List of compositions by William Byrd

This is a list of the musical compositions by William Byrd, one of the most celebrated English composers of the Renaissance.

Masses (c. 1592–5)

 * Mass for Three Voices (c. 1593–4)
 * Mass for Four Voices (c. 1592–3)
 * Mass for Five Voices (c. 1594–5)

Cantiones sacrae (Cantiones, quae ab argumento sacrae vocantur) (1575)

 * Emendemus in melius á 5
 * Libera me Domine et pone me á
 * Peccantem me quotidie á 5
 * Aspice Domine á 6
 * Attollite portas á 6
 * O lux beata Trinitas á 6
 * Laudate pueri Dominum á 6
 * Memento homo á 6
 * Siderum rector á 5
 * Da mihi auxilium á 6
 * Domine secundum actum meum á 6
 * Diliges Dominum á 8
 * Miserere mihi Domine á 6
 * Tribue Domine; Te deprecor; Gloria Patri á 6
 * Libera me Domine de morte aeterna á 5
 * Gloria patri á 6
 * Te deprecor á 6

Liber primus sacrarum cantionum (Cantiones Sacrae I) (1589)
(all for 5 voices)


 * Defecit in dolore – Sed tu Domine
 * Domine praestolamur – Veni Domine noli tardare
 * O Domine adjuva me
 * Tristitia et anxietas – Sed tu Domine
 * Memento Domine
 * Vide Domine afflictionem – Sed veni Domine
 * Deus venerunt gentes – Posuerunt morticinia – Effuderunt sanguinem – Facti sumus opprobrium
 * Domine tu jurasti
 * Vigilate
 * In resurrectione tua
 * Aspice Domine de sede – Respice Domine
 * Ne irascaris Domine – Civitas sancti tui
 * O quam gloriosum est regnum – Benedictio et claritas
 * Tribulationes civitatum – Timor et hebetudo – Nos enim pro peccatis
 * Domine secundum multitudinem
 * Laetentur coeli – Orietur in diebus

Liber secundus sacrarum cantionum (Cantiones Sacrae II) (1591)
for 5 voices:
 * Laudibus in sanctis – Magnificum Domini – Hunc arguta
 * Quis est homo – Diverte a malo
 * Fac cum servo tuo
 * Salve Regina – Et Jesum
 * Tribulatio proxima est – Contumelias et terrores
 * Domine exaudi orationem – Et non intres in judicium
 * Apparebit in finem
 * Haec dicit Dominus – Haec dicit Dominus
 * Circumdederunt me
 * Levemus corda
 * Recordare Domine – Quiescat Domine
 * Exsurge Domine
 * Miserere mei Deus

for 6 voices:
 * Descendit de coelis – Et exivit per auream portam
 * Domine non sum dignus
 * Infelix ego – Quid igitur faciam? – At te igitur
 * Afflicti pro peccatis – Ut eruas nos
 * Cantate Domino
 * Cunctis diebus
 * Domine salva nos
 * Haec dies

Gradualia: ac cantiones sacrae, liber primus (Gradualia I) (1605)
for 5 voices:

For the Purification

 * Suscepimus Deus
 * Sicut audivimus
 * Senex puerum portabat
 * Nunc dimittis
 * Responsum accepit Simeon

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin

 * Salve sancta parens
 * Benedicta et venerabilis - Virgo Dei genitrix
 * Felix es sacra
 * Beata es Virgo
 * Beata viscera

Lady Mass in Advent

 * Rorate caeli desuper
 * Tollite portas
 * Ave Maria
 * Ecce Virgo concipiet

Lady Mass in Christmastide

 * Vultum tuum
 * Speciosus forma
 * Post partum
 * Felix namque

Assumption

 * Gaudeamus omnes
 * Diffusa est gratia
 * Assumpta est Maria
 * Optimam partem

All Saints

 * Gaudeamus omnes
 * Timete Dominum
 * Justorum animae
 * Beati mundo corde

Miscellaneous pieces

 * Gaude Maria
 * Alleluia – Ave Maria – Virga Jesse
 * Adoramus te Christe (voice + 4 viols)

for 4 voices:

