The most admired and influential composer during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I, William Byrd died exactly 400 years ago on 4 July 1623. Byrd’s music ranks among the most unique and inspired works of the late Renaissance. Remarkably, Byrd was a practicing Catholic in Anglican England who persistently faced threats of religious persecution.
In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more to Byrd’s award-winning biographer Dr. Kerry McCarthy.
This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.
The following musical extracts are used with the kind permission of the performers:
Clarifica Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXqpCaVnYfQ&t=29s
Performed by Léon Berben
Domines quis habitat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1zrywqZfyQ
Performed by the Byrd Ensemble
Similles Illes Fiant (In Exitu Israel) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8N8JlgnJA
Ad Dominum Cum Tribulare https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6KHWQ5OzWQ
Performed by The Cardinall's Musick directed by Andrew Carwood
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