Glorify

Glorify

ASIN: B0002ABSBS

Track Listings

1. River of Life

2. You'll Never Walk Alone

3. In the Shelter of His Arms

4. Lead Me to Cavalry

5. Angels Must Have Cried

6. Day of Rejoicing

7. I Asked the Lord

8. Each Step I Take

9. Without God

10. Hide Thou Me

11. It's Different Now

12. I Know My Savior Is There

13. Unworthy of His Love

14. Time Has Made a Change in Me

15. Wonderful Saviour

16. When I Lay My Burdens Down

Tracks:

Miserere
Stabat Mater
Spem In alium
Sancte Deus
Ave verum corpus
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Gloria in excelsis deo
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Et in terra pax
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Laudamus te
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Gratias agimus tibi
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Propter magnam gloriam
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Domine Deus
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Domine Fili unigenite
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Domine Deus, Agnus Dei
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Qui tollis peccata mundi
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Qui sedes
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Quoniam tu solus Sanctus
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Cum Sancto Spiritu

Tracks:

This Is The Record Of John
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: Jesu, Priceless Treasure
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorus: So There Is Now No Condemnation
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: In Thine Arm I Rest Me
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Trio: Thus Then, The Law Of The Spirit Of Life In Christ Abiding
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorus: Death, I Do Not Fear Thee
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorus: Ye Are Not Of The Flesh
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: Hence With Earthly Treasure
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Trio: If Therefore Christ Abide In You
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: Fare Thee Weel That Errest
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorus: If By His Spirit
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: Hence All Fears And Sadness
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Zadok The Priest
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: My Heart Is Inditing
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Kings' Daughters
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Upon They Right Hand
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Kings Shall Be Thy Nursing Fathers
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Let Justice And Judgement
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Alleluia
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: The King Shall Rejoice
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Exceeding Glad Shall He Be
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Glory And Great Worship... Thou Hast Prevented Him
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Alleluia

Average customer rating:

The Tallis Scholars do their namesake proud

The Tallis Scholars Sing Thomas Tallis

Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tallis: Spem in Alium

ASIN: B00026W65E
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Spem In Alium
Sancte Deus
Salvator Mundi, Salva Nos I
Salvator Mundi, Salva Nos II
Gaude Gloriosa
Miserere Nostri
Loquebantur Variis Linguis
If Ye Love Me
Hear The Voice And Prayer
A New Commandment
O Lord, Give Thy Holy Spirit
Purge Me, O Lord
Verily, Verily I Say Unto You
Remember Not, O Lord God
Tunes For Archbishop Parker's Psalter
O Lord, In Thee Is All My Trust
Christ Rising Again
Blessed Are Those That Be Undefiled

Tracks:

Lamentations Of Jeremiah I
Lamentations Of Jeremiah II
Absterge Domine
O Sacrum Convivium
In Manus Tuas
Salve Intemerata
Magnificat For 4 Voices
Ave, Dei Patris Filia

Customer Reviews:

The Tallis Scholars do their namesake proud.......2006-07-27

In the last couple of years, the Tallis Scholars have been compiling their sizeable recording output into attractive two-disc editions. Here, they've collected a large number of their interpretations of their namesake, Thomas Tallis. Tallis (c. 1505-1585) is, of course, one of the giants of Renaissance music, and he was certainly the greatest English composer of liturgical music between John Dunstable and William Byrd. I personally consider him the second-greatest Renaissance composer after Palestrina, but I'm not dogmatic about it. I love the music of Josquin, Victoria, and Byrd almost as much. Let's just say that, if you're interested in immersing yourself in the work of a single Renaissance composer, you can't do much better than Tallis.

These recordings were made 1985-1998, and they all sound great. Included in this collection are most of Tallis best and best-known works: the two Lamentations of Jeremiah, O Sacrum Convivium, Gaude Gloriosa, Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter (which contains the theme that inspired Ralph Vaughan Williams' famous Fantasia), and the incredible 40-part motet Spem In Alium (which is one of the supreme masterpieces of the 16th century). Unfortunately, there are some notable absences, such as the Tallis Scholars' own recording of O Nata Lux. The Mass for 4 Voices, certainly one of Tallis' major works, is also nowhere to be found. Of course, there's only so much music that will fit onto two CDs, but it's still a shame that they couldn't fit at least one of Tallis' masses. Nevertheless, the music that's here is beautiful and powerful.

The Tallis Scholars themselves need no introduction. They're one of the most famous groups specializing in Renaissance music. It needs to be said, however, that if you're looking for "authentic" recordings (that is, recordings that approximate what the music originally sounded like in the 16th century), you might want to look elsewhere. The Tallis Scholars use female singers instead of boys or (ahem!) castrati (though it's doubtful that Tallis would have used or written for castrati himself). And one could complain that these recordings use too many singers for some of the smaller pieces or that the sopranos overpower some of the larger ones (like Spem In Alium). I'm neither an enthusiast nor an opponent of the authentic-performance movement; since we're listening to recorded music anyway, these issues strike me as moot. The Tallis Scholars are experienced and accomplished singers, and they achieve their primary goal: to provide superlative-sounding recordings of important early choral compositions. If you're looking for a fine compilation of Tallis' music or an excellent introduction to Renaissance music, this is it.

