Byrd at the BBC: Composer of the Week Podcast

When the series is no longer available to listen to in full, this Podcast includes Byrd's life and times including at Stondon Massey: BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623)

Byrd at the BBC Today

 

Composer of the Week

BBC Radio 3

Friday 7 July. 12.00-1.00pm.

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), Stondon Massey

BBC Music Magazine, July 2023, regards this programme as ‘Choice’ listening.

 

Unclassified

Thursday 6 July. 11.30pm-12.30am

BBC Radio 3 - Unclassified, Byrd Reworked

Elizabeth Alker shares original unclassifiable sonic creations made especially for the programme, as three contemporary composers offer new takes on the music of William Byrd to mark four hundred years since the Renaissance man’s death.

 

The Listening Service

Sunday 2 July. 5.00-5.30pm (repeated Friday 7 July 4.30-5.00pm)

BBC Radio 3 - The Listening Service, Secret Music: Byrd's Masses

Tom Service explores the three mass settings of William Byrd during dangerous times for Catholics.

Byrd at the BBC Today

Composer of the Week

BBC Radio 3

Monday 3 July. 12.00-1.00pm. 

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), A Man of Many Parts

BBC Music Magazine, July 2023, regards this programme as ‘Choice’ listening.

 

Music Matters

Saturday 1 July. 11.45am-12.30pm (repeated Monday 3 July. 10.00-10.45pm)

BBC Radio 3 - Music Matters, Four hundred years of William Byrd

Tom Service visits Lincoln Cathedral on the 400^th anniversary.

Byrd at the BBC

 

BBC Radio commemorates the 400^th anniversary of the death of William Byrd with several programmes – all of which can be heard on BBC Sounds for at least 30 days after initial broadcast.  Those which include people from Stondon Massey are highlighted in bold.

 

Sunday Worship. 

BBC Radio 4.

Sunday 9 July 2023.  8.10-8.45am.

BBC Radio 4 - Sunday Worship, Psalmes, Songs and Sonnets

 

Composer of the Week

BBC Radio 3

Monday 3 July. 12.00-1.00pm.  

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), A Man of Many Parts

Tuesday 4 July. 12.00-1.00pm.

Composer of the Week - William Byrd (1543-1623) - Lincoln - BBC Sounds

Wednesday 5 July. 11.40-12.40pm.

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), The Chapel Royal

Thursday 6 July. 12.00-1.00pm.

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), Recusant

Friday 7 July. 12.00-1.00pm.

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), Stondon Massey

BBC Music Magazine, July 2023, regards this programme as ‘Choice’ listening.

 

BBC Radio 3 In Concert

Wednesday 12 July. 7.30-10.00pm

BBC Radio 3 - Radio 3 in Concert, The Sixteen at York Minster

The Sixteen Choir under their director Harry Christophers sing Byrd as part of their Choral Pilgrimage.

 

Choral Evensong

Wednesday 5 July. 4.00-5.00pm (repeated Sunday 9 July. 3.00-4.00pm)

BBC Radio 3 - Choral Evensong, Lincoln Cathedral

Live from Lincoln Cathedral to mark the 400^th anniversary of the death of William Byrd.

 

The Early Music Show

Sunday 2 July. 2.00-3.00pm

BBC Radio 3 - The Early Music Show, William Byrd's keyboard music

 

The Listening Service

Sunday 2 July. 5.00-5.30pm (repeated Friday 7 July 4.30-5.00pm)

BBC Radio 3 - The Listening Service, Secret Music: Byrd's Masses

Tom Service explores the three mass settings of William Byrd during dangerous times for Catholics.

 

Music Matters

Saturday 1 July. 11.45am-12.30pm (repeated Monday 3 July. 10.00-10.45pm)

BBC Radio 3 - Music Matters, Four hundred years of William Byrd

Tom Service visits Lincoln Cathedral on the 400^th anniversary. The programme is available on BBC Sounds for over a year.

 

Record Review

Saturday 1 July. c10.30-11.15am

BBC Radio 3 - Record Review, A survey of William Byrd with Kirsten Gibson and Andrew McGregor

The best of Byrd on CD and to download.

 

Record Review Extra

Sunday 2 July. 9.00-11.00pm

BBC Radio 3 - Record Review Extra, Kirsten Gibson's Byrd

Hannah French offers listeners the opportunity to hear in greater length the pieces discussed in Record Review.  A Byrd fest!

 

Sunday Feature

Sunday 9 July. 6.45-7.30pm

BBC Radio 3 - Sunday Feature, Byrd and Beyond: Challenged by Faith

Harry Christophers, conductor of The Sixteen, examines the powerful relationship between faith and music, both in Byrd’s time and the present day.

 

Unclassified

Thursday 6 July. 11.30pm-12.30am

BBC Radio 3 - Unclassified, Byrd Reworked

Elizabeth Alker shares original unclassifiable sonic creations made especially for the programme, as three contemporary composers offer new takes on the music of William Byrd to mark four hundred years since the Renaissance man’s death.

 

 

Programmes broadcast but still available.

The Early Music Show

First broadcast Sunday 1 January 2023

BBC Radio 3 - The Early Music Show, Happy New Year with Stile Antico and William Byrd

 

The Essay

First broadcast Tuesday 1 March 2016

BBC Radio 3 - The Essay, Music in Its Time, Music in Its Time - Byrd: Mass for Four Voices

 

Front Row

First broadcast Monday 5 March 2012

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Andrew Stanton; William Byrd; sports documentaries

Andrew Carwood and his early music choir The Cardinall's Musick toured the UK performing music by the Elizabethan composer William Byrd.

