Stile Antico releases a new album marking the 400th anniversary of the death of English composer William Byrd. It is the second release in Stile Antico’s Golden Renaissance trilogy celebrating the anniversaries of three great Renaissance composers: Josquin des Prez, William Byrd, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. The new album focuses on the final phase of Byrd’s career and retirement in Essex, containing the Mass for Four Voices and a selection of motets from his Gradualia, two works of divine polyphony written for secret worship. Alongside these works are a selection of Byrd’s “sacred songs,” written by the composer for publication on a large scale, to be enjoyed by a broad audience of music-reading singers.
The Golden Renaissance: William Byrd – Stile Antico