Corpus Christi

 * Cibavit eos
 * Oculi omnium
 * Sacerdotes Domini
 * Quotiescunque manducabitis
 * Ave verum corpus
 * O salutaris hostia
 * O sacrum convivium
 * [Pange lingua] – Nobis datus

Miscellaneous pieces

 * Ecce quam bonum
 * Christus resurgens
 * Visita quaesumus
 * In manus tuas
 * Laetania
 * Salve sola Dei genitrix
 * Senex puerum portabat
 * Hodie beata Virgo Maria
 * Deo gratias
 * Unam petii a Domino
 * Plorans plorabit

for 3 voices:

Marian antiphons and hymns

 * Quem terra pontus aethera
 * O gloriosa Domina
 * Memento salutis auctor
 * Ave Maris stella
 * Regina caeli
 * Salve Regina
 * Alma redemptoris mater
 * Ave Regina caelorum

Holy Week and Easter

 * Alleluia – [Vespere autem sabbathi] Quae lucescit
 * Haec dies
 * Angelus Domini descendit
 * Post dies octo – Mane nobiscum
 * Passio Domini secundum Johannem (Turbarum voces)

Candlemas

 * Adorna thalamum tuum

Gradualia: seu cantionum sacrarum, liber secundus (Gradualia II) (1607)
for 4 voices:

Nativity

 * Puer natus est nobis
 * Viderunt omnes
 * Dies sanctificatus
 * Tui sunt coeli
 * Viderunt omnes
 * Hodie Christus natus est
 * O admirabile commertium
 * O magnum misterium
 * Beata Virgo

Epiphany

 * Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus
 * Reges Tharsis
 * Vidimus stellam
 * Surge illuminare

Corpus Christi and The Blessed Sacrament

 * Ab ortu solis
 * Venite comedite
 * Alleluia – Cognoverunt discipuli
 * Ego sum panis vivus
 * O quam suavis
 * Jesu nostra redemptio

for 5 voices:

Easter

 * Resurrexi
 * Haec dies
 * Victimae paschali
 * Terra tremuit
 * Pascha nostrum

Ascension

 * Viri Galilei
 * Alleluia – Ascendit Deus
 * Dominus in Sina
 * Ascendit Deus
 * Psallite Domino
 * O rex gloriae

Pentecost

 * Spiritus Domini
 * Alleluia – Emitte spiritum tuum
 * Veni sancte spiritus
 * Confirma hoc Deus
 * Factus est repente
 * Veni sancte spiritus
 * Non vos relinquam orphanos

for 6 voices:

SS. Peter and Paul

 * Nunc scio vere
 * Constitues eos principes
 * Solve jubente Deo
 * Tu es Petrus
 * Hodie Simon Petrus
 * Tu es pastor ovium
 * Quodcunque ligaveris

Miscellaneous

 * Laudate Dominum
 * Venite exultemus

Unpublished Latin settings
A majority of the unpublished works are found in private partbooks collections. A number of 5- and 6-voice works found in the Baldwin Partbooks are rendered incomplete, as the Tenor partbook has been lost.

for 3 voices:
 * Sanctus (authenticity uncertain)

for 4 voices:
 * Alleluia. Confitemini Domino
 * Christe qui lux es

for 5 voices:
 * Audivi vocem a5
 * Benigne fac a5 [-1]
 * Christe qui lux es
 * Decantabat populus (authenticity uncertain)
 * De lamentatione Jeremiæ prophetæ [-1]
 * Domine Deus omnipotens
 * Domine exaudi orationem
 * Ne perdas cum impiis
 * Omni tempore benedic Deum
 * Peccavi super numerum
 * Petrus beatus
 * Reges Tharsis (authenticity uncertain)
 * Sacris solemnuis (authenticity uncertain)
 * Vide Domine quoniam tribulor (authenticity uncertain)

for 6 voices:
 * Circumspice Jerusalem - Ecce enim veniunt
 * Deus in adjutorium [-1]
 * Domine ante te [-1]
 * O salutaris hostia

for 8 voices:
 * Ad Dominum cum tribularer
 * Quomodo cantabimus

for 9 voices:
 * Domine quis habitabit

Consort song:
 * Quis me statim

Psalmes, sonnets, and songs of sadness and pietie (1588)
(all for 5 voices)