Average customer rating:

another winner from Naxos
awesome value -- 5+ stars

Discover Early Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The World of Early Music

ASIN: B000B6N6BI
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

Antiphona Post Evangelium - In Dulci Jubilo
Versus Alleluiatici: Adorabo - Nova Schola Gregoriana
Ordo Virtutum: Procession - Oxford Camerata
Viderunt Omnes - Tonus Peregrinus
Fines Terre Salutare Dei Nostri Jubilate Deo Omnis Terra (Plainchant) - Tonus Peregrinus
Notum Fecit - Tonus Peregrinus
Dominus - Tonus Peregrinus
Salutare Suum Ante Conspectum Gentium Revelavit - Tonus Peregrinus
Justitiam Suam (Plainchant) - Tonus Peregrinus
Gaudete Christus Est Natus - Oxford Camerata
Cantiga De Santa Maria - Michael Posch
Exiit Diluculo - Unicorn Ensemble
Humils Forfaitz - Michael Posch
Adieu Ces Bons Vins De Lannoys - Michael Posch
Non Avra Ma'Pieta Questa Mia Donna - Michael Posch
Non Ara May Pieta Questa Mia Dona - Michael Posch
Veni Creator - Tonus Peregrinus
D'Ung Aultre Amer - Capilla Flamenca
Alleluya - Capilla Flamenca
El Grillo - Shirley Rumsey
El Grillo - Capilla Flamenca
Missa 'La Sol Fa Re Mi': Kyrie - Capilla Flamenca
Le Chant Des Oiseaux - The Scholars Of London
Passe & Medio/Den Iersten Gaillarde - Capilla Flamenca
Den III Ronde, Den VI Ronde-Les Quatre Branles - Convivium Musicum Gothenburgense
Gaillarde I, II, III - Convivium Musicum Gothenburgense

Tracks:

In Nomine - Rose Consort Of Viols
In Nomine No.20 - Rose Consort Of Viols
Spem In Alium - Oxford Camerata
Sanctus - Oxford Camerata
Du Fond De Ma Pensee - Christine Morel
The King Of Denmark's Galiard - Rose Consort Of Viols
Flow, My Tears - Dorothy Linell
Greiner Zancker - Ensemble Villanella
Stat ('Tsaat) Ein Meskin - Ensemble Villanella
Tiento - Shirley Rumsey
Tribulationem Et Dolorem - Oxford Camerata
Lagrime Di San Pietro: 'Il Magnanimo Pietro' - Bo Holten
Missa 'Susanne Un Jour': Kyrie - Oxford Camerata
Beau Le Crystal - The Scholars Of London
Missa 'O Magnum Mysterium': O Magnum Mysterium - Oxford Camerata
Missa 'Papae Marcelli': Kyrie - Oxford Camerata

Customer Reviews:

another winner from Naxos.......2007-02-21

This is another winning compilation from Naxos. My only comment is to provide a heads-up regarding the track list in the booklet. CD 1 puts the Leonin "Viderunt Omnes" on six tracks, while the booklet leaves room for only one. Thus, add five to booklet tracks five through 21 for CD1 to get them to match. (I.e., where the booklet says tracks 15 and 16 are two versions of Josquin's "El Grillo," your CD player will show them to be tracks 20 and 21.) With luck this will be corrected in later printings.

Also, I would have liked the booklet to include the words, but perhaps that is an inducement to get particular CDs from Naxos.

As for the music itself--breadth of selection, musicianship, sound quality, all are excellent. A great collection!

awesome value -- 5+ stars.......2006-07-15

I'm really enthusiastic about these CDs and booklet. I've had it for a few weeks now, in which I've explored Medieval and Renaissance music much more deeply than this little book and CD set. Yet I'm very glad I started with these.

The selection of composers gives an excellent, broad sweep across several centuries.

But the booklet contains one of the most informative essays I've found about early music, and I've spent a few dozen dollars buying books. If the booklet were separated from the CDs, it alone would be worth more than $10.

In short, if you're interested in exploring early music, this really is one of the best places to start; the best place that I know of. I'm sure, at any rate, that you can't beat the value.

Average customer rating:

Kronos Quartet Black Angels
An excellent idea...not the best performances though
Ups and downs
Not for everybody
scary stuff

Black Angels
George Crumb , Thomas Tallis , Istvan Marta , Charles Ives , Dmitry Shostakovich , Hank Dutt , David Harrington , Joan Jeanrenaud , John Sherba , and Kronos Quartet
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005J0D
Release Date: 1990-06-21

Tracks:

Black Angels: I. Departure
Black Angels: II. Absence
Black Angels: III. Return
Spem In Alium (Sing And Glorify)
Doom. A Sigh
They Are There!
Quartet No. 8: I. Largo
Quartet No. 8: II. Allegro Molto
Quartet No. 8: III. Allegretto
Quartet No. 8: IV. Largo
Quartet No. 8: V. Largo

Amazon.com essential recording

The title to Kronos's most bleak album comes from a nearly 20- minute-long composition by American composer George Crumb that unfolds over 13 distinct parts. That ominous number only hints at the horror Crumb intended as an ode to the Vietnam War. War informs the whole CD: Shostakovich's Quartet No. 8, composed near the height of the Cold War, in 1960, was dedicated "to the victims of fascism and war." "Doom. A Sigh," by Istvan Marta, incorporates field recordings of two Romanian women singing personal laments of fallen friends and relatives; their grief is so intense as to render listening incredibly difficult. The original text to 16th-century composer Thomas Tallis's "Spem in Alium" (originally a 40-voice motet) recalled a biblical battle. And late American composer Charles Ives is heard singing (yes, singing) "They Are There!"--a ditty he wrote during the Great War and revisited for World War II; he's joined here by the Kronos, half a century after his death, in an act of studio magic that is ingenious if not musically stimulating. --Marc Weidenbaum

Customer Reviews:

Kronos Quartet Black Angels.......2007-05-17

This is music to think by as it engages the intellect.

