Work
Loading...-
In nomine a5 No.2Genre: Dance or Instrumental
Pr. Instrument: Viol Consort
Two four-part and five three-part In Nomines are attributed to the English composer William Byrd (1543-1623). This form was a polyphonic work written for unspecified instrumental ensemble. It was often a written by a younger composer to demonstrate technical mastery. This appears to be the case with Byrd's contributions, which appear to be quite early works.
The second five-part work is Byrd at his best. There is none of the tentative writing that marks his four-part works, or of the inept polyphony of his 5/1. The writing is clear and, if anything, somewhat willful. The close of the work contains particularly masterful and directed writing.
The In Nomine often used imitation (presumably as the highest form of flattery) and this work opens with a quotation from Tye's In Nomine, Seldom sene. Byrd quickly embellishes Tye's work, leaves it behind and transforms into a piece of great rhythmic and polyphonic complexity.
© All Music Guide



