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.
Christ rising again, motet for 6 voices
Rose Consort of Viols
Red Byrd
William Byrd was, of course, one of the great masters of Elizabethan vocal music as well as a pioneer in the development of an idiomatic, expressive keyboard style. Only on a handful of occasions, however, did he fuse together these to arenas of musical expression and create works for vocal ensemble with keyboard (specifically organ) accompaniment. The massive verse anthem Christ rising again, scored for six voices and organ, is perhaps the most attractive such work. [The work also survives in a consort song version which seems to be a later reworking of the verse anthem version.]
Formally, Christ rising again falls into two completely separate parts (actually printed as individual numbers in most editions, both cur...
Christ rising again, motet for 6 voices
Rose Consort of Viols
Red Byrd
William Byrd was, of course, one of the great masters of Elizabethan vocal music as wel...
Christ rising again, motet for 6 voices
Rose Consort of Viols
Red Byrd
William Byrd was, of course, one of the great masters of Elizabethan vocal music as well as a pioneer in the development of an idiomatic, expressive keyboard style. Only on a handful of occasions, however, did he fuse together these to arenas of musical expression and create works for vocal ensemble with keyboard (specifically organ) accompaniment. The massive verse anthem Christ rising again, scored for six voices and organ, is perhaps the most attractive such work. [The work also survives in a consort song version which seems to be a later reworking of the verse anthem version.]
Formally, Christ rising again falls into two completely separate parts (actually printed as individual numbers in most editions, both current and historical), the first being Christ rising again itself and the second being called Christ is risen again. The basic format is familiar to anyone who has ever attended an Anglican service: "verses", as Byrd marks them, for two solo sopranos are set against "choruses" in which all six voices take part fully. The text is as follows, along with indications (in parentheses) of the verse/chorus layout:
Part 1 (V) Christ rising again from the dead, now dieth not. (C) Death from henceforth hath no pow'r upon him, (V/C) for in that he died but once to put away sin, (V) but in that he liveth unto God. (C) And so likewise count yourselves dead unto sin, (C/V/C) but living unto God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Part 2 (V/C) Christ is risen again, the first fruits of them that sleep, (V/C) for seeing that by man came death, (V) by man also cometh the resurrection of the dead. (C) For as in Adam all men do die, (V/C) so by Christ all men shall be restored to life. (C) Amen. Certainly the nature of the keyboard writing is not very similar to the language or textures that Byrd uses in his purely virginal works. Thick counterpoint introduces and supports each of the duet verses, while during the choruses the instrument serves only to reinforce the lines sung by the vocal ensemble. Until the final two lines of Part 1 each of the choruses is set in a strictly homophonic way that draws a pleasant contrast with the active imitation of the verse portions. Throughout Part 2 the chorus both somewhat more extensively and somewhat more flexibly than it is in the first half of the anthem; the final Amen is simply tacked on at the end of the final chorus, extending and amplifying the satisfying plagal cadence that preceded it. [allmusic.com]
Art by Clyfford Still
Christ rising again, motet for 6 voices
Rose Consort of Viols
Red Byrd
William Byrd was, of course, one of the great masters of Elizabethan vocal music as well as a pioneer in the development of an idiomatic, expressive keyboard style. Only on a handful of occasions, however, did he fuse together these to arenas of musical expression and create works for vocal ensemble with keyboard (specifically organ) accompaniment. The massive verse anthem Christ rising again, scored for six voices and organ, is perhaps the most attractive such work. [The work also survives in a consort song version which seems to be a later reworking of the verse anthem version.]
Formally, Christ rising again falls into two completely separate parts (actually printed as individual numbers in most editions, both current and historical), the first being Christ rising again itself and the second being called Christ is risen again. The basic format is familiar to anyone who has ever attended an Anglican service: "verses", as Byrd marks them, for two solo sopranos are set against "choruses" in which all six voices take part fully. The text is as follows, along with indications (in parentheses) of the verse/chorus layout:
Part 1 (V) Christ rising again from the dead, now dieth not. (C) Death from henceforth hath no pow'r upon him, (V/C) for in that he died but once to put away sin, (V) but in that he liveth unto God. (C) And so likewise count yourselves dead unto sin, (C/V/C) but living unto God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Part 2 (V/C) Christ is risen again, the first fruits of them that sleep, (V/C) for seeing that by man came death, (V) by man also cometh the resurrection of the dead. (C) For as in Adam all men do die, (V/C) so by Christ all men shall be restored to life. (C) Amen. Certainly the nature of the keyboard writing is not very similar to the language or textures that Byrd uses in his purely virginal works. Thick counterpoint introduces and supports each of the duet verses, while during the choruses the instrument serves only to reinforce the lines sung by the vocal ensemble. Until the final two lines of Part 1 each of the choruses is set in a strictly homophonic way that draws a pleasant contrast with the active imitation of the verse portions. Throughout Part 2 the chorus both somewhat more extensively and somewhat more flexibly than it is in the first half of the anthem; the final Amen is simply tacked on at the end of the final chorus, extending and amplifying the satisfying plagal cadence that preceded it. [allmusic.com]
Art by Clyfford Still
Christ rising again, motet for 6 voices
Rose Consort of Viols
Red Byrd
William Byrd was, of course, one of the great masters of Elizabethan vocal music as well as a pioneer in the development of an idiomatic, expressive keyboard style. Only on a handful of occasions, however, did he fuse together these to arenas of musical expression and create works for vocal ensemble with keyboard (specifically organ) accompaniment. The massive verse anthem Christ rising again, scored for six voices and organ, is perhaps the most attractive such work. [The work also survives in a consort song version which seems to be a later reworking of the verse anthem version.]
Formally, Christ rising again falls into two completely separate parts (actually printed as individual numbers in most editions, both current and historical), the first being Christ rising again itself and the second being called Christ is risen again. The basic format is familiar to anyone who has ever attended an Anglican service: "verses", as Byrd marks them, for two solo sopranos are set against "choruses" in which all six voices take part fully. The text is as follows, along with indications (in parentheses) of the verse/chorus layout:
Part 1 (V) Christ rising again from the dead, now dieth not. (C) Death from henceforth hath no pow'r upon him, (V/C) for in that he died but once to put away sin, (V) but in that he liveth unto God. (C) And so likewise count yourselves dead unto sin, (C/V/C) but living unto God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Part 2 (V/C) Christ is risen again, the first fruits of them that sleep, (V/C) for seeing that by man came death, (V) by man also cometh the resurrection of the dead. (C) For as in Adam all men do die, (V/C) so by Christ all men shall be restored to life. (C) Amen. Certainly the nature of the keyboard writing is not very similar to the language or textures that Byrd uses in his purely virginal works. Thick counterpoint introduces and supports each of the duet verses, while during the choruses the instrument serves only to reinforce the lines sung by the vocal ensemble. Until the final two lines of Part 1 each of the choruses is set in a strictly homophonic way that draws a pleasant contrast with the active imitation of the verse portions. Throughout Part 2 the chorus both somewhat more extensively and somewhat more flexibly than it is in the first half of the anthem; the final Amen is simply tacked on at the end of the final chorus, extending and amplifying the satisfying plagal cadence that preceded it. [allmusic.com]
Art by Clyfford Still
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.