Tallis: O sacrum convivium

Under the direction of Kerry Beaumont, the choirs at Coventry Cathedral have made several television broadcasts. On this CD they perform a wide-ranging repertoire, including works by Tallis, Byrd, Stanford, Dyson Dove and Beaumont.

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.

The Choir of St George's Chapel,Windsor Castle offers a sumptuous programme of jewels from the anthem tradition whose repertoire spans five centuries. Under the luminous direction of Timothy Byram-Wigfield, and in the luxurious resonance of St George's Chapel, the choir resounds with exhilarating energy.

This recording is dedicated to all those who lost their lives on 11 September, 2001.The proceeds from this track will be donated to the British Memorial Garden Trust Inc. www.britishmemorialgarden.org

Thomas Tallis served four English monarchs during his long life. A Catholic, he survived the tumultuous religious and political upheavals and persecutions of Edward VI and Mary I. He adapted to the demands of the new reformed church, the Church of England under Henry VIII, self appointed ‘Defender of the Faith’. Under Elizabeth I a more tolerant approach to religion emerged – even the ever-present threat of invasion by Catholic Spain did not deter the Queen from allowing her subjects freedom of worship and expression. Elizabeth’s tolerance may have been dueto the fact that she herself was raised as a Catholic, and it is possible that she missed the pomp and ceremony of the Mass compared to the plain and simple Protestant services of her father’s new Church. Tallis had seen most of the old choirs of the monasteries disbanded, and the music destroyed in the dissolution.

He had learned his trade in this world, and to younger colleagues such as William Byrd he must have appeared as if from a bygone age. However, the great survivor was also very open to new compositional techniques from the continent. He adapted many of his Latin settings for the new Church – this practice called ‘contrafactum’ saw many older works given new life. This extended to his masterwork, the huge 40-part motet Spem in alium (which opens this CD) from 1573. Possibly written to celebrate Elizabeth’s 40th anniversary on the throne, it reappeared as Sing and glorify heaven’s high majesty, in which form it was used in 1616 at the investiture of the future Charles I as Prince of Wales.

Though he lived through some of the most tumultuous times in English history, from the reigns of Henry VII to Elizabeth I, Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585) composed music for both the Catholic and Anglican churches that resounds the world over to this day.

Whether singing the monumental splendour of his famous 40-part motet Spem in alium or the intimate prayer I call and cry to thee, O Lord, the internationally renowned Oxford Camerata conducted by Jeremy Summerly are perfectly attuned to Tallis’s timeless genius.