Whatever the truth, spem is alium is one of the treasures of elizabethan english music. Gimell thomas tallis spem in alium the tallis scholars. Tallis chose an uncommon sarum rite text from the book of judith. Spem is a bit different a motet, unless i am mistaken. Spem in alium winchester cathedral choir, david hill on allmusic 1990. This recording of spem in alium was featured in the bbc radio 4 programme soul music. The strictly catholic tallis may have written spem to honour the catholic queen mary, in defiance of the protestant queen elizabeth. Spem in alium spem in alium numquam habui praeter in te deus israel qui irasceris et propitius eris et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis. Collins described it in 1929 as tallis s crowning achievement, along with his lamentations. 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. With eight choirs of five voices, spem in alium often comes. Spem in alium nunquam habui praeter in te deus israel qu read more. Spem in alium nunquam habui a 40 tallis, thomas imslp. If the choirs are arranged in circular fashion sequentially by number, then the music rotates through the opening points of imitation on spem in alium nunquam habui choirs i to iv and pr.
Buy tallis spem in alium by the sixteen, orlando gibbons, thomas tallis, thomas tomkins, william byrd, harry christophers from amazons classical music store. 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. Linda ryan is a comentor for two education for ministry groups, an avid reader, lover of baroque and renaissance music, and semiretired. 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.
Monteverdi vespers, bach magnificat, tippett a child of our time. Spem in alium thomas tallis sopranos spem in a spem in spem in and a. Spem in alium nunquam habui a 40 tallis, thomas movementssections movtssecs. The other thing is that it needs the choir arranged in a particular way.
This is quite the best performance of talliss 40part spem in alium that i have heard. Tallis festival weekends usually include thomas talliss 40part motet, spem in alium nunquam habui and a largescale choral work often with orchestra, for example. Notes fortypart motets from the sixteenth century are an exceedingly rare species. It is considered by some critics to be the greatest piece of english early music.
Spem in alium tallis scholars peter phillips gimell 158506 lp gimell 1585t06 cass. Spem in alium thomas tallis tallis scholars youtube. Spem in alium by thomas tallis 15051585 vocal score. 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. Fifty shades of grey sends sales of thomas talliss spem. Never before has spem in alium, talliss great 40part motet, so closely resembled the last judgement as it does in this vast and. One of his most celebrated pieces of choral music was spem. Spem in alium doesnt record well either, there is something about it that means to get the full effect, you need to listen live.
I have listened to a broad range of renaissance choral music, mostly delving into the various masses. This is the original release of the tallis scholars acclaimed recording of talliss monumental 40part motet. The effect of the slowly moving harmonies is enhanced by a well. 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, a song by the tallis scholars, peter phillips on spotify. Spem in alium nunquam habui choral public domain library. Spem in alium sheet music download free in pdf or midi. This is an excellent recording with good transparency and spacial structuring. Spem in alium nunquam habui motet by tallis britannica. Tallis, t spem in alium missa salve intemerata oxford. Tribute to thomas tallis british composer thomas tallis was born 500 years ago.
Tallis, t spem in alium missa salve intemerata oxford camerata, summerly by thomas tallis. Spem in alium tallis from cda66400 hyperion records mp3. A piece of this scale and complexity posed challenges in terms of voice leading and. In july 1561 cardinal ippolito deste was ceremonially welcomed to florence, probably the o. All the works on this cd are also available on the speciallypriced double album the tallis scholars sing thomas tallis. We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. 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. 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. Domine deus, creator coeli et terrae, respice humilitatem nostram.
Spem in alium score, found at via wikimedia commons. What i like most about it is the clarity that has been achieved by summerly, the oxford camerata, and the recording engineers. The epic 40 part motet by renowned tudor composer, thomas tallis, rewritten for two five part choirs and. Rehersal files for spem in alium nuncuam habui by thomas tallis thomas tallis spem in alium is composed for 40 voices grouped as 8 quintets ensembles with s,m,a,t,b. Spem in alium nunquam habui a motet for 40 voices by thomas tallis c.
Striggios work is great, too, but there is something utterly transcendental about talliss masterpiece. Watch the video for spem in alium from thomas tallis s discover early music for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. 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. Sung by a constellation of singers, many of them familiar names from other wellestablished choral groups, it is a gripping realisation. The 40 voices in this piece are divided into eight choirs of five voices each. 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. Find classical music concert listings spem in alium by. 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. Spem in alium, a 40 fortypart motet by elizabethan composer thomas tallis c. For efficient rehersal, certain files are required. Spem in alium is a 40part renaissance motet by thomas tallis, composed in c. Spem in alium is probably one of the greatest musical compositions in human history.
In this video, the notes for each choir have a different color, a different size, and a different depth, with the. Spem in alium is a forty part motet composed by englishman, thomas tallis c. Collins described it in 1929 as talliss crowning achievement, along with. Lyrics spem in alium nunquam habui praeter in te, deus israel qui irasceris et propitius eris et omnia peccata hominum. Spem in alium latin for hope in any other is a 40part renaissance motet by thomas tallis, composed in c. The fact that the founder and director of the womens choir luna from mainz has developed a special interest in the pure sound of a female choir, is proven by his sacred choral work spem in alium for a cappella womens choir ssaa which is well worth listening to. And that composer, thomas tallis, presented england with spem in alium. Bbc recording from the proms 2007 alessandro striggio. Spem in alium for 40 voices tallis scholars bbc singers peter phillips cond. 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. This paper is an analysis of thomas tallis 40voice motet spem in alium.