Byrd 400 Festival
2023 witnessed the four hundredth anniversary of the death of William Byrd, one of England’s greatest Renaissance composers. The Latin Mass Society will held a Byrd 400 Festival of sacred music to mark the occasion. From September to December the Southwell Consort under the direction of Dominic Bevan performed music from Byrd’s Masses, Cantiones Sacrae, and religious motets, as well as his organ music.
Much of William Byrd’s music was composed for the Roman Catholic Mass during a time when English Catholics faced religious persecution. Despite the clandestine climate in which it was composed, much of Byrd’s polyphony is sumptuous and it represents the last artistic flowering of an English liturgical tradition almost stamped out at the Reformation.
The words, chant and ritual actions of the traditional Latin Mass were ancient in Byrd’s own day, and they have remained essentially unchanged ever since. It is within this context that this festival of sacred music will take place.
The festival Masses will be held at three London locations: the Shrine Church of Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane, the Oratory of St Mary Magdalen, Wandsworth, and the Dominican Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Haverstock Hill.
A full festival programme is available here
Support our ongoing work by making a donation to our music fund
Requiem Mass I
Mass of the Holy Ghost
Mass of St Hedwig
Mass of the Holy Guardian Angels
Mass of Our Lady
Mass of the Blessed Sacrament