Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

2023 marks the 400th year since the death of William Byrd, one of the leading composers of the late Tudor and early Stuart ages. 2023 is also the 400th anniversary of the relatively obscure Thomas Weelkes who was, in his day, known for his rowdy life and also as the leading writer of madrigals of his generation. On this enjoyable collection both share just under an hour of music with two contemporary commissions from Sir James MacMillan and Roderick Williams taking us up to 70 minutes. So we have quantity and happily the quality is here to hear and enjoy with some glorious singing courtesy of the current SIGCD731 iteration on The King's Singers and the ever-dependable viol consort of Fretwork giving appropriate accompaniment when required. The programme gives a flavour of what composers could do with a cross section of genres represented, both sacred and secular. The two new commissions are both worth hearing and both, in their different ways, shine a modern light on the timeless work of Byrd and Weelkes. MacMillan uses the same text as Byrd in "Ye Sacred Muses" with one significant change. Byrd's last line is "Tallis Is Dead, And Music Dies" as he grieves for his late mentor and friend Thomas Tallis who died in 1585. MacMillan changes this, appropriately, to "Will Is Dead, And Music Dies" a touching tribute from arguably the British composer of today to one of the giants on whose shoulders he stands. Roderick Williams has chosen a well-loved text by John Donne, "Death, Be Not Proud" which is sequenced to follow Weelkes' "Death Hath Deprived Me". However, do not get the impression that this programme is gloomy. Yes, death was and is an ever present but there is joy to be found too. Standouts for this listener include Byrd's "This Sweet And Merry Month Of May" and the folk tune "Browning" which Byrd adapts as "The Leaves Be Green" and if hearing this does not make you smile you must be a sad person indeed.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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