The original My Ladye Nevells Booke is beautifully bound in brown leather, decorated with gold, and colored with red and green.
Performer Biography
Elizabeth Farr, the harpsichordist, specializes in 17th and 18th-century keyboard music and has received awards for her recordings, including the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik.
Historical Context
The identity of Lady Nevell, to whom the book is dedicated, was conjectural until recently, but is now believed to be Elizabeth Bacon, the third wife of Sir Henry Nevell.
Composition History
My Ladye Nevells Booke is an unpublished manuscript compiled by William Byrd between 1588-1593, containing 42 of his best keyboard works.
Composer Biography
William Byrd, the composer of this album's works, was a Catholic in Elizabethan England and carefully maintained powerful political connections, including with Elizabeth I, to secure his ability to work.
Recording & Production
The original manuscript of My Ladye Nevells Booke came into the British Museum's collection in 2006, coincidentally the same year this recording was made.
Instruments
The harpsichord used for this recording is inspired by a 1624 Ruckers instrument, which began as a transposing double manual harpsichord and was later modified to expand its compass.
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