Event

Opening Concert--Music's Lore: Secular Songs by William Byrd

Friday, August 11, 2017 at 7:30 P.M.

OPENING CONCERT

Musics Lore Secular Songs by William Byrd

The Byrd Festival Consort, directed by Jeremy Summerly, St Peter's College, Oxford, with organ played by Mark Williams, Magdalen College, Oxford

The TWENTIETH ANNUAL WILLIAM BYRD FESTIVAL begins in festive style this year with Musics Lore: Secular Songs by William Byrd, a concert at the Old Church Concert Hall in downtown Portland (1422 SW 11th Ave.) at 7:30 pm on Friday, August 11. Although Byrd is well-known for his church music, he also composed a rich variety of love songs, seasonal songs, rustic songs, and elegies, some of which were very popular in his own day. This concert is a rare opportunity to hear these secular songs performed live. Some of the pieces will be performed by solo voices with keyboard accompaniment; others will be sung by a small chamber ensemble. Our concert features La Verginella,
the only piece Byrd ever wrote in Italian. Other highlights include This sweet and merry month of May and Though Amaryllis dance in green, as well as Byrds moving elegy Ye sacred Muses for his teacher Thomas Tallis. Guest artist Jeremy Summerly directs the ensemble, with Mark Williams at the keyboard.