Psalmes, Sonnets and Songs (William Byrd)

General Information

Published: 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