• Become a Subscriber
  • Login
  • My Account
    • Update Your Billing Information
    • Password Problem?
    • Upgrade or Downgrade Your Membership
    • Cancel Your Millennium of Music Subscription.
  • Facebook

Millennium of Music

The sources and mainstreams of European music from the thousand years before the birth of Bach.

  • Programs
  • Free Classics
  • Songs for Aging Children®
  • About
    • Staff
    • Links
    • Privacy Policy
    • Q & A
    • Articles
  • Listen
  • Subscribe
    • Why Subscribe?
    • Give a Gift Subscription!
    • Password Problem?
    • Update Your Billing Information
    • Upgrade or Downgrade Your Membership
    • Cancel Your Millennium of Music Subscription.
    • Can I Listen to Millennium of Music on Sonos Speakers?
  • Contact
  • Donate
[Album Cover]

Celebrating 400 Years Since William Byrd

Note: Don't miss your FREE SHOW below!

When William Byrd left the royal court in 1594 and went to Essex to live among the relative safety of the local Catholic landowners who supported his creative efforts, he may not have imagined another nearly three decades to a life that he finally left in 1623. We now reflect on him again these 400 years later.

There are many recordings already devoted to this English master for the 2023 commemorations, and we will share many with you all.

But our friends from Stile Antico have a particularly fine example, as part of their new series entitled “The Golden Renaissance” on the Decca label. They joined us in person for two recent programs, the first dedicated to Josquin Des Prez, and the second to the recording pictured above, dedicated to Byrd.

As Kerry McCarthy (whose books on both Tallis and Byrd are to be commended) writes in the notes for this disc, the defining meditation by Byrd in his late years is the lovely English setting from that last songbook in 1611, “Retire, my soul, consider thine estate”:

“A life lived and choices made” she writes, are summed up at the end of “Retire, my soul” in “the poignant final lines, sung twice to imprint them on the ear:

Write all these down, in pale Death’s reckoning tables,
Thy days will seem but dreams, thy hopes but fables.

Spring always gives one hope, but we also always remember those who have left us even as new flowers bloom. As Byrd himself wrote at the passing of his own beloved master Thomas Tallis, the very Muses themselves

Come down from crystal heav’ns above
to earth where sorrow dwelleth,
In mourning weeds, with tears in eyes:
Tallis is dead, and Music dies.

We have  been graciously sent along some copies of the CD to make available for new members, people giving gifts, or anyone who upgrades their membership with us (such as going from Bronze to Silver level).

Kerry McCarthy reminds us that Byrd quoted the Stoic philosopher Seneca in his last collection. It is a poignant meditation for those of us of certain age:

The sun’s light is sweetest at the very moment of its setting.

RAD

Your Free Show

The Golden Renaissance, Part 2

https://s3.amazonaws.com/MOM_Media/Low/MoM_2023/MoM_23_21.mp3

[Album Cover Background]

New Members: Did You Get Your Free Welcome CD?

One housekeeping note: many of you who are recent members are entitled to one of our CDs, which we send along for free. With various kinds of email filters, we are concerned that some of you who are recent never received our welcome email.

If you never heard from us, simply send us a note on our contact form.

And, as always, thank you so much for your wonderful continued support for all we do!

RAD


Become a Member and Enjoy the Music!

🏆 Bronze

$2.99/mo $36/yr

You may listen to any show going back three full years.

💎 Silver

$9.99/mo $120/yr

You may listen to any show going back seven full years.

👑 Gold

$19.99/mo $240/yr

You get complete access to all of our shows.

🏰️ Platinum

$29.99/mo $360/yr

You get complete access, as with Gold, plus surprise albums of featured releases.

BROWSE | SUBSCRIBE | LOG IN

Save a Classic Show!

Save a classic show!

Without help from listeners like you, these shows may be lost forever.

Plus, when you help, you'll receive a special gift...

LEARN MORE...

  • Why Subscribe to Millennium of Music?
  • Privacy Policy
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Composers & Performers (Ordered by First Name)

ADRIAN WILLAERT Andrew Carwood Antoine Brumel ANTOINE BUSNOIS CHRISTOPHER TYE Claudin de Sermisy CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI Cristóbal de Morales Francisco Guerrero Gilles Binchois GIOVANNI GABRIELI Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina GIROLAMO FRESCOBALDI Guillaume de Machaut Guillaume Dufay Heinrich Isaac Heinrich Schutz Henry Purcell Hildegard von Bingen Huelgas Ensemble Jean Mouton Johannes Ockeghem Johann Sebastian Bach John Dowland John Sheppard John Taverner Jordi Savall Josquin Desprez Josquin des Prez Loyset Compère LUDWIG SENFL MARC-ANTOINE CHARPENTIER Michael Praetorius NICOLAS GOMBERT Orlando Gibbons Peter Phillips Philippe de Monte PIERRE de la RUE Suzi Digby The Sixteen THOMAS TALLIS Thomas Tomkins THOMAS WEELKES Tomás Luis de VICTORIA William Byrd

Copyright © 2013–2023 RADman Productions, Inc. · All Rights Reserved · Web development by Wineskin Websites.