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| 'William Byrd was a Catholic composer who managed to survive persecution at the time of Elizabeth I.' |
/bɜrd/ (c.1543 – 1623)
'Apart from Tallis, the other giant of 16th century English music was his pupil, William Byrd.'
Byrd wrote various types of sacred (3 masses in Latin, and 1 in English) and secular polyphony, keyboard and consort music. He wrote many madrigals and songs ideal for small social gatherings.
In 1575, Elizabeth I granted Tallis and Byrd patent for publishing printed manuscript paper and music. In the same year, Tallis and Byrd jointly published Cantiones, with 17 pieces by each.
Cantiones sacrae / sacred songs
Masses for 4 Voices
- Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus/Benedictus, Agnus Dei
Great Service
The work, in English for use in the Anglican liturgy, takes its name from its massive scale; 2 choirs of 5 voices perform in different combinations across 7 movements: Venite, Te Deum, Benedictus, Kyrie, Creed, Mafnificat, and Dunc Dimittis.
The Queen's Alman
(L) played on the virginal keyboard(R) Alman is a dance that became popular in the English courts in the 1560s
Byrd's My Ladye Nevells Booke was a compilation of music for the virginal. The virginals were much favored by female musicians of the middle and upper classes in Europe.
(R) “Ye Sacred Muses”, a touching consort song
Qui passe: for my Lady Nevell
- a wonderful rework of a piece published decades earlier by Venetian composer Azzaiolo, “Chi passa per questa strada” (Who Walks Along This Street)
Consort songs:
- a characteristic English song form of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, for solo voice or voices (usually five), accompanied by a consort of instruments, most commonly viols. |
| viols |
(R) “Ye Sacred Muses”, a touching consort song
in honor of his colleague and friend Thomas Tallis.
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