It was written for eight choirs with five voices each. The kings singershave combined one of the greatest vocal compositions of all time with modern recording technology and customary style to produce a truly stunning recording of thomas tallis spem in alium. Spem in alium thomas tallis tallis scholars youtube. It is considered by some critics to be the greatest piece of english early music. The tallis scholars 1985 recording of spem in alium has outsold even the tenor luciano pavarotti to reach the number one slot. I have a number of recordings of thomas tallis spem in alium, but this is easily my favorite, standing above the tallis scholars and pro cantione antiqua. Spem in alium is surely not just the greatest of all thomas talliss musical achievements, but one of the great musical compositions of all time. Classical, choral, renaissance the tallis scholars sing. Spem in alium has been listed as a level5 vital article in an unknown topic. Tallis chose an uncommon sarum rite text from the book of judith.
What spem in alium does for me is to make me feel calm, reverent, transcendent, and happy. Thomas tallis 40voice motet spem in alium scored for eight fivepart choirs was composed some 400 years before the modern age of recordings, and perhaps its a work thats best left for the experience of live performance. After a short interjection from choirs iii and iv which functions antiphonally as decani to the cantoris of choirs vii and viii tallis completes the circle with. The strictly catholic tallis may have written spem to honour the catholic queen mary, in defiance of the protestant queen elizabeth. Latin for hope in another, the incipit of a medieval sarum rite responsory from the vulgate book of judith, spem in alium is widely considered talliss greatest work. It turns out that christian grey, fifty shades of greys super. An animated, graphical representation of thomas tallis spem in alium. Striggios work is great, too, but there is something utterly transcendental about talliss masterpiece. An animated, graphical representation of thomas tallis. A transparent voicing on tonic c major precedes the second caesura, whose yawning gap gives onto alien sonority. The lamentations of jeremiah, an album by thomas tallis, choir of kings college, cambridge, stephen cleobury on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and.
The piece opens with choir 1 on the left and moves through each choir in order down to choir 8 on the right. The lamentations of jeremiah, an album by thomas tallis, choir of kings college, cambridge, stephen cleobury on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Spem in alium nunquam habui anonymous imslppetrucci. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. An animated, graphical representation of thomas tallis spem. Buy the tallis scholars sing thomas tallis spem in alium by tallis scholars, thomas tallis, peter phillips from amazons classical music store. Thomas tallis spem in alium this is the original release of the tallis scholars acclaimed recording of talliss monumental 40part motet. All the works on this cd are also available on the speciallypriced double album the tallis scholars sing thomas tallis.
Jan 05, 2006 listen to your favorite songs from thomas tallis. I feel my soul lifting as the music increases in volume and complexity, until it feels like. Today the response appears in the divine office of the latin rite in the office of readings formerly called matins following the first lesson on tuesday of the 29th week of the year. Talliss forty voiced motet is a british answer to alessandro striggios ecce beatum lucem which was also a 40 voci. Spem in alium tallis from cdgim006 hyperion records.
This is a unique opportunity to hear every part in spem sung and recorded to perfection, with the six kings singers dividing the forty parts of spem in alium between them. Wikiproject classical music this article is within the scope of wikiproject classical music, which. Except for the unplanned visit to london in june 1567 by the mantuan gentleman, diplomat and composer alessandro striggio senior, who came bringing performance. The epic 40 part motet by renowned tudor composer, thomas tallis, rewritten for two five part choirs and mezzosoprano, so almost any choir can now perform this legendary piece. The medieval en renaissance music used on showtime original series the tudors. Fifty shades of grey sends sales of thomas talliss spem. Spem in alium as featured in fifty shades of grey the. Johnathackney in london virgin veritas 7243 5 62230 2 8, 2 cds, combined with other latin motets by tallis among them the lamentations of jeremiah the performance. After a short interjection from choirs iii and iv which functions antiphonally as decani to the cantoris of choirs vii and viii tallis completes the circle with the entry of the final bass voice. Spem in alium latin for hope in any other is a 40part renaissance motet by thomas tallis, composed in c. Thomas tallis, spem in allium motet for forty voices.
At the time there was competition between english and continental music publishers. Jun 11, 2005 tallis spem in alium and other works oxford cameratasummerly naxos 8. Watch the video for spem in alium from thomas talliss discover early music for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Collins described it in 1929 as talliss crowning achievement, along with his lamentations. Spem in alium nunquam habui choral public domain library. Download torrent tallis scholars fast and easy torrent. But even though we know the approximate when of spem in alium, were still unsure as to the why. I feel like such a luddite or i expect so little from reddit that i misread that as sperm in alium, and was trying to work out the reasoning. Spem in alium winchester cathedral choir, david hill on allmusic 1990. This is an excellent recording with good transparency and spacial structuring. Jul 16, 2012 the tallis scholars 1985 recording of spem in alium has outsold even the tenor luciano pavarotti to reach the number one slot. Spem in alium was composed during the reign of elizabeth i, probably in 1570. Spem in alium is written for eight choirs of five voices arranged in an satbarb lineup.
