It is not surprising that the publishers announce Mr. Howes's
Byrd (Kegan Paul, 7s. 6d.) as "the first considerable mono- graph to appear on Byrd" when we realize that very few biographical facts can be accepted with confidence in con- nexion with this composer. A Vandergucht engraving is reproduced in this publication, but even this cannot be said to be an authentic portrait of Byrd. All things considered, Mr. Howes has overcome his difficulties with ingenuity. He has projected a portrait of the composer which even if, of necessity, it contains a fair proportion of the author's imagination, is nevertheless feasible and sometimes con- vincing. There is an interesting passage on Byrd's instru- mental music which suggests that the inspiration for English keyboard music came from Spain ; and although Mr. Howes inclines to the view that Cabezon was a debtor rather than a creditor to the English in so far as the figuration of his keyboard pieces is concerned, he has started a train of thought which, with the discovery of more definite evidence, may prove to be profitable and enlightening.
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