William Byrd

The Woods so wild

William Byrd (1542 - 1623) is one of the most brilliant well-known composers of Elizabethan England. Many of his pieces are included in the famous Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. This collection which was extremely popular at the time was used and rearranged by lute players who intabulated Byrd's pieces. The dances presented here are based on these versions. The editor in his turn used the intabulation for lute and arranged it for the guitar. The collection bears the same title as the song contained therein, originating from Byrd's time, on which the cycle of variations is based. This delightful collection is also an introduction into the music of England in the 16th and 17th century.