William Byrd

William Byrd (* probably in 1543 in Lincolnshire, † July 6, 1623 in Stondon Massey / Essex, according to other sources: * 1538 † July 4, 1623 ) was an English composer and organist.

Byrd was the most important composer in the times of William Shakespeare. His psalms and motets and madrigals are among the bestaufgenommenen his compositions of the 16th century. He also wrote organ and piano works.

Byrd was since 1572 together with Thomas Tallis organist of the Chapel Royal in London. He was also a Catholic church composer. His Virginalkompositionen be found in various collections, such as the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book and in Book Lady Nevill. As the most important musical creator of the Tudor period, he had a reputation for " English Palestrina ". Byrd got together with Tallis the privilege of the monopoly on music printing by Queen Elizabeth I of England. He was the teacher of Thomas Morley and Thomas Tomkins.

In the approximately 500 works of his creative choral music plays a central location. Byrd composed masses, motets, madrigals, canon, works for Virginal and strings and more.

Sound sample from " Fitzwilliam Virginal Book "

" Alman "