Byrd, William (1543-1623)

English composer. His sacred and secular choral music, including over 200 motets and Masses for three, four, and five voices, is typical of the English polyphonic style.

Probably born in Lincoln, Byrd studied under Thomas Tallis as one of the children of the Chapel Royal in London. He became organist at Lincoln Cathedral in 1563, and married Juliana Birley there in 1568. He was elected a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1569, but continued his duties at Lincoln until 1572, when he became organist of Queen Elizabeth's Chapel Royal jointly with Tallis. In 1575 Queen Elizabeth granted Byrd and Tallis an exclusive licence for printing and selling music and they dedicated to her their Cantiones sacrae published that year.

Byrd married for the second time in about 1587. In 1593 he bought Stondon Place near Stapleford-Abbott, Essex, where he remained for the rest of his life, as far as his duties in London would let him. He was frequently involved in litigation and was several times prosecuted for recusancy as a Roman Catholic, but remained in favour with the Queen.

Byrd's popular reputation rests with his three great Masses, in three, four, and five parts, which show his mastery of the contrapuntal style at its best, and with his much performed keyboard music. Other aspects of his genius are found in the ornate Cantiones sacrae and the large body of consort songs and instrumental music.

Works Church music three Masses; 17 Latin motets in the Cantiones sacrae by Tallis and Byrd (1575); 61 Latin motets in two books of Cantiones sacrae; 99 Latin motets in two books of Gradualia; about 50 motets in manuscript form; 4 Anglican services; about 61 anthems; some miscellaneous English church music.

Secular Songs of Sundrie Natures (47 nos.); 4 separate madrigals; consort songs, canons; rounds; fantasies for strings, 7 In Nomines for strings, 10 pieces for strings on plainsong tunes, some miscellaneous music for strings; about 100 pieces for the virginal, among them fantasias, preludes, grounds, variations, pavanes and galliards, and other dances.

Sacred and secular Psalmes, Sonets and Songs (18 nos.); Psalmes, Songs and Sonnets (32 nos.).