William Byrd (c. 1540 – 1623) was an English composer of the Renaissance period, renowned for his development of the English madrigal and his significant contributions to keyboard and sacred music. His career spanned a period of great religious upheaval in England, which is reflected in the diversity of his output. Byrd was a devout Catholic in a time when adherence to the faith was increasingly dangerous, and this i
... MoreWilliam Byrd (c. 1540 – 1623) was an English composer of the Renaissance period, renowned for his development of the English madrigal and his significant contributions to keyboard and sacred music. His career spanned a period of great religious upheaval in England, which is reflected in the diversity of his output. Byrd was a devout Catholic in a time when adherence to the faith was increasingly dangerous, and this influenced much of his sacred music.
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