William Byrd

Short Biography of the life of William Byrd - Composer and Musician
The following biography information provides basic facts about the life William Byrd:

• Nationality - English
• Lifespan - 1540 - 1623
• Family: Son of Thomas and Margery. Thomas Byrd had four sisters: Alice, Barbara, Mary and Martha and two brothers: Simon and John
• Married: William Byrd married in 1568. His wife is referred to in documents as 'Juliana' or 'Julian' Byrd
• William Byrd had seven children
• Died: William Byrd died on July 4, 1623
• Career - Chorister, Elizabethan musician
• Famous for composing Liturgies, grounds, madrigals and Elizabethan Dance music eg Pavans and Galliards
• Ave Verum Corpus - "Ave Verum" is considered by many to be William Byrd's finest work. It was first published in volume one of his Gradualia in 1605
• William Byrd was referred to as "a father of music" 

Short Biography, Facts & History about the life of William Byrd - Composer and Musician
Elizabethan Musicians composed music for musical instruments and the voice. The Elizabethan Golden Age saw the emergence of the Anthem, the Madrigal, the Masque, the Theatre and the Opera and the emergence of new English music schools. The following are additional facts about the bio, life and history of William Byrd:

• Famous English Renaissance Composer
• William Byrd sang in the Chapel Royal during the reign of Mary Tudor
• Studied with Thomas Tallis
• William Byrd married in 1568. His wife is referred to in documents as 'Juliana' or 'Julian' Byrd
• William Byrd had seven children - Christopher (baptized in 1569), Elizabeth (baptized early in 1572), Rachell, Mary, Catherine, Thomas (baptized in 1576), and Edward (Thomas's twin brother)
• Organist and choirmaster of Lincoln Cathedral
• William Byrd became the favourite composer of Queen Elizabeth I and wrote church, consort and vocal music
• William Byrd was famous for composing Madrigals and referred to as a member of the English Madrigal School
• 1575 January 22: William Byrd & Thomas Tallis were granted an exclusive license to print and publish music by Elizabeth I
• 1575: Byrd and Tallis jointly published Cantiones Sacrae, a collection of 38 Latin motets
• Byrd was referred to as a member of the English Madrigal School
• Many famous musical works were composed by William Byrd. The patrons of William Byrd included:
  • Queen Elizabeth
  • Sir Christopher Hatton
  • Lord Worcester
  • Lord Hunsdon
  • Lord Lumley
  • Lord Northampton
  • Lord Petre
  • Lord Cumberland
• Works by William Byrd:
  • Latin motets or Cantiones Sacrae
  • Psalmes, Sonets and Songs
    Songs of Sundrie Natures
  • Anthems such as 'Sing joyfully'
  • Ave Verum Corpus
  • Gradualia
  • Latin motets printed in his books of Cantiones
  • Masses
  • Grounds
  • Madrigals
  • Pavans
  • Galiards
  • Almans
  • Writing songs in the new Baroque fashion
• William Byrd died on July 4, 1623, and is buried in an unmarked grave in the Stondon churchyard in Essex
• Quote by George Gage "Cultivated by many and admired by all. Master William Byrd. Father of British Music".
• Quote by Henry Peacham about William Byrd following his death:

"For motets and music of piety and devotion, as well for the honour of our nation as the merit of the man,
I prefer above all our Phoenix, Master William Byrd."

Famous Elizabethans - William Byrd - Composer and Musician
Some interesting facts and biography information about the History, Life & Times of William Byrd. Additional details, facts, history and information about the famous Elizabethans and events in Elizabethan Times can be accessed via the Elizabethan Era Sitemap.