William Byrd (c.1543 – 1623) was considered by his contemporaries to be a musician without peer. The music he wrote for voices to sing is generally recognized as his chief glory. While there are no transcriptions of chansons or song intabulations among his instrumental works, every moving line in one of his fantasies or pavans is in essence a wordless voice, having different registers and needing breath. Presented here by acclaimed harpsichordist Colin Tilney is a delectable assortment of keyboard works highlighting the vocal character of Byrd’s writing including his exquisite setting of John Dowland’s famed Pavan "Lachrymae."
