WILLIAM BYRD

William Byrd

William Byrd

Introduction

William Byrd is one of the most famous musicians of the Renaissance era. The second William Byrd of Virginia, one of that colony's most prominent slaveholding planter aristocrats, distinguished himself as a lawyer, colonial official, and writer. He inherited a large James River plantation, its slaves, and the family home, Westover, from his father, William Byrd (1652-1704), who had obtained part of his fortune through land speculation and the traffic in African slaves. The son William Byrd later acquired more land and slaves, which allowed him an elegant and cultivated lifestyle (Lockridge, 2007).

Discussion and Analysis

Byrd owned over two hundred African slaves and several Native Americans. On occasion he imported Africans directly; others he acquired when he took over the Mount Folly estate of his deceased father-in-law, Daniel Parke. Byrd, like many Virginia planters, occasionally sold his slaves to pay his creditors.

In London Byrd's patrons included the earls of Worcester and Northumberland. With Tallis, Byrd was granted a crown patent for the printing and selling of part music and lined music paper; together they issued Cantiones, quae ab argumento sacrae vocantur (1575), which comprised Latin motets by both composers and was dedicated to the queen. In the 1580s, as a known recusant, Byrd suffered considerable yearly fines, though he was granted certain concessions, probably because the queen favoured his music. In 1587, after the death of Tallis, Byrd was left in sole possession of their patent, and with the printer Thomas East dominated English music printing until the expiration of the patent nine years later. Among Byrd's publications at this time were Psalmes, Sonets and Songs (1588), Songs of Sundrie Natures (1589), and Cantiones sacrae (1589). In the 1590s and 1600s Byrd wrote music for Catholic services; notable from this period are his three Mass settings and the two-volume Gradualia (1605, 1607).

Byrd is chiefly remembered for his church music, notably his verse anthems (a form which he may have invented) and music for the Anglican service. Byrd's Latin motets, frequently with words lamenting a captive people, may have been composed as a solace to the persecuted Catholic community. The three-, four-, and five-part Masses are in a simple style with little word repetition and a restricted use of polyphony. Byrd was also well regarded for his keyboard music, including grounds, descriptive pieces, variations, pavans, and galliards. His best-known collection is the manuscript “My Ladye Nevells Booke” ...