William Byrd, according to Henry Peacham the younger's 1622 eulogy, was considered a 'Phoenix' in motets and devotional music, unmatched even by French and Italian composers.
Critical Reception
Despite being found irresistible by Glenn Gould and occasionally performed by virtuosos like John Blow, Ignaz Moscheles, and Anton Rubinstein, William Byrd's keyboard music has never entered the main repertoire.
Instruments
The virginal used on this recording is a unique 6-foot Ruckers spinet virginal from 1604, discovered in Central Italy in 2000, and is the only one restored to its original sounding condition.
Compositional Technique
William Byrd's musical language, drawing on English and Italian Renaissance traditions, was remarkably independent and natural to the refined keyboard instruments of his time.
Interpretation
The performer, Aapo Häkkinen, used a 'transposing' keyboard on the harpsichord for this recording to effectively raise the pitch, as the instrument's original low pitch was not popular in England.
Performer Biography
Aapo Häkkinen, the performer, won second prize at the Bruges Harpsichord Competition in 1998 and was awarded the NDR special prize for his interpretations of Italian music.
Composition History
The publication of Parthenia (1612), a collection of keyboard music, likely marked the end of William Byrd's compositional activity, apart from four songs published in 1614.
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