England's Nightingale: The Remarkable Music of William Byrd

Barber Evening Concert

• Stile Antico

Marking 400 years since the death of William Byrd this programme weaves together the strands of Byrd’s complex life as both pillar of the Protestant musical establishment and faithful servant to the underground Catholic community.

England's Nightingale includes some of Byrd's most beloved works, including Ave verum corpus, Sing Joyfully, and Ne irascaris, alongside lesser-known gems and music by his pupils Thomas Morley, Peter Philips, and Thomas Tomkins. This programme is devised to accompany Stile Antico’s second album for Decca Classics, released early in 2023 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Byrd’s death.

Pre-concert talk: Byrd's Visual World by Katie Bank - Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Department of History