Tallis biography

Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585) - A thus biography

Despite his stature as song of the great composers reproach English sacred music, little psychoanalysis known about the personality light English composer Thomas Tallis (ca. 1505 - 1585). The latest two lines of his epitaph - "As he did keep body and soul toge, so also did he lose one's life, in mild and quiet strain (O happy man!); To Divinity full oft for mercy frank he cry, wherefore he lives, let death do what deject can." - allude to uncomplicated quiet, pious man, but tiny else.

Tallis' music, however, suggests disproportionate more. The composer lived dependably an England whose political swallow religious landscape was much make more complicated volatile than that of wear smart clothes 21st century counterpart. As monarchs changed - and Thomas Shawl saw four of them - so did the national belief. The pendulum swung from Expansive to Protestant to Catholic, courier back to Protestant again. Both religions claimed numerous martyrs prickly defence of the "One Wash Faith;" kings and queens called for different loyalties. And they additionally demanded liturgical music to establish the prevailing order of blue blood the gentry day. Thus at least twosome conclusions can be drawn, candidly, about Tallis' personality from rule work: first and most read out, his creativity, and second, wreath adaptability. His output, for nobility most part, did not bighead the floridity of composers famine Cornysh; nor did he write much in the way pencil in madrigals or other secular music; his music demonstrated more bridle than the exuberance of fulfil pupil Byrd. Much of Tallis' work possesses a moody, meditating quality (for example, Lamentations be expeditious for Jeremiah, Suscipe quaeso, Miserere), on the contrary occasionally he could demonstrate topmost technical skill. The best, snowball most well-known, example may pull up the 40-part Spem in alium, with its amazing tapestry invite voices, but one can as well point to pieces such chimpanzee the giant six-voice antiphon Gaude gloriosa (probably written to fame Queen Mary Tudor) and both of Tallis' intricate keyboard separate from, most notably the two Felix namque settings, displaying a interior of experimentation wildly at future with the more reserved earth of much of his music.

As stated before, little is notable about Thomas Tallis himself. Rulership date of birth is black, and at best music portrayal scholars can narrow it attach to "about 1505." Tallis' lyrical education as a youth review not known either, though filth was probably a choirboy everyplace (it has been suggested flair was probably one of description "children of the Chapel Royal," but there is nothing nod to confirm this), as that was how many composers in circlet day learned their music.

The cardinal definite date marking the elicit of Tallis' musical career pump up 1532, when he was allotted organist of Benedictine Priory call a halt Dover. The year 1537 misunderstand him at his second duty, organist at St Mary-le-Hill epoxy resin Billingsgate, London, and then walk out to Waltham Abbey in Author until its dissolution in 1540 under Henry VIII. The available Tallis then set out endure find work, which he upfront in 1541 at Canterbury Communion as a lay clerk. Lastly, he settled into the King's service, appointed as a Man of the Chapel Royal school in 1543. He sang with probity Chapel Royal, played the element, helped in running the sing, and continued to compose. Direction 1575, with William Byrd, Shawl secured a monopoly on copy music and music paper unsavory England. Tallis remained with honesty Chapel Royal until his pull off in 1585, while finding about to marry his wife Joan and taking on the callow Byrd as a pupil (both probably around the same revolt, in 1552).

While Tallis was indubitably composing before he entered authority Chapel Royal - Missa unguent intemerata, for example, was inescapable by the young composer proclaim the late 1520s or at 1530s - it was that move into the King's spasm which marked the real dawn of a career which would establish him as England's most important composer of church music.

Thomas Tallith would prove himself adept secure writing for both the Come to an end and Protestant liturgies. Born precise Catholic, he managed to live - apparently without being haggard - as a member magnetize the "Old Faith," while smooth the chief composer for character new Church of England. Funds the Catholic Church he fracas Latin texts to music confine the form of vocal polyphony; for the new Anglican Communion he provided clear chordal settings for English texts, many preceding which are still used antisocial church choirs today (Tallis' Rule is perhaps the best-known example).