Black Angels has a menace which invites ideas and images into your mind.It will make you a little uncomfortable, but it will remain within you.

Doom.A Sigh has a remarkarble story behind it and invokes an emotional response because the recorded voices carry echoes of something lost. It works a strange magic,drawing you in and giving a glimpse of a forgotten world that perhaps still exists within all of us, somewhere.

The Shostakovich quartet ends this CD as Black Angels began it,completing a cycle, and you will be brought back to the point at which you started your journey but with a sense of something profound having occurred.

This is a CD that will become part of who you are and the only question you need ask yourself is, are you brave enough to listen?

An excellent idea...not the best performances though.......2007-04-04

Kronos' selections are excellent, if a bit eccentric, although I am less excited by the Tallis and Ives...arrangements. How well the main pieces are done is another matter, one being decent, the other somewhat lacking.

Black Angels is a very exciting piece, as well as dark and disturbing. However I've played it, so it doesn't disturb me as much. Kronos is a bit fast sometimes, which can be a slight problem since the numerology is highly significant in this work. Pulling this piece off is not easy, as I can attest to. They do pretty well with it, but there is some "cheating" going on, as the DVD version reveals.

One of the most interesting effects in the piece is the "consort of viols" sections, images 6 and 8, which are trios in which each player plays behind his/her left hand--basically turning the whole technique of bowing and fingering upside down. This is difficult to do, however it is not actually very hard if you practice it for a few minutes. I find it strange that Kronos actually does away with this amazing effect and plays it with normal technique using heavy practice mutes--no big deal for most listeners, but it does alter the sound. So, Kronos doesn't stick to the score completely.

Anyway, the Shostakovich is the performance that is lacking. I like the Fitzwilliam cycle best, and their 8th is excellent, so you might get that one. If you don't mind the odd noises and variable sound the Borodin cycle is good too, but it is harder and harder to find, which is very sad indeed.

Ups and downs.......2007-01-29

I'm amazed that not one of the preceding reviewers mentioned the Brodsky recording of the Crumb, and only two of them seemed to know about the Concord, who were, I believe, the first to record it. The Brodsky is sharp, clean, accurate. The Kronos is none of these. Their performance is fast and sloppy. If you want to hear all the details you have to listen to the Concord or the Brodsky. (I've not heard the Cikada or the new Mode disc with members of the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic.) The Brodsky is a more exciting performance and a better recording than the Concord, plus they couple the Crumb with the Schubert 14th, which makes that famous cameo in "Dark Angels."

That does not mean you shouldn't have this disc. I've heard many recordings of Shostakovich's music, the reverent "we're playing music by the great Soviet composer," the long-faced "we're playing music by a tortured soul," and the vastly superior "we're playing music." I'd put this Kronos performance in the latter category. Ironically, I like it because it's faster than most (and a little bit sloppy). Not so sloppy that details are blurred, though, and fast here means the piece is never allowed to get lugubrious, which too many performances of his music definitely are. (So many people seem unable to listen to music without thinking about nonmusical things, like politics or the composer's putative feelings, and so many performers of Shostakovich seem happy to accomodate them.)

I don't know of any other performance of the eighth that makes the quotations so clear, either. Shostakovich threw in references to several of his own pieces in this quartet, the first and fifth symphonies, the first cello concerto, and most deliciously, the second trio. Kronos plays the quotes from the trio better than anyone else I've heard.

Not for everybody.......2005-05-27

This is probably one of the least accessible Kronos albums I own, largely because of the Crumb piece. Personally, I consider it taxing but nonetheless worthwhile, but even devoted followers of the Kronos Quartet are likely to be turned off by the strident nature of the piece.

The only other piece worth noting is the Marta composition, which has a strange otherworldly quality to it. All I can say about the Tallis "Spem In Alium" is that you would be much better served by listening to the original vocal arrangement. Kronos' version is simply rather boring by comparison. Likewise, Kronos' interpretation of the well-known Shostakovich 8th quartet reveals that while they are at the forefront of modern music (commissioning new works regularly), when it comes the standard repertoire oftentimes they simply do not measure up. There are more recordings than I can count of the Shostakovich 8th that are far superior --- take your pick.

This is an album with as many misses as hits, and the hits are not exactly the most accessible music Kronos has recorded. Echoing another reviewer, it might be worth listening to this before purchasing it.

scary stuff.......2005-03-03

I listened to this piece, Black Angels, and it definitely gave me the creeps. My wife begged me to take it off; I didn't, due to my morbid fascination. In retrospect, what was even creepier was the fact that I just spontaneously played it for the 1st and only time on the night of Sept. 10, 2001 . Coincidence? It's as if something inside of me had a premonition of the true horror of the following morning. Is this possible?

Average customer rating:

Superlative Performance of Spem in Alium
totally unbalanced
Musical splendour...
Amazing
Let all that expensive Hi-fi equipment of yours truly sing.

