William Byrd

Aliases: If his surviving signatures are a representative sample, the composer's preferred spelling of his own name was "Byrde", although on his own publications it also appears as Bird and Byrd. His contemporaries knew him indiscriminately as Byrd(e), Bird(e) and even Burd(e).

Life

Born: 1539 or 1540?

Died: 4 July 1623

Biography:
Byrd's will, dated November 1622, declares that he is ‘in the 80th yeare of myne age’, but since a deposition of October 1598 gives his age as ‘58 yeares or ther abouts’ it seems likely the will had been drafted some time before being dated.

William Byrd was one of the most celebrated English composers in the Renaissance. His entire life was marked by contradictions, and as a true Renaissance man he cannot be easily categorised. He lived until well into the seventeenth century without writing music in the new Baroque fashion, but his superbly constructed keyboard works marked the beginning of the Baroque organ and harpsichord style. Byrd's life is interesting because of his Roman Catholic sympathies combined with his work in the court of the Anglican Queen Elizabeth I. He composed much music, if intermittently, for the Roman Catholic liturgy, particularly in his later years; the two volumes of Gradualia form a prime example. Possibly as a result of this he did not receive widespread recognition in his lifetime, but was very well respected among the Roman Catholic gentry. In the anti-Catholic frenzy following the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, the first volume of the Gradualia, printed by Thomas East in 1605, was banned in England under penalty of imprisonment as indeed was all of his Catholic music; however his Anglican music— such as the Short Service, and the Responses— has been sung in English cathedrals uninterrupted for the past four centuries.

The entry in Cathedral Music, Volume 2 (William Boyce) reads:

William Bird, was admitted a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1569. He, in conjunction with Thomas Tallis, published in 1575 a collection of their own compositions in Latin, entitled, Sacred Songs: and in the Years 1589, 1591, and 1605, he printed three other collections of his own Productions in the same Language, all of which had the same Title with the first conjoint Publication.

His works were, in his own time, in great Repute, both at Home and Abroad, and are still held in general Estimation: His Canon of Non nobis Domine, will, in particular, remain a perpetual Monument to his Memory.--- He died in 1623.

View the Wikipedia article on William Byrd.

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List of choral works

• For works at CPDL sorted alphabetically by title, see William Byrd compositions

Sacred music

in Latin (A-D)

Ab ortu solis - Venite comedite Adoramus te Adorna thalamum tuum Afflicti pro peccatis - Ut eruas nos Alleluia - Ascendit Deus Alleluia. Ave Maria - Virga Jesse floruit Alleluia. Cognoverunt discipuli Alleluia - Emitte Spiritum tuum Alleluia. Vespere autem Sabbathi Alma Redemptoris Mater Angelus Domini descendit Apparebit in finem Ascendit Deus in jubilatione Aspice Domine quia facta est Aspice Domine de sede - Respice Domine

Assumpta est Maria Attollite portas Audivi vocem Ave Maria Ave maris stella Ave Regina coelorum Ave verum corpus Beata es, Virgo Maria Beata viscera Beati mundo corde Benedicta et venerabilis Benigne fac, Domine Cantate Domino Christe qui lux es et dies Christe qui lux es et dies a4 Christus resurgens

Cibavit eos Circumdederunt me Civitas sancti tui Confirma hoc Deus Constitues eos principes (Gradual) Constitues eos Principes (Offertory) Cunctis diebus Da mihi auxilium Decantabat populus Defecit in dolore - Sed tu Domine Deo gratias Descendit de coelis - Et exivit per auream portam Deus in adjutorium Deus venerunt gentes - Posuerunt morticinia - Effuderunt sanguinem - Facti sumus opprobrium

Dies sanctificatus Diffusa est gratia - Propter veritatem - Vultum tuum Diliges Dominum Domine ante te Domine Deus omnipotens 5vv Domine exaudi orationem - Et non intres in judicium Domine non sum dignus Domine praestolamur - Veni Domine noli tardare Domine salva nos Domine secundum actum meum Domine secundum multitudinem Domine tu jurasti

in Latin (E-O)

