William Byrd: The Great Service & English Anthems

Alamire, under the direction of David Skinner, complete their survey of the choral works of William Byrd to mark the composer’s 400th anniversary with this landmark recording of The Great Service and seven anthems.

Emerging from centuries of obscurity, Byrd’s Great Service, first revived in the early twentieth century, represents a pinnacle of English choral music. This recording commemorates the centenary of its modern debut in 1924.

With intricate polyphony and poignant text settings, Byrd’s masterful use of ten voices reveals his unparalleled skill in capturing the essence of the Anglican liturgy. Complemented by seven anthems, this album offers a comprehensive exploration of Byrd’s rich, spiritual, and historical musical contributions.

In the press

BBC Radio 3 Record Review CD of the Week. “I’ve always admired [Alamire’s] intense and finely blended sound: sort of unsentimental emotional directness. They really make you sit up and listen. Their sound so pure and bright it could penetrate the walls of a gothic cathedral … for me they really put over the huge significance of Byrd’s music: spiritual, historical, political, and, of course, artistic.” – Sarah Walker

Limelight Magazine (Australia) Editor’s Choice. “Great artists give Byrd’s masterpiece the splendid treatment it deserves … the contrapuntal strands of the music are always clearly delineated … and Byrd’s delightful flights of rhythmic fancy are always buoyant and unlaboured.” – Tony Way

“A sonic triumph … [here] you will find consummate artistry giving forth a simmering account of Byrd’s sublime music.” – Richard Turbet (Early Music Review, September 2024).

“… transparent and persuasive, with absolutely marvellous voices and beautiful balance.” – David Fallows (Gramophone, Awards Issue 2024).