The stature of William Byrd the church musician has somewhat obscured his pioneering work in the more intimate genre of consort song for solo voice with string accompaniment. Early-music star Emma Kirkby joins forces with Fretwork to present this wide-ranging selection of Byrd songs "of sundrie nature".
"Emma Kirkby is one of the finest interpreters of this music around." - Early Music Review
WILLIAM BYRD [1543-1623] · "My mind to me a kingdom is" (5'41) · Fantasia a 6 (III) (from Psalmes, Songs and Sonnets, 1611) (4'15) · "O Lord, how vain" (6'40) · "Content is rich" (5'50) · "Constant Penelope" (2'02) · Pavan a 6 (2'11) · Galliard a 6 (1'34) · "My mistress had a little dog" (6'30) · "O that most rare breast" (8'32) · "The noble famous Queen" (While Phoebus us'd to dwell) (2'11) · Fantasia a 4 (III) (In manus tuas from Gradualia I) (2'08) · "Out of the orient crystal skies" (3'10) · "O Lord, bow down thine heav'nly eyes" (5'23) · Fantasia a 6 (II) (5'21) · "Truth at the first" (2'45) · "O you that hear this voice" (6'35) · "He that all earthly pleasure scorns" (3'49)
