Psalmes, Sonnets and Songs (William Byrd)

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General Information

Publication date and place: 1588 .

Composer: William Byrd

Following the commercial failure of the Cantiones Sacrae, published jointly with Tallis in 1575, Byrd waited another eleven years before venturing into print again. This time, he trusted his fortunes to a collection of secular music, no doubt encouraged by the growing popularity in England of Italian madrigals adapted to English words, and specifically to the success in the same year of Nicholas Yonge's collection Musica Transalpina (which had itself included a piece by him). This time, too, he had judged public taste better, as the collection was a great success and went through several editions in the following years.

Despite the popularity of the pieces, all of which are for 5 voices, it appears that none of them were originally written as unaccompanied polyphonic songs, but that all originated as consort songs for a single voice and four viols. Byrd acknowledges these origins in the print, often designating the original solo voice as "the first singing part".

The collection is dedicated to Sir Christopher Hatton, who had become Lord Chancellor in the previous year.

Contents of the Psalmes, sonets, & songs of sadnes and pietie

Psalms

1. O God give ear
2. Mine eyes with fervency
3. My soul oppressed with care
4. How shall a young man
5. O Lord, how long wilt thou forget
6. O Lord, who in thy sacred tent
7. Help, Lord, for wasted are those men
8. Blessed is he that fears the Lord
9. Lord in thy wrath reprove me not
10. Even from the depth

Sonnets and Pastorals

11. I joy not in no earthly bliss
12. Though Amaryllis dance in green
13. Who likes to love
14. My mind to me a kingdom is
15. Where fancy fond
16. O you that hear this voice
17. If women could be fair
18. Ambitious love
19. What pleasure have great princes
20. As I beheld I saw a herdman wild
21. Although the heathen poets
22. In fields abroad
23. Constant Penelope
24. La Virginella
25. Farewell false Love
26. The match that's made

Songs of sadness and piety

27. Prostrate O Lord I lie
28. All as a sea
29. Susanna fair
30. If that a sinner's sighs
31. Care for thy soul
32. Lullaby my sweet little baby
33. Why do I use my paper, ink and pen?

Funeral Songs

34. Come to me grief for ever
35. O that most rare breast

Works at CPDL

Title Year No. Composer Genre Subgenre Vo. Voices
All as a sea 1588 28 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
Although the heathen poets 1588 21 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
Ambitious love 1588 18. William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 ATTBB
As I beheld I saw a herdman wild 1588 20 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
Blessed is he that fears the Lord 1588 8 William Byrd Sacred Sacred songs 5 SATTB
Care for thy soul 1588 31 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SAATB
Come to me grief for ever 1588 34 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SSATB
Constant Penelope 1588 23 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 ATTBB
Even from the depth 1588 10 William Byrd Sacred Sacred songs 5 ATTBB
Farewell false Love 1588 25 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
Help, Lord, for wasted are those men 1588 7. William Byrd Sacred Sacred songs 5 SAATB
How shall a young man 1588 4 William Byrd Sacred

Sacred

Partsongs

Consort songs

5 SATTB
I joy not in no earthly bliss 1588 11 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
If that a sinner's sighs 1588 30 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
If women could be fair 1588 17 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 ATTBB
In fields abroad 1588 22 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
La Virginella 1588 24 William Byrd Secular Madrigals 5 SATTB
Lord in thy wrath reprove me not 1588 9 William Byrd Sacred Sacred songs 5 SAATB
Lulla, lullaby, my sweet little baby 1588 32 William Byrd Sacred Partsongs 5 SAATB
Mine eyes with fervency 1588 2 William Byrd Sacred Partsongs 5 ATTBB
My mind to me a kingdom is 1588 14 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SAATB
My soul oppressed with care 1588 3 William Byrd Sacred Partsongs 5 SATTB
O God give ear 1588 1 William Byrd Sacred Partsongs 5 ATTBB
O Lord, how long wilt thou forget 1588 5 William Byrd Sacred Sacred songs 5 SATTB
O Lord, who in thy sacred tent 1588 6 William Byrd Sacred Sacred songs 5 SATTB
O that most rare breast 1588 35 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
O you that hear this voice 1588 16 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
Prostrate O Lord I lie 1588 27 William Byrd Sacred Partsongs 5 SATBB
Susanna fair (1588) 1588 29 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
The match that's made 1588 26 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
Though Amarillis dance in green 1588 12 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SAATB
What pleasure have great princes 1588 19 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATBB
Where fancy fond 1588 15 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
Who likes to love 1588 13 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SATTB
Why do I use my paper, ink and pen? 1588 33 William Byrd Secular Partsongs 5 SAATB