This edition was prepared by David Fraser — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
If women could be fair
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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If women could be fair by William Byrd — Lyrics
If women could be faire & never fond,
or that their beautie might continue still:
I would not mervaile though they made men bond,
by service long, to purchase their good will.
But when I see, how frail these cretures are:
I laugh, that men forget themselves so far.
To marke what choise they make, and how they change,
how leving best the worst they chose out stil:
And how like haggards wilde, about they range,
Skorning after reason to follow will.
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About If women could be fair
William Byrd's If women could be faire is a secular setting for ATTBB voices. The text expresses a wry observation on the fickle nature of women, contrasting their perceived unreliability with the foolishness of men who become enslaved by their charms. The composer captures the somewhat cynical yet playful tone of the Elizabethan lyric, using the richness of the six-part texture to explore the text's themes. The intricate vocal lines and harmonies would have been ideal for a skilled consort of singers, painting a vivid picture of the 'faire fooles' the text describes. This is a prime example of English part-song from the Renaissance.
