As we were exploring North Yorkshire churches and an abbey yesterday, we listened to some beautiful madrigal music, and I particularly enjoyed William Byrd's This Sweet and Merry Month of May.
This sweet and merry month of MayWhile Nature wantons in her PrimeAnd birds do singAnd beasts do playFor pleasure of the joyful timeI choose the first for holidayAnd greet Eliza with a rhymeO beauteous Queen of second TroyTake well in worth a simple toyO beauteous Queen of second TroyTake well in worth a simple toy.
This is one of a small number of Byrd's secular songs, the words sum up the joy of May.
I'm looking for some recorder music, so I can play and Chris can sing some of Byrd's lively songs.