Tallis: Spem in Alium

Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005ATCU
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Amazon.com

This was the Tallis Scholars' first recording devoted to their namesake composer--and it remains one of the best Tallis discs available. Its centerpiece is the famous Spem in alium for eight five-voice choirs. This is a spectacular piece, with voices entering one by one, leading to a sudden, crashing entry for all eight choirs. The choirs then toss pealing phrases back and forth (listen with headphones!) and finish with a monumental 40-voice chord.

Other treats include the popular Pentecost motet Loquebantur variis linguis, two beautiful settings of the prayer Salvator mundi, and the 20-minute votive antiphon Gaude gloriosa, which has intricate imitative passages for three to four soloists alternating with vigorous writing for full choir. --Matthew Westphal

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Superlative Performance of Spem in Alium.......2006-02-15

I had generally avoided this musical period, and had been ignorant of Thomas Tallis until hearing the version of Spem in Alium on the Kronos Quartet's disc Black Angels. Curiosity compelled me to seek out this performance, incomparably superior to the other:

A lone soprano voice seems to float, weightless, on a sea composed of the other singers' voices. Although we have no way of knowing how the composer intended the piece to sound (the liner notes reveal that even Tallis' reason for composing Spem in Alium is unknown), its success may be judged on the merits of the present performance. From that standpoint, it is a perfect blend of explosive power and unspeakable beauty, in its pure expression perhaps unequaled by anything that followed. Hearing it is a soul-expanding experience, as it must have been for its listeners half a millennium ago.

totally unbalanced.......2005-01-18

The sopranos aggressively dominate the sound (-2 stars) and the Spem is awashed in vowels (-1 star). Did you know there are 24 tenor and bass parts vs 8 soprano parts? You certainly can't tell from this recording. This can only be recommended to those with no interest in hearing anything aside from the soprano melody with maybe some backup support from the alto and background noise from the male voices. Also the Spem is recorded with the singers in a straight line ... a less than ideal position.

A previous reviewer mentioned the Obrecht Missa Maria Zart recording ... again an amazingly beautiful piece, the sound of the recording is rich and resonant but then the sopranos start singing and ruin the mood.

Musical splendour..........2004-06-05

--Spem in alium--
This piece, Spem in alium numquam habui (I have no faith in any other [than God]), is Tallis' most famous piece. It is a 40-part motet, set up for eight five-part choirs. It is a masterpiece. Tallis blended the chordal with the polyphonic here, to great effect. The number of voices makes for interesting effects, particularly when done in cathedral settings. Several stories have appeared about why this work was composed, but in the end, it remains unknown.

--Other music--
Other pieces included on this disc include Tallis' Sancte Deus, one of his early works, done during the reign of Henry VIII, and two settings of Salvator mundi, salva nos. These are rather smaller pieces, particularly in comparison with Spem in alium. Gaude gloriosa is more in keeping with Spem in alium, in terms of length and phrasing. The Miserere is a seven-part technical masterpiece very close in form to traditional English canonical settings. The final piece, Loquebantur variis linguis, is a seven-voice chant.

--Liner Notes--
Being internationally acclaimed, the Tallis Scholars' CDs typically present their commentary and texts in English, French, German and Italian (together with any Latin texts); that is true of this disc. The cover art also typically represents visual arts contemporary with the compositions - here it is a piece from the Munich collection of Alte Pinakothek by Albrecht Durer in 1500, roughly contemporary with Tallis.

--The Tallis Scholars--
The Tallis Scholars, a favourite group of mine since the first time I heard them decades ago, are a group dedicated to the performance and preservation of the best of this type of music. A choral group of exceptional ability, I have been privileged to see them many times in public, and at almost every performance, their singing seems almost like a spiritual epiphany for me, one that defies explanation in words. Directed by Peter Phillips, the group consists of a small number of male and female singers who have trained themselves well to their task.

Their recordings are of a consistent quality that deserve more than five stars; this particular disc of pieces by Thomas Tallis, the namesake of the group, deserves a place on the shelf of anyone who loves choral music, liturgical music or Gregorian chant, classical music generally, or religious music. It is remarkable, both in composition and performance. The original recording was made in 1985.

Amazing.......2004-03-19

Spem in Alium is just amazing!
I'm a big fan of choral music but had not really got my head around exactly how complex it could get.
Until I heard this one.

Let all that expensive Hi-fi equipment of yours truly sing........2002-11-14

I am a heavy metal "music" fan,with at times,a bit of rock,pop and soul entering the cd player/put on the venerable lp machine.My forays into classical are about as frequent as the proverbial rocking horse poo.However,this disc is the one I probably play most often.Why?Because it's beauty is unsurpassed.It is the only piece of music that has brought a tear to my eye.As someone above wrote,crank it up when the kids/breadknife/hubby are out of the house and you will be treated to sonic joy.