Ecce advenit dominator Dominus Ecce quam bonum Ecce virgo concipiet Ego sum panis vivus Emendemus in melius Exsurge Domine Fac cum servo tuo Factus est repente Felix es, sacra Virgo Maria Felix namque es Gaude Maria Gaudeamus omnes in Domino Gaudeamus omnes in Domino (All Saints) Gloria tibi, Domine Haec dicit Dominus - Haec dicit Dominus Haec dies a 3

Haec dies a 6 Haec dies - Alleluia Pascha nostrum Hodie beata Virgo Hodie Christus natus est Hodie Simon Petrus In manus tuas In resurrectione tua Infelix ego - Quid igitur faciam? - Ad te igitur Jesu nostra redemptio Justorum animae Kyrie: see Masses, Great Service, Laetania Laetania (Litany "Kyrie…") 4vv Laetentur coeli - Orietur in diebus Laudate Dominum omnes gentes Laudate pueri Dominum Laudibus in sanctis - Magnificum Domini - Hunc arguta Levemus corda

Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna Libera me, Domine, et pone me Lumen ad revelationem gentium Mass for Three Voices Mass for Four Voices Mass for Five Voices Memento Domine Memento homo Memento salutis auctor Miserere mei, Deus Miserere mihi Domine Ne irascaris Domine - Civitas sancti tui Nobis datus Non nobis Domine (Anonymous) - spurious, not by Byrd Non vos relinquam orphanos

Nunc dimittis (Gradualia) Nunc scio vere O admirabile commertium O Domine adjuva me O gloriosa Domina O lux beata Trinitas O magnum mysterium - Beata Virgo O quam gloriosum est regnum - Benedictio et claritas O quam suavis O Rex gloriae O sacrum convivium O salutaris hostia (Gradualia) O salutaris hostia a 6 (Unpublished) Oculi omnium Optimam partem elegit

in Latin (P-Z)

Pange lingua gloriosi Pascha nostrum Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi secundum Johannem All editions withdrawn Peccantem me quotidie Peccavi super numerum Pietas omnium Plorans plorabit Post dies octo - Mane nobiscum Post partum Virgo Precamur sancte Domine Propter veritatem - Alleluia - Assumpta est Maria Psallite Domino Puer natus est nobis Quem terra, pontus, aethera Quis est homo - Diverte a malo

Quodcunque ligaveris Quomodo cantabimus 8vv Quotiescumque manducabitis Recordare Domine - Quiescat Domine Reges Tharsis a 4 Reges Tharsis a5 Regina coeli laetare Responsum accepit Simeon Resurrexi Rorate caeli desuper Sacerdotes Domini Sacris solemniis Salve Regina - Et Jesum benedictum (1591) Salve Regina (1605) Salve sancta parens Salve sola Dei genitrix Senex puerum portabat a 4

Senex puerum portabat (a 5) Siderum rector Solve jubente Deo Speciosus forma Spiritus Domini Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem Suscepimus Deus - Justitia - Magnus Dominus Suscepimus Deus - Sicut audivimus Terra tremuit Timete Dominum Tollite portas Tribue Domine - Te deprecor - Gloria Patri Tribulatio proxima est - Contumelias et terrores Tribulationes civitatum - Timor et hebetudo - Nos enim pro peccatis Tristitia et anxietas - Sed tu Domine

Tu es pastor ovium Tu es Petrus Tui sunt coeli Unam petii a Domino Veni Sancte Spiritus Venite exultemus Domino Victimae paschali laudes Vide Domine afflictionem - Sed veni Domine Viderunt omnes (Communion) Viderunt omnes (Gradual) Vidimus stellam Vigilate Virgo Dei genitrix Viri Galilaei Visita quaesumus Vultum tuum

English Anthems

Arise Lord into thy rest Attend mine humble prayer Be unto me Behold how good a thing - And as the pleasant morning dew Blessed is he that fears the Lord Bow thine ear, O Lord Christ rising again - Christ is risen again Come help O God Come let us rejoice unto our Lord An earthly tree a heavenly fruit - Cast off all doubtful care Even from the depth From depth of sin From Virgin's womb - Rejoice rejoice Have mercy upon me Help, Lord, for wasted are those men How long shall mine enemies All editions withdrawn How shall a young man

