Sweet Honey-sucking Bees

work by Wilbye

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July 14, 2026

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"Sweet Honey-sucking Bees" is a well-known madrigal composed by John Wilbye. Wilbye was an English composer celebrated as one of the finest madrigalists of his era. A madrigal is a complex, polyphonic, unaccompanied vocal piece typically set to a secular text, popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. Wilbye's achievement lies in the serious, prevailing tone of his madrigals, which often set translations of Italian verse and showcased his skill in vocal orchestration by writing for varying small groups of voices within the ensemble. "Sweet Honey-sucking Bees" is one of his most famous works, demonstrating his mastery of rhythm and prosody.12

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John Wilbye
…Me Fairest Flowers” and “Sweet Honey-sucking Bees” display Wilbye’s skill in vocal orchestration: the full number of voices is not kept in constant play, but for much of the time the composer writes for ever-changing smaller groups within the ensemble.
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…Me Fairest Flowers” and “Sweet Honey-sucking Bees” display Wilbye’s skill in vocal orchestration: the full number of voices is not kept in constant play, but for much of the time the composer writes for ever-changing smaller groups within the ensemble.
Read More