Average customer rating:

Well-balanced choral work
Utopia very much Triumphans
One of the few essential recordings of Renassance polyphony
intellectual exercise (yawn)
Great for meditation

Utopia Triumphans
Huelgas Ensemble , Paul Van Nevel , Thomas Tallis , Costanzo Porta , Josquin Desprez , Johannes Ockeghem , Pierre de Manchicourt , Giovanni Gabrieli , and Allesandro Striggio
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Tallis Scholars Sing Thomas Tallis

ASIN: B000002APL
Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

Spem in alium - Thomas Tallis
Sanctus, Agnus Dei - (from the `Missa Ducalis`)
Qui habitat (Psalm 90) - Josquin Desprez
Deo gratias
Laudate Dominum
Exaudi me Domine - Giovanni Gabrieli
Ecce beatam lucem

Amazon.com

A greatly expanded Huelgas Ensemble performs here a collection of multivoice works--pieces that are often referred to but, for logistical reasons, rarely performed. Tallis's famous Spem in alium non habui for 40 voices is here, of course; so is the piece that inspired it, Striggio's 40-voice Ecce beatam lucem. Also included are two extraordinary canons: Ockeghem's 36-voice Deo gratias and Josquin's 24-voice Qui habitat--as well as relatively modest pieces for 13 to 16 voices by Porta and Gabrieli. Spem has had livelier performances (try the Tallis Scholars on Gimell), but none of the others have been recorded elsewhere at all, let alone as well as this. You're not likely to hear them in concert, either, so check this disc out. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Well-balanced choral work .......2007-05-28

I admit I bought two versions of Spem In Alium performed by Huelgas Ensemble and the Tallis Scholars. There are strong and weak points in both of the recordings but what strike me most about the Huelgas' interpretation, like other reviewers covered in this review portion (and I completely agree), is its balanced performance of the piece. I could actually hear the forty voices without "drowning" and outdoing each other, unlike the Tallis Scholars' recording. However, some parts of the choral (I'm referring to Spem only) are kind a bit sloppy and technically inferior as compared to the Tallis Scholars' version. Example of this is in the portion of "ET OMNIA PECCATA HOMINUM" followed by a pause and "IN TRIBULATIONE" where the Tallis Scholars captured it best. The portion "RESPICE" is almost a whisper in the Huelgas' recording while the Scholars' interpretation of it is like Tchaikovsky's cannons in his 1819 (is the date right?) Overture, which in my opinion, is the proper interpretation (it is one of the high points of the piece, by the way) and Huelga misses this one. All in all I will rate the Scholars' performance 4 stars for its technicality and 4 stars to Huelgas' for its balanced performance. I'm just wondering if Alessandro Striggios' 60 part choral "Sanctus" survived will give these fine performers something to look forward to recording. I bet it will make Handel look like a first grader in music!!!

Utopia very much Triumphans.......2007-01-23

This magnificent recording is sure to delight all lovers of Renaissance a capella performance. The voices come over clearly and brightly with the interplay of parts easily heard in every piece. The information provided with the CD is sufficiently detailed to more than adequately place the pieces within both historical and musical context. Several of the works (Porta's 'Sanctus', Manchicourt's 'Laudate Dominum') are, I think rarely heard but hold their own well with the more frequently heard works Desprez, Ockeghem and Gabrieli. Of particular interest to me is the performance of Striggio's rarely heard forty part motet Ecce beatam lucem. The opportunity to compare and contrast this fine work with Tallis' own (and much performed) forty part motet Spem in alium is greatly enhanced by the performance notes.

One of the few essential recordings of Renassance polyphony.......2005-05-28

Paul van Nevel and the Heulgas Ensemble convey an intensely intimate yet ultimately powerful impression with this collection of gigantuan polyphonic works of mind boggling contrapunctal complexity. If you thought that some of Bach's four part counterpoint was exceedingly complex then try to get your mind around the fact that here you will find 12 voice, 24 voice - all the way up to 40 voice counterpoint! The audacity of such complexity is infinitely fascinating and utterly hypnotic. Though the mind may boggle in trying to follow the kaleidoscopic display of infinitely complex part writing, these are yet works of just enormous immediacy of emotional and spiritual appeal that makes them a far cry from the academic works they might seem to appear. These works are a testimony to the fact the composers of the Renaissance are every bit the equal of their peers in other arts such as painting and architecture, for in turns of the sheer phenomenal complexity of that these rich works display, the world has never since seen their equal.

The richer sounds of this continental European ensemble in comparison to the relentless purity of English groups is also highly welcome. As usual Paul van Nevel encourages a vocal sound that comes more from the chest giving a darker hued color that also has great expressive warmth. There is no attempt to artificially brighten up the upper registrars by doubling the soprano parts for example. In an age dominated by Cambridge style English cathedral style singing from groups which can sometimes start to sound all the same, it is wonderful to hear a group that dares to occupy so unique and distinctive a sound world as theirs.

The Spem in Alium is a good case in point for the performance here is wonderful and quite unique. As for the claim that this performance of the 'Spem in Alium' is somehow weak, you can safely ignore that. Yes, the Tallis Scholars are still excellent too but there is a place for a less ostentatious and relaxed-intimate 'chamber' approach to this music. The performers even stood forming a circle in church to record these works. Warm and understated poetic intimacy are wonderful virtues that the Huelgas Ensemble always convey in abundance.

In all this is one of the absolutely essential recordings of Renaissance polyphony. It is a must have for anyone who loves fine music and it you only own one recording of Renaissance polyphony this might well be it. It certainly has a firm place on my desert island collection.

intellectual exercise (yawn).......2004-04-12

Kudos to this group for recording these works. However I can't remember a duller performance of Spem in alium. I have performed the work three times and own several recordings of it. Whether or not you buy this CD depends on your reason for wanting it. If you want to own one recording of Spem in alium, this is not the CD you want. Get the Tallis Scholars' recording instead. If you love polyphony and are looking for a good listening experience, depending on your taste, this one might do, especially if you are looking for something relaxing (i.e., something to put you to sleep). If you are a musicologist with an intellectual interest in multichoral polyphony, and just want to hear the works, and want a performance that is correct, and don't need it to be exciting, this recording is worth the purchase.