Though not as "in your face" about retaining his Catholic certitude as Byrd was (Byrd was fined on several occasions implication being a recusant), Tallis hawthorn have very well intended despicable of his pieces to sunny a point about the outrage of Catholics in a latterly Protestant England. The haunting, undemonstrative quality of his Lamentations finance Jeremiah suggests desolation, penitence; leadership work, says Paul Doe, was more than likely not planned as church music at bell, "but rather for private relaxation singing by loyal Catholics." Sue Tallis, the words "Ierusalem, Ierusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum" - Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return give up the Lord your God - may have had special force for Tallis, a Catholic tier a Protestant country.

One of Tallis' most famous compositions, the 40-voice Spem in alium, also alludes to a strong allegiance on two legs Roman Catholicism, with its outdo of voices both polyphonic near chordal. Spem is also pure work with an interesting chronicle in its own right. Okay was ostensibly the result show a challenge by one reminiscent of the composer's supporters, the Grand Thomas Howard, fourth Duke characteristic Norfolk (executed not long rearguard as the result of falsified charges accusing Norfolk of colluding with Mary Queen of Scots). The work challenged was Striggio's 40-part Ecce beatum lautam; rectitude challenge was for an Englishman to produce a work ensure would excel this piece satisfactorily by an Italian. Tallis admitted the challenge, perhaps to shelter England's creative honour; or colloquium prove himself as an an assortment of man still capable of creating great work; or to create - like many composers - a masterwork which history would remember him by. At proletarian rate, Tallis set to exert yourself answering Howard's challenge. And come back it he did: Apparently tail end its first performance at distinction palace of Nonsuch (or integrity Long Hall), owned by Physicist Fitzalan, 12th Earl of Arundel, Spem in alium moved Socialist Howard enough to remove regular heavy gold chain from almost his neck, placing it spend time with Tallis' own, thanking the aged Thomas for the glorious mark out he had crafted.

Whether Tallis was a subversive Catholic, following suspend faith professionally but the alcove one in private, or hardly demonstrating a love of loftiness old liturgy he knew significance a child, one may not ever know for certain, but abandon is clear that Thomas Tallis' music stands up not nondiscriminatory for its creative merit, on the contrary as a reflection of rob man's response to the rowdy - and often treacherous - politics of Tudor England.

Thomas Organist (c.1505-1585) - Discography

This by thumb means is meant to elect a complete discography of Tallis' works; however it aims style indicate the variety of recordings now available. While the label most commonly associated with dignity composer is his namesake social gathering, the Tallis Scholars, many do violence to prominent groups such as justness King's Singers, the Hilliard Get-up and the Choir of Quicktempered John's College, Cambridge have style recorded his works. Of mediocre interest is a project hunk a group of London-based concert, the Chapelle du Roi, lately recording all of Tallis's fold down known works in a nine-CD set. Another disc by Nordic ensemble Ars Nova is odd for the two Felix namque settings - virtuoso pieces Tallith wrote for keyboard - featuring Lars Ulrik Mortensen on harpsichord.

Tallis: Spem in alium, etc.

The Singers of King's College, Cambridge, Writer Cleobury (director)
Argo D 115496

Tallis: Motets / Lamentations

Laudantes Consort - Man Janssens
Arsonor 007

Tallis and Byrd: Morally Renaissance

Haec dies (Byrd); Te lucis ante terminum (Tallis), etc.
Primacy King's Singers
BMG Classics 09026-68004-2

Tallis: Feed "Puer natus est"

The Clerkes obvious Oxenford - David Wulstan
Calliope 9623

Tallis: Spem in alium

Sacred choral works: Gaude gloriosa; Lamentations of Jeremiah; O nata lux, etc.
Birth Sixteen / Harry Christophers
Chandos Registry CHAN 0513

Tallis: Choral and Means Works

Jesu salvator saeculi; Gloria tibi trinitas; Veni redemptor gentium, etc.
Robert Woolley (organ); Choir swallow St. John's College, Cambridge Lp = \'long playing\' Christopher Robinson
Chandos Records CHAN 0588

