BYRD, WILLIAM (1542 or 1543-1623), one of the greatest of English musical composers, was probably a member of one of the numerous Lincolnshire families of that name who were to be found at Lincoln, Spalding, Pinchbeck, Moulton and Epworth in the 16th century. According to Wood, he was "bred up to musick under Thomas Tallis." He was appointed organist of Lincoln cathedral on Feb. 27, 1563, and on Sept. 14, 1568, was married at St. Margaret in the Close to Ellen or Julian Birley. On Feb. 22, 157o, he was sworn in as a member of the Chapel Royal, but he does not seem to have left Lincoln immediately. In the Chapel Royal he shared with Tallis the honorary post of organist, and on Jan. 22, the two composers obtained a licence for twenty one years from Elizabeth to print and sell music and music-paper, a monopoly which does not seem to have been at all remunerative. In Byrd and Tallis published a collection of Latin motets for five and six voices, printed by Thomas Vautrollier.
In 1578 Byrd and his family were living at Harlington, Middle sex. As early as 1581 his name occurs among lists of recusants, and though he retained his post in the Chapel Royal he was throughout his life a Catholic. In 1579-80 he set a three-part song in Thomas Legge's Latin play Ricardus Tertius. In 1588 he published Psalmes, Sonets and Songs of Sadnes and Pietie, and in the same year contributed two madrigals to Nicolas Yonge's Musica Trans alpina. In 1589 appeared Songs of Sundrie Natures, a second edi tion of which was issued in 161o. In the same year he published Liber Primus Sacrarum Cantionum, a second series of which was brought out in 1591. In 1590 two madrigals by Byrd were included in Thomas Watson's First Sett of Italian Madrigalls Englished ; one of these seems to have been sung before Queen Elizabeth on her visit to Lord Hertford at Elvetham in 1591. In April 1592 Byrd was still living at Harlington, but about 1593 he became pos sessed of the remainder of a lease of Stondon Place, Essex, a farm of some 200 acres, belonging to William Shelley, who was shortly afterwards convicted of high treason. The property was seques trated, and on July Byrd obtained a Crown lease of it for the lives of his eldest son Christopher and his daughters Elizabeth and Rachel.
In 1603 Easte published a work (no copies of which are known to exist) entitled Medulla Musicke. Sucked out of the sappe of two [of] the most famous Musitians that ever were in this land, namely Master Wylliam Byrd . . . and Master Alphonso Fera bosco . . . either of whom having made 40tie severall waies (without contention), showing most rare and intricate skill in 2 partes in one upon the playne song Miserere. In 1607 appeared two books of Gradualia, a second edition of which was issued in 1610. In the following year he published Psalmes, Songs and Son nets; some solemne, others joyfull, framed to the life of the Words. Probably in the same year was issued Parthenia, a collec tion of virginal music, in which Byrd was associated with Bull and Orlando Gibbons. The last work to which he contributed was Sir Thomas Leighton's Teares or Lamentacions of a Sorrowjull Soule (1614). His death took place on July 4, 1623. He is entered in the Chapel Royal Cheque Book as a "father of musicke." His will, dated Nov. 15, 1622, shows that he remained a Catholic until the end of his life.
Besides the works already mentioned Byrd was the composer of three masses, for three, four and five voices respectively, which seem to have been published with some privacy about 1588. There exists a second edition (also undated) of the four-part mass; all three have recently appeared in modern editions, and increase Byrd's claim to rank as the greatest English composer of his age. In addition to his published works, a large amount still remains in ms., comprising nearly every kind of composition. The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book contains a long series of interesting pieces for the virginal, and more still remains unpublished in Lady Neville's Virginal Book and other contemporary collections. Byrd's indus try was enormous, and though his work is unequal and the licences he allowed himself cannot always be defended on strict grounds, his Latin church music and his instrumental compositions entitle him to the highest rank among his contemporaries. As a madri galist he was inferior to Morley, Wilbye and Gibbons, though even in this branch of his art he often displays charm and individuality.
In general the estimation in which this great English master is held by scholars and students has steadily advanced, this increased appreciation of his importance finding notable expression in the many celebrations held all over the country in connection with the tercentenary of his death in 1923, when also memorial tablets were erected in Lincoln cathedral and the parish church of Stondon Massey. (W. B. S. )