A great contemporary of John Bull comes next for consideration.
William Byrd is certainly one of the most distinguished of the
remarkable company of English composers living in the early years of
the 17th century. Curiously enough, he was not included amongst the
contributors to _The Triumphs of Oriana_. There may be a reason, of
which more anon. Anthony Wood tells us "he was bred up to musick under
Thomas Tallis," and the eminent Church musician was god-father to
Byrd's son Thomas. Byrd was also Tallis' executor. In early life the
subject of my Lecture was Organist of Lincoln, in which city he was
married on the 14th of September, 1568. His eldest son was born at
Lincoln in 1569, and a daughter in 1571-2. This proves he did not at
once come to London on his appointment to the Chapel Royal. This was
in 1569, when he succeeded Robert Parsons as Gentleman of the Chapel
Royal, the said Robert Parsons having been drowned at Newark in January
of that year. It seems probable that Byrd kept up some kind of
connection with {12} Lincoln for some time after his appointment to the
Chapel Royal, for an entry in the Chapter Records of Lincoln mentions
the appointment of Thomas Butler as Organist and Master of the
Choristers on the "nomination and commendation of Mr William Byrd." In
London he shared with his old master, Tallis, the post of Organist of
the Royal Chapel and he also enjoyed with him a privilege of a more
profitable nature, which was no less than a patent, granted by Queen
Elizabeth to print and sell music, English or foreign, and to rule,
print and sell music paper for twenty-one years, and all other printers
were forbidden to infringe this license under penalty of forty
shillings. A petition from some printers, having reference to this
license, shows it was not altogether a popular privilege. The
complainants say: "Byrd and Tallys, her Majesty's Servants, have
musicke bokes with note, _which the Complainants confess they would not
print_, nor be furnished to print, tho' there were no privilege." I
think this may be regarded as a little specimen of professional
jealousy.
Whether the privilege was a great financial benefit to the two old
Masters one cannot say, but, anyhow, it was of great advantage in one
way, and that was the opportunity it gave of printing and publishing
their own works, and {13} Byrd was not slow in taking advantage of it.
In 1575 appeared his first published work, as a set of "Cantiones" in
4, 5, and 6 parts. Some of the compositions were by Tallis and some by
Byrd, and they are fine and dignified specimens of both composers. One
by Tallis in particular is a beautiful example of his treatment of a
Chorale, the parts flowing in charming melody and the whole work
abounding in interesting and clever "imitation." I have been able to
publish this fine example of early Church music, and it has been well
received "in Quires and places where they sing." With the exception of
"If ye love me" I do not know any anthem by Tallis which compares with
it in solemn and chaste expression. It shows Byrd's old master--one of
the founders of our Cathedral music--at his very best.
On the death of Tallis 1585, the patent was enjoyed by Byrd alone, and
he made very good use of it. One of his first publications was
entitled _Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of sadness and pietie, made into
musicke of_ 5 _parts; whereof some of them going abroad among divers,
in untrue coppies, are heere truely corrected, and the other being
Songs very rare and newly composed, are heere published, for the
recreation of all such as delight in Musicke_ (1588).
{14}
At the back of the title-page of this work are the following "Eight
Reasons briefly set down by the Author to perswade every one to learn
to sing:"
1. First it is a knowledge easily taught and quickly learned where
there is a good Master and an apt Scholar.
2. The exercise of singing is delightful to Nature, and good to
preserve the health of Man.
3. It doth strengthen all parts of the breast and doth open the
pipes.
4. It is a singular good remedy for Stutting[1] and Stammering in
the speech.
5. It is the best means to procure a perfect pronunciation, and to
make a good Orator.
6. It is the only way to know where Nature hath bestowed the
benefit of a good voice, which gift is so rare, as there is not one
among a thousand that hath it, and in many that excellent gift is
lost, because they want Art to express Nature.
7. There is not any Musicke of Instruments whatsoever comparable to
that which is made of the voices of Men, where the voices are good
and the same well sorted and ordered.
8. The better the voice is the meeter it is to honour and serve God
therewith, and the voice of man is Chiefly to be imployed to that
End."
To the above is added the following couplet:
Since Singing is so good a thing
I wish all men would learne to sing.
In the same year appeared a work which was {15} destined to wield
tremendous influence upon English Musical Art. This was a collection
of Madrigals called _Musica Transalpina_. _Madrigals translated out
of_ 4, 5, _and_ 6 _parts, chosen out of divers excellent Authors, with
the first and second parts of La Virginella made by MAISTER BYRD upon
two stanzas of Ariosto and brought to speak English with the rest_.
The inclusion of his name in this connection gives Byrd the claim to be
considered one of the first, if not the first, of English Madrigal
writers. And the fact that he contributed to this work may have
possibly been the cause of the absence of his name from the collection
made by Morley--which, of course, was an imitation of the publication
which had appeared some twelve years before. This is merely a
supposition, but there must be some reason for the exclusion of such a
distinguished composer, and one already famous as a Madrigal writer.
