Beautiful Byrd Biography
Matthew Critchley
10/7/2012
Matthew Critchley
Beautiful Byrd Biography
William Byrd was a composer of the Renaissance era. William Byrd along with a lot of
other composers in the Renaissance era cannot be easily categorized. William Byrd was born in
1539. William Byrd learned to play organ from Thomas Tallis. William Byrd first job as an
organist was in the Lincoln Cathedral in 1563. Byrd returned to London in 1572, to share a job as
a gentleman of the Chapel Royal with Thomas Tallis. Thomas Tallis and William Byrd hit an
important in their musical career in 1575. Queen Elizabeth I gave them permission for a joint
monopoly for making, selling, printing, publishing and importing music. Caniones sacrae was
Byrd’s and Tallis’ first work in 1575 that was dedicated the Queen Elizabeth I. Tallis contributed
16 motets and Byrd contributed 18 motets for a grand total of 34 motets. William Byrd and his
family moved to Harlington, Middlesex in 1577. William Byrd may have been prompted to set
his musical house in order, after the death of Thomas Tallis in 1585. Between the years 15881591 William Byrd published four collections of his music. Psalmes, Sonets, & Songs of Sadnes
and Pietie published in 1588. Songs of Sundrie Natures published in 1589. Cantiones sacrae
published in 1589 and 1591. Cantiones sacrae were to different volumes, one volume was
dedicated to Sir Christopher Hatton who was the Lord Chancellor. The second volume was
dedicated to Henry Carey who was the 1st Baron Hunsdon. Both volumes were dedicated to
Edward Somerset, 4th earl of Worcester and John Lumley who was the 1st Baron Lumley. Some
of William Byrd’s keyboard pieces were copied by Francis Tregian in to the 17th-century volume
Fitzwilliam Virginal Book while he was imprisoned in the Fleet Prison. William Byrd packed-up
and moved again in 1593 to Stondon Massey, Essex, where he lived until he died in 1623. Byrd’s
next three publications were prompted by the accession of James I. It is unclear how William
Byrd died on July 4, 1623.
Works Cited
"William Byrd". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 07 Oct. 2012
"William Byrd." - New World Encyclopedia. New World Encyclopedia, 2 Apr. 2008. Web. 07 Oct. 2012.