William Byrd

William Byrd

Source: Wikipedia

Born 1540 to 1543 in London, William Byrd, of status gentlemanly, finds us in England during the latter musical Renaissance. Byrd's compositions number about 470 in all. Though he authored some works in madrigal form his concern was largely sacred music. Estimated to have been composing seriously as a youth about 1555, he very likely studied under Thomas Tallis as a young man. Like Tallis, indeed, to a great portion with Tallis, Byrd would weather the storm between the Anglican and Roman churches in England during the Reformation and emerge not only undamaged but financially secure. His first known employment was in 1563 as organist and choirmaster at Lincoln Cathedral, Church of England (tallest building in the world for more than two hundred years since its erection about 1311). He was eventually paid to compose for that cathedral as well.

In 1572 Byrd was appointed Gentleman of the Chapel Royal by Queen Elizabeth I. In 1575 Byrd and Tallis were granted a monopolistic printing patent of 21 years by the Crown (largely to prevent foreign influence on English music, Catholic or otherwise). Royal grants of exclusive printing privileges weren't unique to England and Henry VIII had earlier passed out such monopolies being at root to copyright law. The greater privatization of printing along w other factors would eventually arrive to the Statute of Anne or, the Copyright Act of 1710 [see refs for copyright below]. As for Byrd and Tallis, their first publication under the queen's imprint was 'Cantiones que ab argumento sacrae vocantur' ('Cantiones Sacrae') in 1575. Upon the financial failure of the book, Elizabeth I compensated the duo with land leases. 'Cantiones Sacrae' were motet settings to Latin texts which Byrd addressed again in volumes published in 1589 ('Cantiones Sacrae I') and 1591 ('Cantiones Sacrae II').

Numerous of Byrd's motets appeared in the 'Dow Partbooks' of 1580. Written for five parts, the Tallis Scholars perform choral arrangements of 'Tristitia et Anxietas' and 'Lullaby' below, although they were probably intended for consort, that is, one voice and four instruments, most commonly viols.

'Tristitia et Anxietas'   Motet by William Byrd

MS: No.31 of the 'Dow Partbook' of 1580

Pub: 'Cantiones Sacrae I' of 1589

Tallis Scholars

'Lullaby'   Motet by William Byrd

MS: No.114 & 115 of the 'Dow Partbook' of 1580

Pub: 'Psalmes, Sonets and Songs' of 1588

Tallis Scholars

Byrd is thought to have become a Catholic in the seventies, which began to become dangerous to him in the eighties. In 1583 he was temporarily suspended from the Royal Chapel, his movements restricted and his house searched for evidence of complicity in the failed Throckmorton Plot to assassinate Elizabeth. Cleared of suspicion, Byrd emerged to publish several books: 'Psalms, Sonnets and Songs of Sadness and Pietie' (1588) was so popular that it had to be reprinted. 'Songs of Sundrie Natures' followed in 1589 and, per above, two books of sacred cantiones in 1589 and 1591. Also in 1591 'My Ladye Nevells Booke' was completed in manuscript featuring 42 of his keyboard pieces. 'Vigilate' below lends example of word painting in which music imitates the text, such as the cock crowing at "an galli cantu," suspensions at "dormientes" (the sleeping faithful) and all voices drawn together at "omnibus dico" ("I say to all").

'Vigilate'   Motet by William Byrd

Pub: No.16 of 'Cantiones Sacrae I' of 1589

Tallis Scholars

'Is Love a boy?'   Song a 4 by William Byrd

Pub: No.15 of 'Songs of Sundrie Natures' of 1589

The King's Singers

Byrd's motet, 'Sing Joyfully unto God Our Strength', is an anthem probably completed by 1590 [Heard Libraries]. It got transcribed into various manuscripts in the early 17th century [DIAMM] perhaps in Byrd's lifetime, but isn't found published until Volume 2 of 'Cathedral Music' in 1768. 'The Battell' is program music (themed or of a genre), the earliest of the sort being the commemoration of battlefield victories. It was copied by John Baldwin into 'My Ladye Nevells Booke' in 1591. 'The Battell' is sometimes arranged for brass or winds with some drumming since it's theme is military or of war, but it was written for the virginal, a kind of harpsichord arriving around 1460. Circa 1592 to 1595 Byrd composed three Ordinary masses for four, three and five voices in that order. Those were published in 'Masses for 3-5 voices' probably by Thomas East.

'Sing Joyfully unto God Our Strength'   Anthem a 6 by William Byrd

MSS: Early 17th century   Pub: "Cathedral Music' of 1768

Choir of Clare College Cambridge directed by Timothy Brown

'The Battell'   Program music for virginal by William Byrd

MS: No.4 of 'My Ladye Nevells Booke' of 1591

Harpsichord: Eberhard Kraus

'Mass for Four Voices'   Ordinary Mass by William Byrd   Composed 1592–93

The King's Singers

'Mass for Three Voices'   Ordinary Mass by William Byrd   Composed 1593–94

Tenor: Niilo Erkkilä   Baritone: George Parris   Bass: Riku Laurikka

'Mass for Five Voices'   Ordinary Mass by William Byrd   Composed 1594–95

Tallis Scholars directed by Peter Phillips

In 1594 Byrd moved to Stondon Massey in Essex, likely in semi-retirement, and likely attending Catholic Masses in secret. He is known, to have been fined for recusancy during this period (not attending Anglican services). What Byrd reveals about the Reformation in England under the Tudors is that it was all right for a select few to be Catholic so long as such was kept mum and one stayed clear of violence. One could also write Catholic motets, call them Anglican, and no one might ever know the difference. Not to say that Elizabeth I wasn't rigidly Protestant. Byrd's later 'Gradualia I' of 1605 which was dedicated to Catholic Earl of Northampton, Henry Howard, was a cycle of Marian Mass Propers that had been intended for underground services by English Catholics. His 'Gradualia II' of 1607 also for underground services which was dedicated to his Catholic patron, Sir John Petre, contained Catholic themes including the feasts of Saints Peter and Paul. The libretto of 'Ave Verum Corpus' below is credited to Pope Innocent VI sometime in the 14th century.

'Justorum Animae'   Marian Mass Proper a 5 by William Byrd

Text: 'Book of Wisdom 1:1-3'   No.31 of 'Gradualia I' by Thomas East 1605

Worcester Cathedral Choir

'Ave Verum Corpus'   Marian Mass Proper a 4 by William Byrd

Text: Pope Innocent VI   No.37 of 'Gradualia I' by Thomas East 1605

Worcester Cathedral Choir

In 1611 Byrd's 'Psalms, Songs and Sonnets' appeared. His last published works arrived in 1614, four of his anthems included in William Leighton's 'Teares or Lamentacions of a Sorrowfull Soule'. Byrd died on 4 July 1623, fairly well-off as mammon went at the time, having rooms at the home of the Earl of Worcester. His passing was noted in the register of the Royal Chapel with "a Father of Musick" appended.