William Byrd, one of England's greatest composers, was a confirmed Roman Catholic serving the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I, which required a delicate balancing act for both.
Compositional Technique
The fantasias for harpsichord by William Byrd adapt the form from lute and consort music, evolving into supreme showpieces with fugal passages, dance-like sections, and virtuoso displays.
Historical Context
William Byrd's formidable mastery of counterpoint was influenced by his teacher Thomas Tallis, with whom he later shared a music printing monopoly granted by Elizabeth I.
Compositional Technique
The 'hexachord fantasias' by William Byrd use the six-note scale of medieval music theory as a cantus firmus, which runs up and down in long notes throughout the piece.
Album & Artwork
The album's cover image shows the only possible contemporary impression of William Byrd, depicted as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal at the funeral of Elizabeth I in 1603.
Instruments
Glen Wilson performs on a harpsichord built by Henk van Schevikhoven in 1992, modeled after a Ruckers instrument, and tuned to quarter-comma meantone at a' = 415 Hz.
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