making indeed. And at bargain price, a steal!"

Quoting further from the review, Dowland has been called "one of the great 'blues' artists of the 16th century by Joanna MacGregor," and "North does melancholy to the manner born;..."