Singing In Secret: Clandestine Catholic Music By William Byrd

Although he is one of the towering figures of church music in the Tudor Reformation period and enjoyed the special favor (and therefore protection) of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I, the English composer William Byrd was actually a Roman Catholic. Very carefully — by means of subtlety and musical double meanings — he was able to express his faith in some of his compositions, many of which are collected here.