Psalms
 * O God give ear and do apply
 * Mine eyes with fervency of sprite
 * My soul oppressed with care and grief
 * How shall a young man prone to ill
 * O Lord how long wilt thou forget
 * O Lord who in thy sacred tent
 * Help Lord for wasted are those men
 * Blessed is he that fears the Lord
 * Lord in thy wrath
 * Even from the depth

Sonnets and Pastorals
 * I joy not in no earthly bliss
 * Though Amaryllis dance in green
 * Who likes to love let him take heed
 * My mind to me a kingdom is
 * Where fancy fond for pleasure pleads
 * O you that hear this voice
 * If women could be fair
 * Ambitious love
 * What pleasure have great Princes
 * As I beheld I saw a herdman wild
 * Although the heathen poets
 * In fields abroad
 * Constant Penelope
 * La verginella
 * Farewell false love
 * The match that's made

Songs of sadness and piety
 * Prostrate O Lord I lie
 * All as a Sea
 * Susanna fair
 * If that a sinner's sighs
 * Care for thy soul
 * Lulla, Lullaby
 * Why do I use?

The funeral songs of that honourable Gent., Sir Phillip Sidney, Knight
 * Come to me grief for ever
 * O that most rare breast

Songs of sundrie natures (1589)
for 3 voices:
 * Lord in thy rage
 * Right blest are they
 * Lord in thy wrath correct me not
 * O God which art most merciful
 * Lord hear my prayer
 * From depth of sin
 * Attend mine humble prayer
 * Susanna fair
 * The nightingale
 * When younglings first on Cupid fix their sight – But when by proof
 * Upon a summer's day – Then for a boat
 * The greedy hawk

for 4 voices:
 * Is Love a boy? – Boy pity me
 * Wounded I am – Yet of us twain
 * From Cytheron the warlike boy is fled – There careless thoughts are freed – If Love be just
 * O Lord my God
 * While that the sun
 * Rejoice rejoice [Chorus of From virgin's womb]
 * Cast off all doubtful care [Chorus of An earthly tree]

for 5 voices:
 * Weeping full sore
 * Penelope that longed for the sight
 * Compel the hawk
 * See those sweet eyes
 * When I was otherwise
 * When first by force
 * I thought that Love had been a boy
 * O dear life
 * Love would discharge
 * From virgin's womb
 * Of gold all burnished – Her breath is more sweet

for 6 voices:
 * Behold how good a thing – And as the pleasant morning dew
 * An earthly tree an heavenly fruit
 * Who made thee, Hob, forsake the plough
 * And think ye Nymphs to scorn at love – Love is a fit of pleasure
 * If in thine heart
 * Unto the hills mine eyes I lift
 * Christ rising again – Christ is risen again

The first sett, of Italian madrigalls Englished (1590)
for 6 voices:
 * This sweet and merry month of May

Psalmes, songs, and sonnets (1611)
for 3 voices:
 * The eagle's force
 * Of flatt'ring speech
 * In winter cold – whereat an ant
 * Who looks may leap
 * Sing ye to our Lord
 * I have been young
 * In crystal towers

for 4 voices:
 * This sweet and merry month of May
 * Let not the sluggish sleep
 * A feigned friend
 * Awake mine eyes
 * Come jolly swains
 * What is life or worldly pleasure?
 * [Instrumental] Fantazia
 * Come let us rejoice unto our Lord

for 5 voices:
 * Retire my soul
 * Arise Lord into thy rest
 * Come woeful Orpheus
 * Sing we merrily unto God – Blow up the trumpet
 * Crowned with flowers
 * Wedded to will is witless
 * Make ye joy to God

for 6 voices:
 * Have mercy upon me
 * [Instrumental] Fantazia
 * This day Christ was born
 * O God that guides the cheerful sun
 * Praise our Lord, all ye Gentiles
 * Turn our captivity
 * Ah silly soul
 * How vain the toils

