Byrd Song. A list of recommended recordings

Most of William Byrd’s work has been recorded is available to listen to in the comfort of our own homes. This includes:

·               a complete edition of Latin choral music encompassing the published ‘Gradualia’ (1605-07), ‘Cantiones Sacre’ (1575, 1589, 1591) and unpublished Mass Ordinary (1592-95) by The Cardinall’s Musick directed by Andrew Carwood (concluded 2010),

·               the complete keyboard music performed by Davitt Moroney (1999),

·               the first complete recording of ‘Psalmes, Sonets & songs of sadness and pietie’ (1588) by Alamire (choir) and Fretwork (consort of viols) directed by David Skinner (2021),

·               the first complete recording of ‘Psalmes, Songs and Sonnets’ (1611) by The Sixteen and Fretwork directed by Harry Christophers (2022),

·               ‘The Great Service’ recorded by The Cardinall’s Musick directed by Andrew Carwood (2012),

·               ‘Consort and Keyboard Music, Songs and Anthems’ by Rose Consort of Viols with Red Byrd is an old recording but enjoyable programme for anyone listening to Byrd for the first time (1994).

·               Three other recommendations: ‘Tom and Will’, The King’s Singers and Fretwork (2023), commemorates the 400^th anniversary of the death of William Byrd and Thomas Weelkes; ‘1605. Treason and Dischord. William Byrd and the Gunpowder Plot’, The King’s Singers and Concordia (2005), and ‘Singing in Secret. Clandestine Music by William Byrd’, The Marian Consort directed by Rory McCleery (2020). The latter two discs include differing complete performances of the ‘Mass for Four Voices’ in the programme.

 

All these compact discs have excellent liner notes.

Coronation will feature music by William Byrd

New pieces for the Coronation of King Charles III on 6 May 2023 have been announced. Grabbing the headline is a new composition by Andrew Lloyd-Webber.  But Byrd is also on the list. Coronation Music at Westminster Abbey | The Royal Family

At the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, William Byrd's piece 'I Will Not Leave You Comfortless' was played.

Archive Blog Post from 2008: BBCtv 'Tallis, Byrd and The Tudors'

Blackmore Area Local History: Area: 'Tallis, Byrd and The Tudors': Programme three in the series 'Sacred Music' has just had its first broadcast on BBC FOUR. Entitled 'Tallis, Byrd and The Tudors...

Archive Blog Post from 2008: Dangerous times in Elizabethan England

Blackmore Area Local History: Area: Dangerous times in Elizabethan England: Following up the theme of recusancy in the 'Sacred Music' programme 'Tallis, Byrd and the Tudors'. 

Archive Blog Post from 2008: 'Tallis, Byrd and The Tudors'

Blackmore Area Local History: Stondon Massey: Byrd for Christmas: BBC FOUR is repeating the series 'Sacred Music' this week. Programme 3, 'Tallis, Byrd and The Tudors' is on Christmas Eve, 2...

'The Life and Times of William Byrd: A Local History'. A 400th anniversary talk.

'The Life and Times of William Byrd: A Local History' is one of the events planned to commemorate Stondon Massey's great Elizabethan composer who died 400 years ago. 

The talk, written by local historian Andrew Smith, will be presented by church members and friends beginning at 7.30pm on Friday 30 June at St Peter & St Paul's Church, Stondon Massey. Further details will follow. Tickets for the limited seated event will be £6.13 on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fri-30-june-730-930pm-the-life-and-times-of-william-byrd-a-local-histo-tickets-566517467997 

A book will also be available for purchase, being a longer version of the script. 

The talk will be repeated at the High Country History Group on Thursday 27 July at 8.00pm at Toot Hill Village Hall, Stanford Rivers. Admission for non members, including refreshments will be £5.00.

Concert at Ingatestone Hall. Saturday 25 March 2023.

