Lullaby, My Sweet Little Baby was one of the composer’s most popular works during his lifetime, enjoying a wide circulation in various arrangements. The heart-rending verse in which the virgin Mary comforts her child in the wake of the slaughter of the innocents. The melody in the highest voice is echoed throughout by the second part, creating an almost sobbing effect.
William Byrd (1543–1623) was an English composer of the Renaissance. He wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, including various types of sacred and secular polyphony, keyboard and consort music. Thomas Tallis was the finest English composer of his generation and his influence on Byrd’s music can be seen in many ways. Byrd was later to be hailed as ‘the father of English music’ and could count among his pupils such famous names as Morley, Bull, Tomkins and Weelkes. Music printing was late developing in England and Byrd, in conjunction with Tallis, with whom he shared what amounted to a monopoly, published the first volume of Cantiones sacrae in 1575. What little music that was published was overwhelmingly choral, as keyboard music required printing techniques yet to be perfected. Musicians were used to copying instrumental music by hand into family ‘commonplace books’, while wealthier families employed a ‘scribe’ to do this.
Jock McKenzie studied trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he was a joint recipient of the college’s concerto prize. Since 1987 Jock has based his musical career in Hampshire, working as a freelance trumpeter, conductor, composer, arranger and brass teacher. Currently Jock holds the position of Professional Leader (Brass) for Hampshire Music Service and is the Director of the Hampshire County Youth Band. It is the mix of all of these musical roles that has led to Jock establishing a reputation as a leading creator of brass music resources, particularly in the field of education and brass ensemble music.