It is the more remarkable from the fact that Morley spoke of Byrd with
the greatest respect and even affection.[2]
Two years later he wrote two settings of _This sweet and merry month of
May_ for Watson's _First sett of Italian Madrigals Englished_. Among
his other vocal compositions are _Psalms, Songs {16} and Sonets, some
solemne, other joyfull framed to the life of the words_. _Fit for
voyces or viols_. He also was a contributor to Leighton's _Teares and
Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soul_, the work in which Bull's beautiful
Motet appears. One of his works he dedicated to the Earl of
Northampton, and the dedication infers that not only had Byrd reason to
be grateful to that nobleman, but so also had the Gentlemen of the
Chapel Royal, as he seems to have been the means of securing an
increase in their salaries. Of course many of Byrd's works were not
published, and this is particularly the case with his compositions for
the Virginals. Many are in the _Fitzwilliam Virginal Book_[3] and also
in _Lady Nevill's Booke_, which is a collection of Virginal Lessons,
copied by a singing Man of Windsor named John Baldwin. Before leaving
Byrd's professional life it is interesting to note his connection with
another musical worthy contemporary, Alfonso Ferabosco; a joint
publication of theirs will show this. It was entitled _Medulla
Musicke, sucked out of the sappe of Two of the most famous Musicians
that ever lived, Master William Byrd and Master Alfonso Ferabosco,
Either of whom having made 40 severall ways (without contention)
shewing most rare and {17} intricate skill in 2 parts in one upon the
Plaine Song Miserere_. This work was most probably the outcome of a
"friendly contention" which they had "each one judging his rival's
work, they both set plaine song 40 different ways."
In private life Byrd's religious feelings made his career rather an
anxious one; like many others on the Chapel Royal Staff, though
outwardly Protestant, he was probably a Roman Catholic. It was known
that the Byrd family were "Papisticall recusants"; as early as 1581 he
is mentioned as living at one of the places frequented by recusants,
and is also set down as "a friend and abettor of those beyond the Sea,
and is said to be living with Mr. Lister over against St Dunstans or at
the Lord Padgettes house at Draighton." It is a noticeable thing that
though his duties called him to the Chapel Royal, he lived nearly the
whole of his life out of London. At one place, Stondon, Essex, he had
some sequestrated property granted to him for three lives, but had a
good deal of dispute with the previous owners, which went so far as to
necessitate the King's intervention. In a law-suit in connection with
it "one Petiver submitted the said Byrd did give him vile and bitter
words," that when told he had no right to the property replied that "yf
he could not hould it by right {18} he would hould it by might." Byrd
lived a long life, and died on July 4, 1623.
The exact entry recording this fact in the Chapel Royal Cheque Book
runs "1623, William Byrd, a Father of Musick, died the 4th of July, and
John Croker, a Counter Tenor of Westminster, was admitted for a year of
probation of his good behaviour and civill carriage."
Mr Barclay Squire has discovered much of interest concerning Byrd,
notably his Will. In this he expresses a hope that he "may live and
dye a true and perfect member of God's holy Catholic Church, (without
which I believe there is no salvation for me). My body to be
honourably buried in that parish or place where it shall please God to
take me oute of this life, which I humbly desyre (if it shall please
God) may be in the parish of Stondon where my dwellinge is, and this to
be buried neare unto the place where my wife lyeth buryed."
Of late years much attention has been devoted to Byrd's sacred music,
which includes some remarkably fine Masses, some of which have been
reprinted and used in the Roman Catholic Church. But Byrd has never
been forgotten in the Cathedrals of England, for his Anthem _Bow Thine
ear_ has always found a place in the lists of the daily musical
services. There is, also, a fine {19} specimen of his composition in
the volume of Cathedral music published by Dr. Hayes. It has English
words, and for a long time appeared in the Abbey list as by Hayes, but
it was identified as one of Byrd's Latin motets, and now is ascribed to
the rightful owner.
An interesting specimen of his Clavier compositions is to be found in
the Fitzwilliam volume being an arrangement of the air _O Mistress
Mine_. This is one of the few pieces of Shakesperean music which was
published in the Poet's life-time. It is charmingly treated by Byrd.
The same air appeared in a work by Morley, an arrangement of various
airs for a small Band consisting of the Treble Viol, Flute, Cittern,
Pandora, Lute, and Bass Viol. It seems probable that this air was a
popular tune and that Shakespeare wrote words to it, or possibly (as he
did in _Willo! Willo!_) took the old words which were set to the melody
and incorporated them in his play.
A contemporary opinion of Byrd can be gathered from Peacham's estimate
of him in the _Compleat Gentleman_. Writing in 1622, he says: "In
Motets and Musicks of piety and devotion, as well for the honour of our
nation as the merit of the man, I preferre above all other our Phoenix,
Mr. Wm. Byrd, whom, in that kind, I know not whether any may equall, I
am sure none excell, {20} even by the judgment of France and Italy.
His _Cantiones Sacrae_ and also his _Gradualia_ are meere Angelicall
and Divine and being himself naturally disposed to gravity and piety,
his veine is not so much for light Madrigals and Canzonets, yet his
Virginella and some others in his first set cannot be mended by the
best Italian of them all." And Morley speaks of him as "my loving
master, never without reuerence to be named of Musicians."
His name has always been associated with the Canon _Non nobis Domine_,
but it would be very difficult to establish his claim to the authorship.
Altogether the old musician has a remarkable list of varied
compositions to his credit. Besides those already mentioned he wrote
some excellent _Fancies_ and _In Nomines_ for strings, making a real
advance upon the somewhat stilted specimens of Instrumental Music then
in vogue, and helping to free the Instrumental form of composition from
the vocal. _Fancies_ and _In Nomines_ I shall speak of in detail in a
later lecture.
William Byrd had a long and honourable career and contributed in a
remarkable degree to the development of the Art of Music in England in
the 17th century. There is much truth in Peacham's verdict that his
music "cannot be mended by the best Italian of them all."
[1] _i.e._, stuttering; originally _stot_, from the German _stottern_.
To "stut" is still used in Cheshire dialect, (_v._ Wilbraham's
_Glossary of Cheshire Words_.)
[2] It may have been because he was a Roman Catholic and his name would
not have been welcome to Elizabeth.
[3] Now published. Edited by Mr. Fuller Maitland and Mr. Barclay
Squire.
{21}