Great for meditation.......2003-11-27

Originally having acquired this album shortly after its release in the mid-1990s after having read a magazine review, I must say that over the years this piece has stood the test of time as part of my music collection. The following is the original review I read, which was written by Barbara Eisner Bayer: "Imagine yourself in an enchanted forest where, from every direction, above and below, you're surrounded by voices - 40 in all - attacking your senses, each with an independent line. From the 40-voice motets by Tallis and Striggio to the simpler(!) 36-, 24-, and 14-voice pieces, this one-of-a-kind recording shakes your body and induces ecstatic revelry. The sound is luxuriously top-heavy, occasionally too bell-like, and small movements become lost. Because of the massive swelling when all voices sing simultaneously, individual lines tend to dive into the pool of sound, unable to claim a personal identity. This dizzying compilation of Winnebago-sized choral pieces will be exhilerating to some, a bad trip to others, but a must hear for all." Very accurately said. And, in addition to this album being an extremely high quality recording, and an excellent reading and meditation companion, I was surprised to find that the lyrics, in a language I have not read much since junior high school (Latin), are actually beautiful prayers. For example, this piece opens up with "Spem in alium": "I have never had hope in anyone but Thee, God of Israel, Thou who grow angry and will hear prayer. Thou eliminate all the sins of men in tribulation. Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth, look down upon our humility." If you enjoy choral or polyphony, this is an album you will not want to dismiss.

Average customer rating:

Or, "Best Sacred Vocal Music of the 16th Century"
A blast from the past!
Great Prayer Music
Some great Renaissance choral music
Excellent but overpraised

The Best of the Renaissance

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00000J9GR
Release Date: 1999-06-15

Tracks:

Miserere
Spem In Alium
Mass For Five Voices: Kyrie
Mass For Five Voices: Gloria
Mass For Five Voices: Credo
Mass For Five Voices: Sanctus - Benedictus
Mass For Five Voicesd: Agnus Dei
Missa 'Pange lingua': Kyrie
Missa 'Pange lingua': Gloria
Missa 'Pange lingua': Credo
Missa 'Pange lingua': Sanctus Benedictus
Missa 'Pange lingua': Agnus Dei I - II - III
Versa est in luctum

Tracks:

Tenebrac Responsories For Holy Saturday: Recessit pastor noster
Tenebrac Responsories For Holy Saturday: O vos omnes
Tenebrac Responsories For Holy Saturday: Ecce quomodo moritur justus
Missa Papae Marcelli: Kyrie
Missa Papae Marcelli: Gloria
Missa Papae Marcelli: Credo
Missa Papae Marcelli: Sanctus - Benedictus
Missa Papae Marcelli: Agnus Dei I - II - III
Osculetur me
Salve Regina
Ave Maria
Dum transisset Sabbatum
Magnificat

Amazon.com

As hateful and usually untrue as most "Best of" collections are, this one is the real thing. You actually do get two hours and 20 minutes of Renaissance music performed so exquisitely, so correctly, and so passionately that it's as if an entire era in music makes itself understood through these CDs. The Tallis Scholars are as good as it gets in this repertoire. In addition to getting Allegri's gorgeous Miserere, you'll find Thomas Tallis's 40-part (40!) Spem in alium, some wonderfully weird and dissonant Responsories by Gesualdo, Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli (the "how-to" piece of the Renaissance popes, who demanded that the words be understood), and various other works. This stuff is like a finely woven tapestry and should be listened to bits at a time--it's amazingly rich and worth it. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Or, "Best Sacred Vocal Music of the 16th Century".......2006-06-15

My only major complaint with the Tallis Scholars' impressive compilation "The Best of the Renaissance" is its name. The 2-CD set only includes sacred vocal polyphony from the High Renaissance (16th century). That means you get no chansons, no madrigals, no instrumental music of any sort. Perhaps even worse, composers before Josquin are ignored: there's no Dufay, no Binchois, no Ockeghem - nobody who worked primarily in the 15th century. These omissions suggest that the Tallis Scholars probably consider the pre-Josquin period as late Medieval, rather than early Renaissance.

Once you accept "The Best of the Renaissance" for what it is - "Best Sacred Vocal Music of the 16th Century" - you can better enjoy its remarkable assemblage of High Renaissance polyphony. The first disc in particular is quite astonishing. The Scholars lead off with their signature performance of Allegri's "Miserere" - actually a Baroque-era composition in Renaissance "learned style." The Scholars brilliantly convey the "call-and-response" effect of dual choirs through exquisitely crafted acoustics. Turn this one up, turn off the lights, close your eyes, and you're in the Sistine Chapel!

The Scholars follow "Miserere" with an equally impressive performance of a work by their namesake Thomas Tallis - the 40-voice motet "Spem in alium." If "Miserere" hasn't overwhelmed your senses, this one will.

Two virtuoso Mass cycles follow: William Byrd's "Mass for Five Voices" and Josquin's "Missa Pange lingua." The former conveys a sublime, otherworldly beauty, while the latter is a superior example of the style of pervasive imitation that Josquin and his contemporaries pioneered.

