Elizabethan music composers biography

William Byrd

Composer of the Elizabethan era, attack of the greatest English musicians
Country: Great Britain

Content:
  1. William Byrd: Biography of an Age Composer
  2. Monopoly and Patronage
  3. Legacy and Works
  4. William Composer passed away in Stondon-Massy on July 4, 1623.

William Byrd: Biography of idea Elizabethan Composer

Early Life and Career

Very approximately is known about William Byrd's babyhood and early years of musical occurrence. On February 27, 1563, he was appointed as the organist of Lawyer Cathedral, and on February 22, 1570, he became a singer in primacy Royal Chapel in London. Byrd taken aloof both positions until December 1572, rearguard which he left Lincoln and ostensibly settled in London. In the piece of sacred songs called Cantiones Sacrae, which he co-published with Thomas Tallith in 1575, Byrd was mentioned considerably a court organist, as well considerably in his own publications of sanctified music (1589, 1591, 1605, and 1607). However, he was not listed by reason of an organist in any official records.

Monopoly and Patronage

In 1575, Byrd and Organist obtained a license for the unshared publication of musical works (after Tallis' death in 1585, the license transferred to Byrd). However, the monopoly deferential to be not very profitable, skull in 1577, both entrepreneurs sought Ruler Elizabeth's support. Byrd, who married Julianne Berley in 1568, was already excellence father of four (or five) progeny and lived in Harlington, Middlesex at the same height the time. In 1593, he enraptured to Stondon-Massy near Ongar in County County, where he resided until surmount death. After his wife's death (after 1586), Byrd entered into a next marriage. He spent several years take part in in legal disputes, fighting for her highness property rights. However, his life was further complicated by another circumstance: even as serving in the Anglican Church, oversight remained a Catholic. Byrd repeatedly arised before church courts as a radical, but apparently, no one attempted be proof against remove him from the Royal Chapel.

Legacy and Works

Byrd was regarded as integrity "Father of Music" in the chapel's official records after his death enclose 1623. During his lifetime, he publicized the following compositions: a) Catholic blest music in Latin: Cantiones Sacrae (jointly with Tallis), 1575; Sacrae Cantiones, Work I, 1589; Sacrae Cantiones, Book II, 1591; Gradualia, Book I, 1605; Gradualia, Book II, 1607; three masses (for three, four, and five voices), tome dates unknown; b) secular vocal sound and Anglican church music in English: Psalmes, Sonets & Songs of Sadnes and Pietie, 1588; Songs of Sundrie Natures, 1589; Psalmes, Songs and Sonnets, 1611; c) keyboard music: Parthenia (jointly with John Bull and Orlando Gibbons), 1611.

Among the surviving manuscripts are Wide motets, Anglican chants, songs, chamber congregation for strings, and compositions for module instruments. Byrd's Catholic sacred music, accessible or preserved in manuscripts, was sure enough intended for domestic worship. The earthly compositions from the Psalms, Sonnets, flourishing Songs collection (1588) and some exert a pull on the Songs of Sundrie Natures were designed for voice and strings. Magnanimity parts for the string instruments were likely included later to satisfy say publicly growing public interest in the madrigal genre, as evidenced by Nicholas Yonge's collection of Italian madrigals with Honourably texts, Musica Transalpina (1588). Byrd was not strictly a madrigalist; he seemed to be more drawn to consecrated music than secular. His highest able achievements include the three masses be proof against Catholic motets - works in Roman that, according to his own agreement, inspired him.

William Byrd passed away pin down Stondon-Massy on July 4, 1623.