Chamber Choir, Vocalium are holding a concert to celebrate William Byrd's 400th anniversary at Ingatestone Hall on Saturday 25 March beginning at 7.30pm. Vocalium has members who are alumi of the Elizabethan Madrigal Society based at Aberystwyth University. The concert includes the 'Mass for Four Voices' undoubtedly sung at Ingatestone Hall during Byrd's lifetime. Follow this link for more information and tickets: William Byrd: A celebration of his sacred works Tickets, Sat 25 Mar 2023 at 19:30 | Eventbrite

William Byrd Festival 2023 at Stondon Massey Church

 

Mistaken Identity

Writing during the time of the Covid lockdown, Rory McCleery in The Guardian (28 April 2020) refers to a visit to Ingatestone Hall in July 1586 by Henry Garnet and Robert Southwell two Jesuit priests who had just arrived from the Continent. Singing in secret: how William Byrd created his best work in isolation | Classical music | The Guardian.

William Byrd was present according to Henry Garnet– but they were not at Ingatestone Hall.

The secret welcoming party to the priests was held at Hurleyford in Buckinghamshire. The house is about thirty miles west of London on the bank of the river Thames, itself a county boundary, two miles upstream from Marlow. Justice is administered by county officials and to cross the Thames by boat is a quick means of evading capture. Garnet, Southwell, and Father Weston, who escorted them there, are the most wanted men in England.

Confusion may have been caused by Edmund Fellowes who, in his 1936 biography of William Byrd, refers to Mr Bold or Bolt as organist to Sir John Petre. He repeats Father Morris’ ‘Troubles of our Catholic forefathers’.

It is true that John Bolt (or Bold) had been a Court musician and became organist to John Petre, according to A. C. Edwards 1975 biography to John Petre.

However, the man who owned Hurleyford was Richard Bold, says Philip Caraman in his 1964 biography of Henry Garnet.

This all happens at the time of the Babington Plot.

In September Hurleyford is raided, its owner Richard Bold, and William Fitton, are arrested.

Investigators into the Babington Plot find a letter on the person of John Reason, Byrd’s servant, to “m[aste]r Fyton” who was thought to be present at the Hurleyford event.  Walsingham’s office diary notes: “’To seek out matters against Bryde’, ‘to sende to Fra[nci]s Mylls m[aste]r Brydes note’ and ‘To sende for M[aste]r Byrde’”.

William Weston is later arrested and imprisoned, but Garnet and Southwell remain at large.

Edwards also refers to another error. “There is supposed to be a family tradition that Robert Parsons, the Jesuit, spent his first night in England at Ingatestone Hall and there received John Petre into the Roman Catholic Church”. Both are dubious. Edwards then goes on to suggest that “as Arthur Negus would say, ‘It doesn’t look right’”.  You must be a certain age to know that Arthur Negus was a television antiques expert appearing at the end of his career in ‘The Antiques Roadshow’ but earlier in ‘Going For A Song’. A musical twist on this is that the theme tune of the latter was by Respighi – “The Birds”.

‘Singing in Secret. Clandestine Catholic Music by William Byrd’ by The Marian Consort, directed by Rory McCleery, is an excellent disc. The choir appeared at the Roman River Festival at Coggeshall in September 2022 and it was Rory McCleery’s note that led me to reconsider who William Byrd was. The talk ‘The Life and Times of William Byrd: A Local History’ is nearing completion. It will be given this summer in two locations. Details soon!!

'Patronage and Persecution'. Stondon Singers announce special William Byrd Anniversary Concert

The Stondon Singers, our local choir, will be holding their annual William Byrd Anniversary Concert at St Peter and St Paul Church, Stondon Massey on 4th July 2023. For more information follow this link to the ByrdCentral website: Patronage and Persecution: the William Byrd Anniversary Concert (byrdcentral.com)

Choral Evensong on BBC Radio 3

Available until 10 March 2023 from BBC Sounds is 'Choral Evensong' featuring canticles from Byrd's 'Great Service' written for the Church of England.  Choral Evensong - New College, Oxford - BBC Sounds