The selections on Disc One are so impressive that Disc Two disappoints by comparison. The second set is dominated by two composers I never quite warmed to: Carlo Gesualdo and Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina. Gesualdo was better known for his chromatic, genre-busting madrigals. His "Tenebrae Responses for Holy Thursday" are by contrast quite pleasing, but it's odd to hear sacred music written by a man who killed his wife and her lover. Palestrina's music achieves a sort of static beauty, but lacks forward motion. His "Missa Papae Marcelli" allegedly "saved" sacred polyphony, but arguably watered down the genre in its attempt to appease papal demands for simpler music.

The highlight of Disc 2 is Josquin's lovely "Ave Maria," a motet that provides yet another example of the Franco-Flemish composer's mastery of canonic forms.

"The Best of the Renaissance" expertly compiles the Tallis Scholars' best performances. Those looking for a comprehensive overview of the music of the Renaissance should be aware of its limitations, however.

A blast from the past!.......2006-02-24

This is a superb collection of Renaissance music. I especially loved Meserere on volume 1 of this two disk album.

Great Prayer Music.......2004-02-07

I perchased this cd and am truly truly glad I did. The sound makes me want to get somewhere and just cry out to God in joy, praise and reverence. The music is so peaceful pious (in a good way). Absolutely beautifuly executed. All the singers are with one accord-- and a great chord at that! Ye must needs purchase this cd!

Some great Renaissance choral music.......2004-02-01

When I recently played the first disk of this collection in the small bookstore/café where I work, a customer told me she had been trying to read but couldn't because she was so captivated by this CD's sublime music.

Although I am a sort of purist who hates when people say they listen to classical music just to relax, I find this CD set is perfect for inspiring reflection and relaxation. So, if you're looking for good music to relax to, this would be an excellent purchase.

The same goes if you're looking for some great Renaissance music. However, the term "Best of the Renaissance" may be a bit of a misnomer; the CD does not include a vast array of music from the said era. This collection is solely /a cappella/ music. Perhaps a more fitting title would be "The Best of Renaissance Choral Music." If you're looking for a broad sampling of music from this time period in one CD collection, this may not be for you. Nevertheless, if you want well performed choral music by some great composers, I recommend this CD to both Renaissance neophytes and aficionados without reservation.

Excellent but overpraised.......2003-12-30

The Best of the Renaissance is certainly worth buying if only for the amazing "Spem in Alium" by Thomas Tallis.Nevertheless, I do not share the boundless enthusiasm of other reviewers for this album.

To begin with, three Masses are featured on this album,two on the first cd. That is too much to my liking. And while the Mass Pange Lingua by Desprez is undoubtedly a wonderful piece, the other masses are not the best: the Mass for five voices by Byrd, while very beautiful, lacks the depth, emotion and intimacy of his Mass for three voices. The Missa Papae Marcelli by Palestrina is brilliant but nothing more than an academic exercise in virtuosity.

And I definitely do not appreciate Gesualdo's Tenebrae Responsories for Holy Saturday. This is simply very mediocre music that nobody would care for if it did not sound modern in its cerebral ugliness and thereby flatter our infatuation with ourselves.

I recommend "The Essential Tallis Scholars" either instead of or in addition to "The Best of the Renaissance", depending on your pocket and interest for Renaissance choral music. I would also recommend O Magnum Mysterium by the Robert Shaw festival singers. Although only a third of that album is devoted to Renaissance music, the interpretation is so beautiful and spiritual that it is really worth having in your Renaissance music collection.

Tallis: Spem in alium; Missa Salve intemerata
Average customer rating:

Wholly beautiful; a wonderful evidence that Tallis is unjustly overlooked

Tallis: Spem in alium; Missa Salve intemerata

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tallis: Spem in Alium; Lamentations of Jeremiah; Church Music

ASIN: B0009JMEL0
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

Spem In Alium (40-Voice Motet)
Salve Intemerata (Motet)
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Agnus Dei
With All Our Heart
Discomfort Them, O Lord
I Call And Cry To thee, O Lord

Customer Reviews:

Wholly beautiful; a wonderful evidence that Tallis is unjustly overlooked .......2007-02-19

From beginning to end, Summerly and the Oxford Camerata are entirely convincing. They make a strong case for the music of Thomas Tallis. And although some of it contains theologically inaccurate doctrine, the music is still delightful. Spem in alium is rapturous in a overwhelmingly beautiful way. If you have the right equipment, it would benefit you to purchase the SACD surround-sound disc, available for only a few extra dollars. Spem in alium was recorded in a special way. Two choirs were positioned at each point of a cross shape, surrounding the listener with glorious sound indeed. Two speakers provide the normal rapture of this piece well, but with SACD...

At bargain price, this is nigh unbeatable, but I also recommend the two-CD collection of the Tallis Scholars' contribution to this neglected repertoire on Gimell. Only Spem in alium occurs in both. All the pieces in the present collection are quite lovely. The last three are even in English. They all sound so beautiful. If these do not inspire reflection on God's Word, I don't know what music will.

Average customer rating:

Praise and Worship: Glorify Thy Name
Praise & Worship
Manufacturer: Hosanna! Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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You Are Crowned With Many Crowns
In Him We Live
We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise
It Is Good to Give Thanks
Thou Art a Shield for Me
Let God Arise
Victory Song (Through Our God)
For the Lord Is Marching On
No Condemnation
You Are My Hiding Place
Let Us Adore
I Worship You, Almighty God
When I Look into Your Holiness
Glorify Thy Name

Average customer rating:

divine
Essential Tallis
Wonderful music
Majestic
A wonderful performance but...