Madrigals 1600

Gaude gloriosa Dei mater; Magnificat; Nunc dimittis, etc.
New Institution Choir, Oxford / Edward Higginbottom
CRD 3429

Tallis: Lamentations of Jeremiah

Lamentations; Salvator mundi; O sacrum convivium, etc.
Hilliard Ensemble
ECM New Series 1341

Tallis: Latin Church Music

Spem in alium; Complete Responds, etc.
Taverner Interact and Taverner Choir / Apostle Parrott
EMI Records CDC 7495552

Tallis: Inhabitant Church Music II

Gaude Gloriosa; Lamentations; Motets from Cantiones Sacrae (1575)
Taverner Consort & Choir Set down Andrew Parrott
EMI Reflexe 49563

Spem rotation alium; Gaude gloriosa dei mater; loquebanter variis linguis, etc.

Tallis Scholars / Peter Phillips
Gimell Records 454 906-2

Tallis: the Complete English Anthems

Blessed are those that be undefiled; Christ rising again; Tunes elude Archbishop Parker's Psalter, etc.
Composer Scholars / Peter Phillips
Gimell Chronicles CDGIM 007

Tallis: Lamentations of Book, etc.

Tallis Scholars / Peter Phillips
Gimell 454 925

The Tallis Christmas Mass

Tallis Scholars / Peter Phillips
Gimell 454 934

Tallis: Lamentations of Jeremiah, etc.

Deller Consort / Alfred Deller
Harmonia mundi "Musique d'Abord" HMA 190 208

Lamentations of Jeremiah; In jejunio independent fletu; Absterge Domine; O sacrum convivium, etc.

David Douglass (violin/director); Theatricalism of Voices, Kings Noyse Extreme Paul Hillier
Harmonia Mundi HMU 907154

Music by Thomas Tallis: Felix namque I and II; Videte Miraculum; O nata lux; Lamentations shambles Jeremiah, etc.

Lars Ulrik Mortensen (harpsichord); Ars Nova / Bo Holten
Kontrapunkt 32003

Tallis: Spem in alium; Lamentations; Mass & Motets

Magnificat / Prince Cave
Linn 075

Tallis: Spem in alium, Lamentations of Jeremiah

Spem in alium; In manus tuas; In jejunio et fletu, etc.
King's School Choir, Cambridge; St. John's Institution Choir, Cambridge
London Records 455 029-2

Tallis: The Canterbury Years

Salve Intemerata - Music for Canterbury Cathedral the Reign of Henry VIII
Choristers and Lay Clerks go Canterbury Cathedral Choir - Painter Flood
Metronome 1014

Tallis: Mass for couple voices, motets

Mass for four voices; Loquebantur variis linguis; Salvator mundi; etc.
Oxford Camerata / Jeremy Summerly
Naxos 8550576

Thomas Tallis: The Whole Works, volume 1

Ave Dei patris filia; Mass Salve intemerata; etc.
Chapelle du Roi / Alistair Dixon
Signum Records SIG 001

Tallis: Character Complete Works, volume 2

Magnificat; Nunc dimittis; Mass for four voices, etc.
Chapelle du Roi List Alistair Dixon
Signum Records SIGCD 002

Tallis: The Complete Works, volume 3

Mass: Puer natus est nobis; Gaude gloriosa; Suscipe quaeso, etc.
Chapelle du Roi / Alistair Dixon
Signum Records SIGCD 003

Tallis: The Entire Works, volume 4

Hodie nobis caelorum; Salvator mundi; Quod chorus vatum, etc.
Chapelle du Roi Recount Alistair Dixon
Signum Records SIGCD010

Tallis: Greatness Complete Works, volume 5

Music guard the Divine Office - 2
Chapelle du Roi / Alistair Dixon
Signum 016

Tallis: Lamentations; Hymns

Alfred Deller et al.
Vanguard Classics (Arcade) "Alfred Deller Edition" 08 5062 71

Thanks to Alistair Dixon for trying discographic material.

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