William Byrd
By: Tatiana Bahoque
The Life of William Byrd
- Born: 1543 in London, England
- Died: July 04, 1623 in London, England
- Other Names: Mr. Bird
- Nationality: English
- Occupation: Composer
William Byrd was a composer and organist that lived during the Shakespearean age. He moved around until 1593. He spent the rest of his life in Stondon Massey, Essex, England. Little is known about William's childhood. In his earlier days, he was studying to become an organist.He was a pupil and protégé of the organist and composer Thomas Tallis.
William was always known as a devoted Catholic. Almost all of his achievements were for the benefit of the church. He had deep ties to the Lincoln Cathedral, which was the only known church that he attended. In 1572 he was awarded the position of a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, where he shared the duties of organist with Tallis.
The Works of William
Cantiones sacrae
Psalmes, Sonnets & Songs
Songs of Sundrie Natures
Patrons of the Works
Psalmes, Sonnets & Songs
Isms
- Secularism - He wrote music for people who commissioned it for themselves.
- Humanism- He wrote music about different people and their various qualities.
- Classical - His music was written in Latin, the language of Rome.
Works Cited
Jorgens, Elise Bickford. "William Byrd." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2015.
"William Byrd". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 01 Dec. 2015
"William Byrd's Psalmes, Sonnets and Songs." Google Image search 2 December 2015
"William Byrd's Songs of Sundrie Natures." Google Image search 2 December 2015
"William Byrd's Cationes Sacrae." Google Image search 2 December 2015