Ferdinando Richardson was a remarkable figure in the history of English music. As Groom of the Privy Chamber he held one of the most prestigious political offices at the court of Elizabeth I and is thought to have overseen the compilation of the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. The outstanding virtuosity of his few surviving works suggests not only that he himself was a supremely accomplished performer but that his music embodies the best qualities of his probable teachers, Thomas Tallis and John Bull. This recording concludes with a fascinating selection of rare works by his contemporaries.