Gradualia I (William Byrd)

The first volume of Byrd’s two-volume compilation of music for the major feasts of the Church’s calendar was published in 1605. The extreme rarity of surviving copies of this first edition is perhaps explained by the events of November of that year, after which simply the possession of a copy of this music could have been construed as a treasonable offence. A second edition was issued in 1610, when the domestic political situation had become more secure for Roman Catholics. Byrd had long since retired from London to the rural surroundings of Stondon Massey, Essex, where the recusant group based around the Petre family at Ingatestone would have been the primary recipients of this music.

The first volume of the Gradualia serves the Marian feasts (explicitly the Purification, Annunciation, Assumption and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as the Conception, Visitation and Presentation) and the Votive Masses of the BVM throughout the year; All Saints, Corpus Christi and Votive Mass of the Blessed Sacrament. Also included are settings of miscellaneous non-liturgical sacred texts, a group of Marian hymns from the Primer and one of office music for Easter and Holy Week.

Gradualia II covers Christmas, Epiphany, Easter & Corpus Christi.

For 5 voices

• In festo Purificationis

1. Suscepimus Deus
2. Sicut audivimus
3. Senex puerum portabat
4. Nunc dimittis
5. Responsum accepit Simeon

• In Nati: S. Marae Virginis

6. Salve sancta parens

7. Benedicta et venerabilis

8. Virgo Dei genitrix

9. Felix es sacra Virgo Maria

10. Beata es Virgo Maria

11. Beata viscera

• Pro Adventu

12. Rorate cæli

13. Tollite portas

14. Ave Maria

15. Ecce virgo concipiet

• Post Nativitatem Dom.

16. Vultum tuum

17. Speciosus forma

18. Post partum Virgo

19. Felix namque es

• Post Septuagesima

20. Alleluia. Ave Maria - Virga Jesse

21. Gaude Maria

• In Annunci. B. Maria

22. Diffusa est gratia - Propter veritatem - Vultum tuum

23. Gaudeamus omnes

24. Assumpta est Maria

25. Optimam partem elegit

• 26. Adoramus te
• 27. Unam petii a Domino
• 28. Plorans plorabit
• In festo omnium Sanctorum

29. Gaudeamus omnes

30. Timete Dominum

31. Justorum animæ

32. Beati mundo corde

For 4 voices

1. Cibavit eos
2. Oculi omnium
3. Sacerdotes Domini
4. Quotiescunque manducabitis
5. Ave verum corpus
6. O salutaris hostia
7. O sacrum convivium
8. Pange lingua gloriosi
9. Ecce quam bonum
10. Christus resurgens
11. Visita quaesumus
12. Salve Regina
13. Alma redemptoris mater
14. Ave Regina coelorum
15. In manus tuas
16. Laetania
17. Salve sola Dei genitrix
18. Senex puerum portabat
19. Hodie beata Virgo
20. Deo gratias

For 3 voices

1. Quem terra, pontus, aethera
2. O gloriosa Domina
3. Memento salutis auctor
4. Ave maris stella
5. Regina coeli laetare
6. Alleluia. Vespere autem Sabbathi
7. Haec dies
8. Angelus Domini descendit
9. Post dies octo - Mane nobiscum
10. Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi secundum Johannem
11. Adorna thalamum tuum