Thomas Tallis: Sacred Choral Works

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tallis: Spem in Alium

ASIN: B000000A4H
Release Date: 1992-07-29

Tracks:

Sacred Choral Works: Spem in alium
Sacred Choral Works: Te lucis ante terminum
Sacred Choral Works: O nata lux
Sacred Choral Works: I. Incipit lamentatio Jeremiae prophetae
The Lamentations of Jeremiah: II. De lamentatione Jeremiae prophetae
Sacred Choral Works: O sacrum convivium
Sacred Choral Works: Jesu salvator saeculi
Sacred Choral Works: Salvator mundi, salva nos
Sacred Choral Works: Loquebantur variis linguis
Sacred Choral Works: Gaude gloriosa Dei mater

Amazon.com

Hundreds of years before Phil Spector introduced American rock audiences to his "wall of sound," 16th-century English composer Thomas Tallis wrote his 40-part motet Spem in alium. This was the real thing--no electronic gimmicks, no overdubbing. Imagine the effect of eight five-part choirs in the highly resonant acoustic of a large church, piling up layer upon layer of sonic blocks of harmony; methodically, rhythmically building the sound toward a climactic conclusion more than nine minutes later. While no recording can do full justice to this piece, this one comes close. The rest of the program is filled with music and choral singing that is nothing short of inspired: there is a spare beauty in the short hymn "O nata lux"; a dazzling display of near-perfect ensemble singing in the hymn "Jesu salvator saeculi"; and sheer sensuality and exhilarating power in the six-part Marian antiphon "Gaude gloriosa." --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

divine.......2007-04-28

The rendition of "O Nata Lux" is exquisite. A short piece, flawless in its structure, performed perfectly.

Essential Tallis.......2005-12-07

This is probably the best Tallis anthology on the market, and would be an ideal introduction to this great composer. It includes a number of his most important and beloved works; Gaude gloriosa (which is excellent!!), the Lamentations, Salvator mundi, O sacrum convivium, Loquabantur, etc., and of course, Spem in alium.

This cd contains my favorite versions of both Spem and Gaude gloriosa, and everything else is very good too. If you don't know Tallis, then this is the place to start, and if you already love Tallis, or the Sixteen, then you should get it too.

Wonderful music.......2005-08-06

--Thomas Tallis-
Thomas Tallis, born in 1505, was one of the outstanding liturgical composers of his day, being the acknowledged master of the composers of England from the time of Queen Mary's reign forward. He was a composer and Gentleman of the Chapel Royal during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth, and worked closely with many other composers, most particularly William Byrd. He was an organist in addition to composer. He died in 1585, having navigated his way through the tumultuous catholic/protestant difficulties of the church which provided his livelihood and creative outlet.

--Spem in alium--
This piece, Spem in alium numquam habui (I have no faith in any other [than God]), is Tallis' most famous piece. It is a 40-part motet, set up for eight five-part choirs. It is a masterpiece. Tallis blended the chordal with the polyphonic here, to great effect. The number of voices makes for interesting effects, particularly when done in cathedral settings. Several stories have appeared about why this work was composed, but in the end, it remains unknown.

--Other music--
Other pieces here include selections from 'The Lamentations of Jeremiah' (Holy Week readings), 'Jesu salvator saeculi', 'Gaude gloriosa Dei Mater', and several other shorter pieces. Many use the well-established pattern of alternating polyphony with plainchant from verse to verse. The 'Gaude gloriosa' uses a six-part choir and high, soaring treble voices - this is very typically English of the period.

--The Sixteen, Harry Christophers--
Alas, the liner notes do not tell much about the choir or choirmaster, Harry Christophers. It does include photographs. The Sixteen have been together since its formation in 1977 by Christophers, educated at Canterbury Cathedral Choir School and Magdalen College, Oxford. They are fast approaching 100 recordings as a group, of which this is a good example.

Majestic.......2004-09-26

This Spem emphasizes balance between its eight choirs. The Tallis Scholars' performance, initially more spectacular thanks to its brighter acoustic and the more virtuosic pre-eminence of the trebles, for me finally loses more of harmonic complexity than it gains in intensity. The accent on the treble part overwhelms the majestic interweaving of harmonies, which this recording displays to awesome effect. To me, the Tallis Scholars' Spem is like a spectacular display of fireworks, while The Sixteen's is ocean waves crashing against cliffs. This reviewer is grateful for both.

A wonderful performance but..........2004-02-09

This cd presents the best and most famous sacred works of Reformation England composer Thomas Tallis, including Spem in Alium, a gorgeous piece for 40 voices, and the poignant Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah. They are sung by a huge mixed choir, which gives the pieces a tremendous power.The rendition is first-rate and deeply moving.
Unfortunately, the clarity of the recording leaves much to be desired. I have played this cd on several hi-fi players and the result has always been disappointing. The sound is muffled, muddy, it does not come out with full force and clarity.
I recommend the "Best of the Renaissance" by the Tallis Scholars if you want to listen to a crystal-clear Spem in Alium and to "Lamenta" performed by Philip Cave et al for the Lamentations of Jeremiah.

Album Review:

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