The Early Byrd - And Music Dies

Byrd is Dead

For understandable reasons, American Independence Day is not overly celebrated in the UK. Besides, we have something more important to celebrate on July the 4th. It's the day William Byrd, one of our finest composers, died in 1623.

For an introduction to William Byrd, try Byrd: Consort Songs [Amazon] on Hyperion featuring one of our favourite countertenors Robin Blaze and the Concordia Viol Consort.

Byrd: Consort Songs features such hits as Ah, Silly Soul and Ye Sacred Muses, a musical elegy for Thomas Tallis with the heart-rending line "Tallis is dead, and Music dies". Some might argue that it dies nightly on programmes such as X factor and Pop Idol.

Here's Robin singing the piece below. Enjoy and happy Independence Day to our dear US readers.