William Byrd (/bɜːrd/; birth date variously given as c.1539/40 or 1543 – 4 July 1623, by the Julian calendar, 14 July 1623, by the Gregorian calendar) was an English composer of the Renaissance. He wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, including various types of sacred and secular polyphony, keyboard (the so-called Virginalist school), and consort music. He produced sacred music for use in Anglican services, although he himself became a Roman Catholic in later life and wrote Catholic sacred music as well.
Birth and origins
Thanks largely to the research of John Harley, knowledge of Byrd's biography has expanded in recent years. According to Harley, Thomas Byrd, the grandson of Richard Byrd of Ingatestone, Essex, probably moved to London in the 15th century. Thereafter succeeding generations of the family are described as gentlemen. William Byrd was born in London, the son of another Thomas Byrd about whom nothing further is known, and his wife, Margery. The specific year of Byrd's birth is uncertain. In his will, dated 15 November 1622, he describes himself as "in the 80th year of my age", suggesting a birthdate of 1542 or 1543. However a document dated 2 October 1598 written in his own hand states that he is "58 yeares or ther abouts", indicating an earlier birthdate of 1539 or 1540. Byrd had two brothers, Symond and John, who became London merchants, and four sisters, Alice, Barbara, Mary, and Martha.
The Great Service is a dramatic work in which Byrd makes full use of any available contrasts, setting high voice against low, soloists against choir, and the two sides of choir - the decani and cantoris - against each other (as in Short Services), and sometimes even getting them to represent different characters. In the Te Deum, for example, the decani play the Apostles while the cantoris sing as the martyrs.
The Great Service is one of the pinnacles of Byrd's ever-exquisite craftsmanship. A Great Service was one of the three styles of canticle setting which developed in the reign of Elizabeth I, thankfully a monarch who liked music and was glad to see it reinstated in church services. Great Services had a number of soloists and were large-scale and musically complex, as opposed to the...
published: 25 Nov 2010
William Byrd: The Great Service: iv. Kyrie
Provided to YouTube by Entertainment One Distribution US
William Byrd: The Great Service: iv. Kyrie · Chamber Chorus of Washington & Paul Calloway
Big Choral Box - Renaissance
℗ Vanguard Classics
Released on: 2014-09-23
Auto-generated by YouTube.
published: 23 Sep 2014
Te Deum
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Te Deum · The Sixteen and Harry Christophers · Thomas Tallis · The Sixteen · Harry Christophers
Spem in alium - Music for Monarchs and Magnates
℗ 2005 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Released on: 2003-10-01
Music Publisher: Oxford University Press
Auto-generated by YouTube.
The Great Service is a dramatic work in which Byrd makes full use of any available contrasts, setting high voice against low, soloists against choir, and the tw...
The Great Service is a dramatic work in which Byrd makes full use of any available contrasts, setting high voice against low, soloists against choir, and the two sides of choir - the decani and cantoris - against each other (as in Short Services), and sometimes even getting them to represent different characters. In the Te Deum, for example, the decani play the Apostles while the cantoris sing as the martyrs.
The Great Service is one of the pinnacles of Byrd's ever-exquisite craftsmanship. A Great Service was one of the three styles of canticle setting which developed in the reign of Elizabeth I, thankfully a monarch who liked music and was glad to see it reinstated in church services. Great Services had a number of soloists and were large-scale and musically complex, as opposed to the homophonic "short service" and the "verse service" with "verse" (solo) singers.
The Great Service is a dramatic work in which Byrd makes full use of any available contrasts, setting high voice against low, soloists against choir, and the two sides of choir - the decani and cantoris - against each other (as in Short Services), and sometimes even getting them to represent different characters. In the Te Deum, for example, the decani play the Apostles while the cantoris sing as the martyrs.
The Great Service is one of the pinnacles of Byrd's ever-exquisite craftsmanship. A Great Service was one of the three styles of canticle setting which developed in the reign of Elizabeth I, thankfully a monarch who liked music and was glad to see it reinstated in church services. Great Services had a number of soloists and were large-scale and musically complex, as opposed to the homophonic "short service" and the "verse service" with "verse" (solo) singers.
Provided to YouTube by Entertainment One Distribution US
William Byrd: The Great Service: iv. Kyrie · Chamber Chorus of Washington & Paul Calloway
Big Choral ...