How vain the toils I have been young I have longed for thy saving health I laid me down Look down O Lord Lord hear my prayer instantly Lord in thy rage Lord in thy wrath correct me not Lord in thy wrath reprove me not Lord, make me to know thy ways Lulla, lullaby, my sweet little baby Make ye joy to God Mine eyes with fervency My soul oppressed with care O God give ear O God that guides the cheerful sun O God, the proud are risen against me O God which art most merciful O God, whom our offences O Lord, make thy servant Elizabeth

O Lord my God O Lord, how long wilt thou forget O Lord, turn thy wrath away O Lord, who in thy sacred tent Praise our Lord all ye Gentiles Preces and Responses First Preces All editions withdrawn Second Preces I All editions withdrawn Second Preces II (Third) Preces and Responses Prevent us, O Lord Prostrate O Lord I lie Right blest are they Sing joyfully Sing we merrily unto God Sing ye to our Lord Teach me, O Lord This day Christ was born Turn our captivity Unto the hills mine eyes I lift When Israel came out of Egypt

Services Second Service Short Evening Service Te Deum in D minor Benedictus in D minor Nicene Creed in D minor Kyrie in D minor Third Service All editions withdrawn Lord, have mercy upon us The Great Service Venite Te Deum Benedictus Kyrie Creed Magnificat Nunc Dimittis Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis - Tones and Fauxbourdons

Secular music

Ah silly Soul Alto & 5 viols All as a sea Although the heathen poets Ambitious love And think ye Nymphs to scorn at love - Love is a fit of pleasure As I beheld I saw a herdman wild Awake mine eyes Care for thy soul Come jolly Swains Come to me grief for ever Come woeful Orpheus Compel the hawk to sit Constant Penelope Crowned with flowers The Eagle's force The fair young virgin - But not so soon Farewell false Love A feigned friend From Citheron the warlike boy is fled - There careless thoughts are freed - If Love be just The greedy Hawk I joy not in no earthly bliss

I thought that Love had been a boy If in thine heart If that a sinner's sighs If women could be fair In crystal towers In fields abroad In Winter cold - Whereat an ant Is Love a boy? - Boy pity me Let not the sluggish sleep The match that's made My mind to me a kingdom is The nightingale O dear life O mistress mine O sweet deceit O that most rare breast O you that hear this voice Of flattering speech Of gold all burnished - Her breath is more sweet Penelope that longed for the sight Retire my soul See those sweet eyes - Love would discharge Sellenger's Round

Susanna fair (1588) 5vv Susanna fair (1589) 3vv This sweet and merry month of May (a 4) This sweet and merry month of May (a 6) Though Amarillis dance in green Upon a Summer's day - Then for a boat La Virginella Wedded to will is witless Weeping full sore What is life, or worldly pleasure? What pleasure have great princes When first by force When I was otherwise When younglings first - But when by proof Where fancy fond While that the Sun Who likes to love Who looks may leap Who made thee, Hob, forsake the Plough Why do I use my paper, ink and pen? Wounded I am - Yet of us twain Ye sacred muses

Other works not listed above (See Template:CheckMissing for possible reasons and solutions)

• Lamentations of Jeremiah

Click here to search for this composer on CPDL

Publications (vocal music only)

• Cantiones quae ab argumento sacrae vocantur (1575), jointly with Thomas Tallis
• Psalmes, Sonnets and Songs of sadnes and pietie (1588)
• Cantiones Sacrae I (1589)
• Songs of sundrie natures (1589)
• Cantiones Sacrae II (1591)
• Masses for 3-5 voices (1592-95)
• Gradualia I (1605)
• Gradualia II (1607)
• Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets… (1611)

Contributions to:

• Musica Transalpina (1588)
• The first sett, of Italian madrigalls Englished (1590)
• The teares or lamentacions of a sorrowfull soule (1614)

External links

There is no single official Byrd website, but a variety of useful resources can be found scattered widely across the Web. Many of these sites still repeat the (almost certainly) incorrect birthdate of 1543.

• Works by William Byrd in the Petrucci Music Library (IMSLP)
• Classical.net article - Brief biography and long out-of-date discography.
• Stainer & Bell's Byrd Home Page - Complete list of works, plus links to the Byrd Edition.
• John Sankey's keyboard page - Includes midi files of the complete keyboard works.
• Midiworld - Basically a duplicate of John Sankey's site, plus some midi files of non-keyboard works.
• Byrd on HOASM - Includes useful links and some facsimiles of printed editions.