 

Twenty Minutes

First broadcast Monday 5 March 2012

BBC Radio 3 - Twenty Minutes, William Byrd and Catholicism

 

BBC Radio 3: Composer of the Week. Episode 5 of 5 on Friday 7 July 2023 entitled 'Stondon Massey'

The BBC has announced the playlist of works by William Byrd for inclusion in the final episode of 'Composer of the Week' to be broadcast at 12.00pm on Friday 7 July 2023. The programme is entitled 'Stondon Massey' and will include two contributions to the programme by our local historian Andrew Smith.

Composer of the Week

William Byrd (c1540-1623)

Episode 5 of 5

Stondon Massey

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), Stondon Massey 

Donald Macleod sees Byrd retire to the country and pursue new directions in music and in life.

This week, Donald Macleod marks the 400th anniversary of the death of William Byrd, the greatest British musician of his age. Donald is joined all week by Byrd expert Kerry McCarthy to explore Byrd’s story and reveal a composer of determined ambition and powerful convictions. Those who encountered him, found Byrd could be a difficult adversary as well as a loyal friend. Donald also visits Essex to discover what remains of Byrd’s legacy in the places where he felt most at home, and to see how the composer navigated a hazardous path between his Catholic faith and his duty to the crown at a time of great religious intolerance.

Today, Donald returns to Stondon Massey where Byrd lived for nearly 30 years, and searches for clues to his final resting place there. He looks at the legal battles Byrd initiated with some of his neighbours and explores the daring new musical project Byrd set for himself, now he was free of his regular obligations at the Chapel Royal.

Haec dies
Choir of Clare College Cambridge, directed by Timothy Brown

The Battell (extract)
Terence Charlston, virginals
Galiardo ‘Mrs. Mary Brownlow’
Catalina Vicens (virginals)

Responsum accepit Simeon
Nunc dimittis
The William Byrd Choir, directed by Gavin Turner

Come Jolly Swains
Have Mercy on me, O God
Blow up the Trumpet
The Sixteen
Fretwork, directed by Harry Christophers

Galiardo ‘The Earle of Salisbury’
Flora Papadopoulos, double harp

Tristitia et anxietas
Gallicantus

 

BBC Radio 3: Composer of the Week. Series on Byrd announced

 

The BBC has published today details of a series of programmes to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Byrd. The webpage includes a playlist of the music in each episode.

Our local historian Andrew Smith was interviewed this week at Stondon Massey Church and will appear (all being well!) in the first episode which is entitled, appropriately for Byrd, 'A Man of Many Parts'.

Composer of the Week

William Byrd (c1540 – 1623)

Episode 1 of 5

A Man of Many Parts

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), A Man of Many Parts accessed 8 June 2023

Will be broadcast at 12.00pm, Monday 3 July 2023

Donald Macleod shines a light on the intricate tangle of relationships, duties and ideas that surrounded Byrd.

This week (week commencing 3 July 2023), Donald Macleod marks the 400th anniversary of the death of William Byrd, the greatest British musician of his age. Donald is joined all week by Byrd expert Kerry McCarthy to explore Byrd’s story and reveal a composer of determined ambition and powerful convictions. Those who encountered him, found Byrd could be a difficult adversary as well as a loyal friend. Donald also visits Essex to discover what remains of Byrd’s legacy in the places where he felt most at home, and to see how the composer navigated a hazardous path between his Catholic faith and his duty to the crown at a time of great religious intolerance.

Today (Monday 3 July 2023), we’re introduced to some of Byrd’s varied roles and identities, as a public servant and a private individual. Plus, Donald investigates how this sometimes isolated composer connected with the community in which he lived.

O Lux Beata Trinitas
Alamire, directed by David Skinner

The Bells
Sophie Yates, virginals

Praise the Lord all Ye Gentiles
The Cambridge Singers, directed by John Rutter

Have Mercy on me O God
Fantasia No 2
Red Byrd
Rose Consort of Viols

Laudibus in Sanctis
Oxford Camerata, directed by Jeremy Summerly

John come kiss me now
Aapo Häkkinen, harpsichord

O You that hear this voice
In fields abroad
Grace Davidson, soprano
Fretwork, directed by David Skinner

Galliard a6
Fretwork

Other episodes during the week are

Episode 2 of 5: Tuesday 4 July 2023

Lincoln

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), Lincoln 

Episode 3 of 5: Wednesday 5 July 2023

The Chapel Royal

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), The Chapel Royal 

Episode 4 of 5: Thursday 6 July 2023

Recusant

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), Recusant 

Episode 5 of 5: Friday 7 July 2023

Stondon Massey

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, William Byrd (1543-1623), Stondon Massey 

BBC Radio 3 Visit Stondon Massey Church

It was something of a 'red letter day' for Stondon Massey Church when earlier (on Wednesday 7 June) we welcomed Donald Macleod, presenter, and Chris Taylor, producer, of BBC Radio 3's 'Composer of the Week'.  The week beginning Monday 3 July marks the 400th anniversary of the death of the great Renaissance composer William Byrd.

Andrew Smith was interviewed on aspects of Byrd's life while he lived in early retirement in Stondon Massey. He discussed the Byrd family's recusancy: the refusal to attend Church Services at a time when Anglican worship was compulsory, and his frequent naming before the Archdeaconry Court by the churchwardens, one of whom was Denis Lolly. 

Byrd's time at Stondon Place, where he obtained a short lease from the Crown, was considered and the legal cases he had with Mrs Jane Shelley who claimed joint ownership with her disgraced and deceased husband William. 

Finally there was a reflection on the content of Byrd's Last Will and Testament where the composer asked to buried next to his wife, Julian, in Stondon Massey churchyard.

Composer of the Week will be broadcast at midday from Monday 3 July to Friday 7 July 2023, with Andrew's edited contributions appearing in the first and last programmes.