Provided to YouTube by Entertainment One Distribution US
William Byrd: The Great Service: iv. Kyrie · Chamber Chorus of Washington & Paul Calloway
Big Choral Box - Renaissance
℗ Vanguard Classics
Released on: 2014-09-23
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Entertainment One Distribution US
William Byrd: The Great Service: iv. Kyrie · Chamber Chorus of Washington & Paul Calloway
Big Choral Box - Renaissance
℗ Vanguard Classics
Released on: 2014-09-23
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Te Deum · The Sixteen and Harry Christophers · Thomas Tallis · The Sixteen · Harry Christophers
Spem in alium -...
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Te Deum · The Sixteen and Harry Christophers · Thomas Tallis · The Sixteen · Harry Christophers
Spem in alium - Music for Monarchs and Magnates
℗ 2005 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Released on: 2003-10-01
Music Publisher: Oxford University Press
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Te Deum · The Sixteen and Harry Christophers · Thomas Tallis · The Sixteen · Harry Christophers
Spem in alium - Music for Monarchs and Magnates
℗ 2005 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Released on: 2003-10-01
Music Publisher: Oxford University Press
Auto-generated by YouTube.
The Great Service is a dramatic work in which Byrd makes full use of any available contrasts, setting high voice against low, soloists against choir, and the two sides of choir - the decani and cantoris - against each other (as in Short Services), and sometimes even getting them to represent different characters. In the Te Deum, for example, the decani play the Apostles while the cantoris sing as the martyrs.
The Great Service is one of the pinnacles of Byrd's ever-exquisite craftsmanship. A Great Service was one of the three styles of canticle setting which developed in the reign of Elizabeth I, thankfully a monarch who liked music and was glad to see it reinstated in church services. Great Services had a number of soloists and were large-scale and musically complex, as opposed to the homophonic "short service" and the "verse service" with "verse" (solo) singers.
Provided to YouTube by Entertainment One Distribution US
William Byrd: The Great Service: iv. Kyrie · Chamber Chorus of Washington & Paul Calloway
Big Choral Box - Renaissance
℗ Vanguard Classics
Released on: 2014-09-23
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Te Deum · The Sixteen and Harry Christophers · Thomas Tallis · The Sixteen · Harry Christophers
Spem in alium - Music for Monarchs and Magnates
℗ 2005 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Released on: 2003-10-01
Music Publisher: Oxford University Press
Auto-generated by YouTube.
William Byrd (/bɜːrd/; birth date variously given as c.1539/40 or 1543 – 4 July 1623, by the Julian calendar, 14 July 1623, by the Gregorian calendar) was an English composer of the Renaissance. He wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, including various types of sacred and secular polyphony, keyboard (the so-called Virginalist school), and consort music. He produced sacred music for use in Anglican services, although he himself became a Roman Catholic in later life and wrote Catholic sacred music as well.
Birth and origins
Thanks largely to the research of John Harley, knowledge of Byrd's biography has expanded in recent years. According to Harley, Thomas Byrd, the grandson of Richard Byrd of Ingatestone, Essex, probably moved to London in the 15th century. Thereafter succeeding generations of the family are described as gentlemen. William Byrd was born in London, the son of another Thomas Byrd about whom nothing further is known, and his wife, Margery. The specific year of Byrd's birth is uncertain. In his will, dated 15 November 1622, he describes himself as "in the 80th year of my age", suggesting a birthdate of 1542 or 1543. However a document dated 2 October 1598 written in his own hand states that he is "58 yeares or ther abouts", indicating an earlier birthdate of 1539 or 1540. Byrd had two brothers, Symond and John, who became London merchants, and four sisters, Alice, Barbara, Mary, and Martha.
So I pushed and pushed and pushed them, through the towns and through the bushes and the word was spreading like a lie. "Come and see the holy two-some. They can heal and they can do some things that no one ever did before." And so they came for holy healing, both the belching andthe squealing, and the ones who maybe just were bored. Down the aisle they slowly paraded, while I smiled and masqueraded as the kindly keeper of the touch. Kneeling them along aa line, I taped a tiny piece of pine upon the chin of each and every one. And then from this a copper wire stretched across a tubeless tire and ended in a round and reddish clamp. Then at once the fees were taken, and the apprehension shaken for the twins would silently appear. Full of life and love and smiling knowing not that all the while I too was smiling to myself inside. Silently I stood between them holding up the crimson gleaming circle with the ends now pried apart. Then I lifted up the cover softly like it was my lover and I felt them shudder as they sighed. As I clampedthe metal on it, something like a liquid donut shimmered as the holy union flexed. Then the people screamed and shouted, as the donut grew and spouted little bitty dust balls made of fire. And these soon enough descended down the lines and finally ended at the screams of joy and pain and fear. For soon the cripples would be walking and the dummies would be talking but no one knew exactly how or why.