About 400 years ago, William Byrd, a contemporary of William Shakespeare, passed away. Together with John Bull and Orlando Gibbons, he published »Parthenia or the Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the Virginalls«. Recently I learned to play three of its pieces, the Pavana »The Earle of Salisbury« with its Galiardo and Galiardo secundo, »Mris Marye Brownlo«. Currently I’m learning »The Queenes Alman«, which latest was published as No. 172 of the »Fitzwilliam Virginal Book«. Muriel Groz provides an excellent recording of it.

I really enjoy listening to the music of Byrd. I think Kit Armstrong was right as he labeled his album »William Byrd, John Bull – The Visionaries Of Piano Music«. The Deutschlandfunk also celebrates the anniversary: Meister der Polyphonie-William Byrd zum 400. Todestag