Gramophone Awards 2023
Finalist - Early Music

Radio 3 Record Review
8th October 2022

Gramophone Magazine
November 2022
Recording of the Month

The Sixteen, Fretwork, Harry Christophers

Byrd: The Eagle's force
Byrd: Of Flattering Speech
Byrd: In Winter Cold
Byrd: Whereat an Ant
Byrd: Who Looks may Leap
Byrd: Sing ye to our God
Byrd: I have been young, but now am old
Byrd: In crystal towers
Byrd: The sweet and merry month of May
Byrd: Let Not The Sluggish Sleep
Byrd: A feigned friend
Byrd: Awake mine eyes
Byrd: Come jolly swains
Byrd: What is life, or worldly pleasure?
Byrd: Fantasia a 4
Byrd: Come Let Us Rejoice
Byrd: Retire, my soul
Byrd: Arise Lord into thy rest
Byrd: Come, woeful Orpheus
Byrd: Sing we merrily unto God our strength
Byrd: Blow up the trumpet
Byrd: Crowned with flow'rs and lilies
Byrd: Wedded to will is witless
Byrd: Make ye joy to God all the earth
Byrd: Have mercy upon me, O God
Byrd: Fantasia à 6
Byrd: This Day Christ was Born
Byrd: O God that guides the cheerful sun
Byrd: Praise our Lord, all ye Gentiles
Byrd: Turn our captivity
Byrd: Ah silly Soul
Byrd: How vain the toils

The Psalmes, Songs and Sonnets of 1611 was William Byrd’s final publication. And what a superbly fitting culmination to a lifetime of musical service it is! As well as being packed with variety and invention – including both sacred and secular music and using a range of forces from small trios to consorts to full choir – it is probably the happiest, most serene collection of music Byrd ever produced. Ahead of the 400th Anniversary of William Byrd’s death in 2023, The Sixteen and Harry Christophers are joined by celebrated Viol Consort, Fretwork, for this new complete recording of the Psalmes, Songs and Sonnets of 1611.

"This is a landmark release finally addressing one of the most obvious oversights in Byrd’s recorded catalogue. It’s an exquisite album of unparalleled beauty that will bear repeated listening long past the anniversary year." - Gramophone Magazine, November 2022.