Teares or Lamentacions of a Sorrowfull Soule (1614)
for 4 voices:
 * Look down, O Lord, on me a poor man
 * Be unto me, O Lord, a tower of strength

for 5 voices:
 * I laid down to rest and sleep
 * Come help O God

Services
Byrd wrote at least five services.
 * Short ('First') Service, for 6 voices
 * 1) Venite
 * 2) Te Deum
 * 3) Benedictus
 * 4) Kyrie
 * 5) Creed
 * 6) Magnificat
 * 7) Nunc Dimittis
 * Second Service, for 5 voices
 * 1) Magnificat
 * 2) Nunc Dimittis
 * Third Service, for 5 voices
 * 1) Magnificat
 * 2) Nunc Dimittis
 * Great Service, for 10 voices
 * 1) Venite
 * 2) Te Deum
 * 3) Benedictus
 * 4) Kyrie
 * 5) Creed
 * 6) Magnificat
 * 7) Nunc Dimittis
 * Short Morning Service (fragment)

Full anthems

 * Arise O Lord (6vv)
 * Exalt thyself O God (6vv)
 * How long shall mine enemies triumph? (5vv)
 * O God the proud are risen (6vv)
 * O God whom our offences have displeased (5vv)
 * O Lord make thy servant Elizabeth (6vv)
 * O praise our Lord (5vv)
 * Out of the deep (6vv)
 * Prevent us O Lord (5vv)
 * Save me O God (5vv) (authenticity uncertain)
 * Sing joyfully (6vv)

Verse anthems

 * Alack when I look back
 * Behold O God the sad and heavy case
 * Christ rising again/Christ is risen
 * Hear my prayer O Lord
 * O Lord rebuke me not
 * Thou God that guid'st

Consort songs

 * An aged dame
 * Ah golden hairs
 * As Cæsar wept
 * Blame I confess
 * Come pretty babe
 * Content is rich
 * Crowned with flowers and lilies
 * Delight is dead
 * E'en as the seas
 * Fair Britain isle
 * Have mercy on us Lord
 * He that all earthly pleasure scorns
 * In angel's weed
 * I will not say
 * The Lord is only my support
 * Lord to thee I make my moan
 * The man is blest
 * Mount Hope
 * My freedom
 * My mistress had a little dog
 * O God but God
 * O Lord bow down
 * O Lord how vain
 * O Lord within thy tabernacle
 * O that we woeful wretches
 * Out of the orient crystal skies
 * Rejoice unto the Lord
 * Sith death at length
 * Sith that the tree
 * Though I be brown
 * Thou poets' friend
 * Triumph with pleasant melody
 * Truce for a time
 * Truth at the first
 * What steps of strife
 * Where the blind
 * While Phœbus used to dwell
 * With lilies white
 * Wretched Albinus
 * Ye sacred muses

Keyboard works
BK numbers refer to Musica Britannica: William Byrd Keyboard Music, ed. Alan Brown (London: Stainer & Bell, 2 vols, 1969/71)
 * My Ladye Nevells Booke (1591)
 * 1) My Ladye Nevells Grownde, BK57
 * 2) Qui Passe; for my Ladye Nevell, BK19
 * 3) The Marche before the Battell, BK93
 * 4) The Battell, BK94: The souldiers sommons; The marche of footemen; The marche of horsmen; The trumpets; The Irishe marche; The bagpipe and the drone; The flute and the droome; The marche to the fighte; The retreat
 * 5) The Galliarde for the Victorie, BK95
 * 6) The Barleye Breake, BK92
 * 7) A Galliards Gygge, BK18
 * 8) The Huntes upp, BK40
 * 9) Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La, BK64
 * 10) The Firste Pavian, BK29a
 * 11) The Galliarde to the Firste Pavian, BK29b
 * 12) The Seconde Pavian, BK71a
 * 13) The Galliarde to the Seconde Pavian, BK71b
 * 14) The Third Pavian, BK14a
 * 15) The Galliarde to the Third Pavian, BK14b
 * 16) The Fourth Pavian, BK30a
 * 17) The Galliarde to the Fourth Pavian, BK30b
 * 18) The Fifte Pavian, BK31a
 * 19) The Galliarde to the Fifte Pavian, BK31b
 * 20) Pavana the Sixte; Kinbrugh Goodd, BK32a
 * 21) The Galliarde to the Sixte Pavian, BK32b
 * 22) The Seventh Pavian, BK74
 * 23) The Eighte Pavian, BK17
 * 24) The Passinge Mesures; the Nynthe Pavian, BK2a
 * 25) The Galliarde to the Nynthe Pavian, BK2b
 * 26) A Voluntarie; for my Ladye Nevell, BK61
 * 27) Will Yow Walke the Woods soe Wylde, BK85
 * 28) The Maidens Songe, BK82
 * 29) A Lesson of voluntarie, BK26
 * 30) The Second Grownde, BK42
 * 31) Have with Yow to Walsingame, BK8
 * 32) All in a Garden Grine, BK56
 * 33) Lord Willobies Welcome Home, BK7
 * 34) The Carmans Whistle, BK36
 * 35) Hughe Ashtons Grownde, BK20
 * 36) A Fancie, for my Ladye Nevell, BK25
 * 37) Sellingers Rownde, BK84
 * 38) Munsers Almaine (II), BK88
 * 39) The Tennthe Pavian; Mr. W. Peter, BK3a
 * 40) The Galliarde to the Tennthe Pavian, BK3b
 * 41) A Fancie, BK46
 * 42) A Voluntarie, BK27


