William Byrd Research Paper

England’s premiere Renaissance composer, William Byrd, “lead the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries” (Burkholder, Grout, Palisca 224) well before Purcell and was best known for secular vocal and instrumental music. William Byrd was famous as a religious composer, writing for many church services including both Anglican and Catholic. England’s most prolific composer, William Byrd, was “the first English composer to absorb Continental imitative techniques.” (Burkholder, Grout, Palisca 225) Byrd employed these Continental imitative techniques so well that his compositions never suffered from a lack of creativity and freedom making him a much renowned composer. While William Byrd was a praised composer and musician that harmoniously …show more content…
Byrd had his home searched by English authorities because it looked as though he was “delivering something more to the Catholic underground than music for clandestine services.” (Grove 539) Byrd was also suspected of harboring Jesuits and other fugitives. “Remaining a true son of the Catholic Church he had to suffer considerable persecution, but his fame as a musician saved him from the worst.” (Weinmann …show more content…
In the records of his death, the “laconic Cheque Book of the Chapel Royal described him as ‘a Father of Musick.’” (Grove 545) While Byrd’s inspired English music. He ignited the English virginal music and from that build a school to influence some of the greatest composers to write keyboard, and virginal works. Byrd’s keyboard works represent a culmination of