Spem in alium is widely regarded as talliss finest achievement, if not one of the greatest compositions of all time. The motet is experimentally syncretic in structure and style. Cd9 and cd10 contain talliss instrumental music, primarily on lute and harmonium, with some vocal airs. One of his most celebrated pieces of choral music was spem in alium, a motet he wrote to be sung by eight five. Fifty shades of grey sends sales of thomas talliss spem in. And that composer, thomas tallis, presented england with spem in alium. This recording is a great deal more transparent than david hills performance, with the singers probably placed in a more or less circular arrangement. Thomas tallis spem in alium magnificat 2004, flac 2496. I have listened to a broad range of renaissance choral music, mostly delving into the various masses. Spem in alium nunquam habui motet by tallis britannica. This complex work has received some outstanding recordings, with the five selected here representing a worthy and everincreasing catalogue. Tallis was well practised in the elizabethan art of diplomacy, and to a cultured and musicloving queen a perfectly crafted 40 part motet would have been a most acceptable. Thomas tallis spem in alium magnificat 2004, flac 24.
Tallis spem in alium and other works oxford cameratasummerly naxos 8. Classical, choral, renaissance the tallis scholars sing thomas tallis spem in alium. Hope in any other have i none or in no other is my hope motet short musical setting of a sacred text by english composer thomas tallis, noted for its complex use of counterpoint in a composition for 40 voices. Spem in alium is adapted from the apocryphal book of judith, chapter 9, entitled the prayer of judith, and is part of the daily readings in the sarum rite.
I love a lot of these choral works, but in addition to spem, the other work that has stood out to me is misereri from allegri. The duke of norfolk issued a challenge to english musicians to better the italian effort and the result was spem in alium by thomas tallis. Clearly spem in alium is an occasional piece, presumably written for a great state occasion, and perhaps the most likely was the fortieth birthday of queen elizabeth in 1573. The rediscovery of the mass by davitt moroney and his researches have confirmed most of the salient details of this story, in particular verifying the account of one thomas wateridge, a law student at the temple. How to buy spem in alium by thomas tallis classic fm. Janet cardiff the forty part motet a reworking of spem in alium, by thomas tallis 1556 2001 not on view when cardiff first heard a recording of thomas talliss ambitious sixteenthcentury choral composition spem in alium nunquam habui in no other is my hope in 1998, she envisioned the possibility of hearing each voice in isolation. Spem in alium is a forty part motet composed by englishman, thomas tallis c.
Whatever the truth, spem is alium is one of the treasures of elizabethan english music. To the internet archive community, time is running out. It is a 10minute panorama of shifting tone colours. Sep 11, 2005 tribute to thomas tallis british composer thomas tallis was born 500 years ago. Music used on the tudors s02e10 spem in alium youtube. Thomas tallis spem in alium magnificat 2004, flac 2496 01. Spem in alium nunquam habui praeter in te, deus israel qui irasceris et propitius eris et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis domine deus creator caeli et terrae respice humilitatem. Find classical music concert listings spem in alium by. Written for 40 independent voices, this is a noble and monumental edifice, which in the course of its 69 longs makes creative and imaginative use of the extensive musical palette. Spem in alium sheet music download free in pdf or midi.
Tribute to thomas tallis british composer thomas tallis was born 500 years ago. The tallis scholars sing thomas tallis spem in alium. Spem in alium nunquam habui a motet for 40 voices by thomas tallis c. Agnus dei directed by philip cave a simply spectacular performance which earned the recording a gramophone editors choice plaudit. Sep 25, 2011 the medieval en renaissance music used on showtime original series the tudors. It is scored for 40 individual voices, divided into eight choirs of five voices each. With eight choirs of five voices, spem in alium often comes. Spem in alium is probably one of the greatest musical compositions in human history. Judes in hampstead a purely vocal performance, involving 40 solo voices.
Thomas tallis, spem in allium motet for forty voiceshuelgas ensemble. An animated, graphical representation of thomas tallis spem in alium close. Spem in alium nunquam habui praeter in te deus israel qu read more. Spem is a bit different a motet, unless i am mistaken. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Gimell thomas tallis spem in alium the tallis scholars. On 24th november 2012 we brought together 98 singers and four choral directors for our most ambitious project to date. Following this first hiatus, spem in alium adopts a distinctly homophonic and antiphonal style. What i like most about it is the clarity that has been achieved by summerly, the oxford camerata, and the recording engineers. This is a unique opportunity to hear every part in spem sung and recorded to perfection, with the six kings singers dividing the forty parts of spem in alium between them, in this multi. Tallis spem in alium has a mammoth 40 melodic lines.
Jul 07, 2018 spem in alium is adapted from the apocryphal book of judith, chapter 9, entitled the prayer of judith, and is part of the daily readings in the sarum rite. Another version says that tallis wrote the 40 part motet for the 40th birthday of queen elizabeth i in 1573. The piece opens with choir 1 on the left and moves through each. Some of talliss latin settings almost equal the great palestrina, such as spem in alium for forty individual voices, which is perhaps the most familiar of talliss works. Its a fortypart motet performed by eight choirs of five members each which means that you need 40 frigging people singing 40 totally different lines of music. In queen elizabeths time yere was a songe sent into england.
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