 * 69 pieces in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
 * 8 pieces in Parthenia


 * The French coranto, BK21a
 * The second French coranto, BK21b
 * The 3rd French coranto, BK21c
 * A Horne Pipe, BK39
 * Miserere I, BK66
 * Miserere II, BK67
 * Parludam, BK115
 * A Pavin, BK33a
 * Galliard, BK33b
 * Eccho paven, BK114a
 * The Galliard, BK114b
 * A Preludium, BK116
 * Christe qui lux, BK121
 * Gloria tibi trinitas, BK50
 * A Verse of Two Parts, BK28
 * A Ground, BK43
 * A Grounde, BK9
 * Clarifica me pater a 2, BK47
 * Salvator mundi I, BK68
 * Salvator mundi II, BK69
 * Ut, Re, Mee, Fa, Sol, La, The playnesong Breifs To Be played By a second person, BK58
 * Go from my window, BK79
 * A Ground, BK86
 * O quam gloriosum est regnum
 * If my complaints, or Pyper's Galliard, BK118
 * A Pavion, BK23a
 * The Galliard, BK23b
 * Pavin, BK76
 * A Galliard, BK77
 * An Alman, BK117
 * Paven, BK73a
 * Galiard, BK73b
 * A Pavyn, BK16a
 * A Galliard, BK16b
 * A Pavion, BK72a
 * The Galliard to it, BK72b

Consort works (unpublished)

 * 3 fantasias, 3vv
 * 4 fantasias, 4vv
 * Prelude and ground, 5vv
 * Fantasia, 5vv ('2 parts in 1')
 * Browning, 5vv
 * Pavan, 5vv
 * 2 fantasias, 6vv
 * Pavan and galliard, 6vv

Lost or fragmentary works

 * Ad punctum in modico á 2 (BB) – Fragmentary
 * Ah, youthful years – Fragmentary
 * Behold, how good – Fragmentary
 * Cease Cares – Fragmentary
 * Depart ye furies – Fragmentary
 * Litany á 4 (SATB) – Fragmentary, and a doubtful work
 * If trickling tears – Fragmentary
 * In tower most high – Fragmentary
 * I will give laud – Fragmentary
 * Jubilate Deo, omnis terra – Fragmentary, and a doubtful work
 * Look and bow down – Fragmentary
 * Oh happy thrice – Fragmentary
 * O trifling days – Fragmentary
 * Preces Deo fundamus – Fragmentary
 * Service in F – Fragmentary, and a doubtful work
 * Sponsus amat sponsam á 2 (ST) – Fragmentary, and a doubtful work
 * What wights are these? – Fragmentary
 * While that a cruel fire – Fragmentary
 * With sighs and teares – Fragmentary

Works believed to be by Byrd

 * Ave regina caelorum á 5 (ATTBarB) – Claimed to be by "Mr Byrde" in the Paston Lute Book, however the editors of the Tudor Church Music Book attributed the work to John Taverner.

Joint commissions

 * In exitu Israel á 4 (TTTB) – A joint work with John Sheppard and William Mundy.