William Byrd Essentials

One of England’s most renowned Renaissance-era composers, William Byrd found fame throughout Europe for his mastery of melody and the High Renaissance choral style developed by Josquin and Palestrina. As a Roman Catholic in post-Reformation England, though, he didn’t enjoy the fame and prestige of those composers, and many of his most beautiful sacred works were performed only in relative secret. In addition to his glorious choral pieces, he left a large body of keyboard and consort music.