Tallis: Dum transisset sabbatum

‘The Glory of New College’ is a delightful collection compiled from the extensive catalogue of superb recordings on the CRD label. New College are acknowledged to be one of the best choirs in the world and they are directed here by Edward Higginbottom. Spanning the centuries, the set contains works by Taverner (Mater Christi), Byrd (Gloria), Tallis (Dum Transisset), Purcell (Rejoice in the Lord Alway), Boyce (By the Waters of Babylon), Stanford (The Lord is my shepherd), Faure (Sanctus & Pie Jesu) and many more.

Over two hours of music to soothe the soul.

More than half Tallis’ life was spent as a musician at the English Chapel Royal. During his time in royal service, four different monarchs sat on the throne, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Queen Mary I and Elizabeth I. The performers here have aimed for the intimate atmosphere of a chamber performance of the works generally with one voice to a part.

In 1575 'Thomas 'Tallis then an 'aged man', and his pupil and friend William Byrd, who was in his mid to late 30s, paid tribute to Elizabeth 1 by selecting 17 motets each for their Cantiones Sacrae ('Sacred Songs'), the first major printed collection of music to be published in England.

Many of these works have since become staple in the repertoire of church and chamber choirs throughout the world.

This is the first recording to present the Cantiones in their entirety, by the same group of singers, and in the composers' original order of publication.

Booklet essay, sung texts & translations

Recording made in 1989

Thomas Tallis (c1505-85) lived through one of the most turbulent and dangerous periods in English history. Entering in to the service of Waltham Abbey in 1538 his employment looked secure, writing masses and music for the many religious festivals and services. Henry VIII’s simmering row with Rome over his divorce from Queen Katherine so he could marry Anne Boleyn finally boiled over, and in 1540 Waltham Abbey was ‘taken down’. The break with Rome, the dissolution of the monasteries meant that Tallis was out of work. He received severance pay, and with these funds purchased a quantity of musical manuscripts and a technical manual on polyphonic music. Armed with the knowledge from these materials, he obtained his next job as a member of Henry VIII’s Chapel Royal. Here Tallis weaved a dangerous path over the shifting sands of political intrigue and religious persecutions to serve not only Henry, but Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I.

It is for the Anglican Church under Elizabeth that he made his greatest contribution to English music. If the Queen knew of his Catholic leanings, she was untroubled – in fact she was by all accounts far more tolerant of such things than either her Protestant brother Edward VI or her rabidly anti-Protestant Catholic sister ‘Bloody’ Mary. Tallis’s masterpiece, the 40 part motet Spem in alium was commissioned by Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. It was intended to surpass a work for 40 voices by Alessando Striggio, which is does with ease. By way of a footnote, Howard was executed in 1572 for his involvement in a catholic plot to assassinate Elizabeth.

‘This is King’s College Choir at its most typical: assured, technically precise, with a marvellously professional attention to detail, but quite unfussed; a precision which simply lets the music speak for itself, in the characteristic acoustic of the great perpendicular chapel. In the two Lamentations settings one has the rare chance of hearing the men alone – a fine rich sound. Their calm restraint is admirable, the balance of the voices impeccable and there is some remarkable phrasing’ Gramophone, December 1990