Whenever life feels heavy, I turn to William Byrd. Despite persecution and constant scrutiny, he composed music of radiant beauty and spiritual defiance. Sing Joyfully is one such anthem. This barless AATTBGb edition invites flexible phrasing, while rehearsal letters and modern clefs support unity. An 18th-century edition assigns voices using Anglican choir labels—Treble and Contra-tenor Decani/Cantoris—reflecting the traditional division of cathedral choirs into two facing sides of the chancel. Though Sing Joyfully is not a double-choir work, this layout suggests antiphonal seating of upper voice pairs, with Treble and Contra-tenor Decani opposite their Cantoris counterparts. Tenor and Bass parts may be centrally located to unify the ensemble and reinforce harmonic grounding.

Articulation is an essential expressive tool in recorder repertoire. Players are encouraged to experiment—guided by text, punctuation, and ensemble listening. Cadences in Renaissance music were considered points of expressive punctuation, not just structural markers. I have added suggested ritardandi at four cadences to heighten arrival and highlight phrasing. As Anne Smith reminds us in The Performance of 16th Century Music (2011), performers should shape cadences through “timbre, dynamics, timing, and articulation” to help the music truly speak.

Tempo in Renaissance music was not indicated and remains a subject of lively debate, both historically and today. This edition offers a suggested tempo of half note equals 104 for the play along mp3 files, but performers are encouraged to adapt pacing to suit ensemble character, acoustics, and expressive intent. For further insight, see my article How to Play Barless Renaissance Music (ARS NOVA, July 2025).