Byrd / Tallis: Choral Music

On this CD:

1. Mass for 4 Voices (SATB)
Composed by William Byrd

Conducted by George Guest

2. Mass for 5 Voices (SATTB)
Composed by William Byrd

Conducted by George Guest

3. Mass "Salve intemerata", for 5 voices, P. 3
Composed by Thomas Tallis

Conducted by George Guest

Tracks:

Libera nos. I & II (John Sheppard)
Salva nos, Domine (plainchant)
Christe, qui lux es et dies (William Byrd)
In pace in idipsum (John Sheppard)
In manus tuas (Thomas Tallis)
Jesu, salvator saeculi, verbum (John Sheppard)
In manus tuas I (John Sheppard)
In manus tuas II (John Sheppard)
Miserere mihi, Domine (plainchant)
Miserere nostri, Domine (Thomas Tallis0
Misere mihi, Domine (William Byrd)
In pace in idipsum (Thomas Tallis)
Christe, qui lux es et dies (Robert White)
Veni, Domine (plainchant)
Nunc dimittis Gradulia I (William Byrd)
Te lucis ante terminum festal (Thomas Tallis)
Gaude, virgo mater Christi (Hugh Aston)

From the label:

On its spectacular debut recording, the exciting young British vocal group stile antico presents a program of English Renaissance music associated with the office of Compline, the service that ends the monastic liturgical day. A who's-who of 16th-century British composers--including Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, and John Sheppard--is represented here by hymns, antiphons, responsories, motets, and psalms: the occasion not only for music of intimacy, elegance, and reflection, but for flights of breathtaking canonic and contrapuntal invention and harmonic daring.

Stile Antico is an ensemble of young British singers, fast gaining recognition as one of the most original and exciting new voices in its field. In 2005 the group won the inaugural Audience Prize at the Early Music Network International Young Artists' Competition, drawing critical praise for its `wonderfully vivid singing' and `perfectly focused and ideally balanced voices.' Since this success, Stile Antico has appeared throughout the UK, including at the City of London, Lake District Summer Music and Beverley and East Riding Festivals; engagements for 2007 include the York Early Music Festival. The group has also collaborated with Sting on tour in his project Songs from the Labyrinth, performing lute songs by John Dowland.

Working without a conductor, the members of Stile Antico rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing artistically to the musical result. Their repertoire ranges from the glorious legacy of the English Tudor composers to the works of the Flemish and Spanish schools and the music of the early Baroque. They are passionate about the need to communicate with their audiences, combining thoughtful programming with direct, expressive performances. They are also committed to developing their educational work, for which they have received generous funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Customer Reviews:

So very beautiful!.......2007-07-11

I'm not a student of fine music and had no idea what a "compline" was but I bought this CD after hearing a review on NPR.
I can't tell you how much I love this!
It is pure and moving; I can turn off my thinking and let my mind soak in the beauty.
I regret that it is such a high-class work, as I fear that many will miss it, expecting it to be over their heads. I hope that more of my fellow low-brows will somehow stumble upon it and have a chance to experience these most-excellent moments.

Gorgeous.......2007-03-05

The English Tudor choral composers such as Byrd and Tallis composed some glorious music. Sit and listen in a darkened room and you will be transported back to another time and place. Wonderfully atmospheric and moving. The masters of this repertoire are Peter Phillips's Tallis Scholars, but this CD makes me think that they have some serious competition.

Great Premiere from Stile Antico!.......2007-02-27

I got an e-mail from amazon recently to the effect of, "We've noticed that you've rated so-and-so, so we thought you'd be interested in the new release Music for Compline." I usually ignore such e-mails, but I thought I'd check it out. I was intrigued by the audio samples and so downloaded the album on iTunes.

I don't know how a group of young upstarts from Britain without a conductor were able to produce such a sound, but they did. "Music for Compline" focuses on music from composers in England during the transition from Catholicism to Protestantism- Byrd, Sheppard, Tallis, etc.- and as the title implies, it's music that would have been used during a compline service at the time. Compline, for those of you not familiar with the Liturgy of the Hours, is the last prayer service in the liturgical day. As such, the music is serene, contemplative, and prayerful.

The way Stile Antico has gelled as a group is amazing, especially considering they have no conductor. (Although they surely have at least a de-facto rehearsal leader) Their sound is clear and beautiful, and they display exquisite musicianship without being overly technical or icy. They are able to share their fresh (though informed) perspectives on early music with each other to create an organic sound, so not having a conductor actually turns out to be an asset for these young musicians.

Fans of the Tallis Scholars will love this CD. Arguably, Stile Antico is better than the Tallis Scholars in some ways. To elaborate, the Tallis Scholars, as good as they are, can come across as technical and icy, whereas Stile Antico never does, at least not to my ears. On the contrary, they have a warm, authentic sound. Not that I have anything against the Tallis Scholars.

In conclusion, for everyone who loves sacred choral music, or beautiful music in general, "Music for Compline" is a must-have. The musical serenity will be a refuge from stress, and will uplift your spirits.

Music for Compline.......2007-02-05

One is somewhat spoilt for choice these days when it comes to recordings of specialist 'early music' vocal ensembles. In Britain alone, 'brand' names such as 'The Sixteen' and 'The Tallis Scholars', however different their respective approach, have become equally synonymous with excellence in ensemble, intonation, balance and blend. On this basis alone, one might be forgiven for mistaking this CD for another release from one of these fine, long-established choirs. However, this debut recording from 'Stile Antico' has something rather distinctive and individual to offer the listener. Working as a vocal consort without conductor, these are performances born out of an internal commitment and universal understanding within the group, together with an obvious love for this repertoire which they perform so admirably. It is deeply refreshing, in a professional environment where 'time is money', to hear an ensemble who have so noticeably spent a great deal of time 'living' with the music, no doubt both as individuals and collectively as a group. This crucial element of music-making, so often over-looked, is perhaps above all what makes this recording stand out. In fairness, the result is not necessarily superior to that of a conducted ensemble, where a different style of direction in the performances can be attained. But whatever one's preferences - 'Stile Antico' have certainly achieved a winning combination - communicative performances which are simultaneously meditative and emotionally uplifting.

Impeccable ensemble is evident throughout the disc, and this is especially impressive when accomplished within various well-judged slow tempi. Highlights in this regard include a wonderfully ethereal and sonorous performance of Tallis' rarely heard seven-part 'Miserere nostri', and Sheppard's intoxicating 'Libera nos I & II' whose marvellous longing dissonances are given just the right amount of time to register. Byrd's 'Miserere mihi' also receives a fine performance, and the same composer's exquisite homophonic setting of 'Christe lux es et dies' serves to demonstrate these singers' aptitude for naturally shaped phrasing and beautifully paced cadences.

The programming is cohesive throughout, combining familiar, celebrated settings with some rare gems, notably Hugh Aston's giant antiphon 'Gaude, virgo mater Christi', of which this is the first recording made available on CD.

Congratulations are also due to Harmonia Mundi for their superb recording quality, which captures splendidly not only the clarity of the voices, but also the magnificent acoustics of All Hallow's, Gospel Oak. Beautiful packaging together with intelligent, informative programme notes completes this excellent debut release.

Average customer rating:

ravishing...
Marvelous

Lighten our Darkness

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Music for Compline
Allegri Miserere-Tenebrae
Morten Lauridsen: Nocturnes
William Byrd: Laudibus in sanctis
Pilgrimage to Santiago

ASIN: B000I2IS5Y
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Tracks:

In Pace
Libera Nos, Salva Nos
Justorum Animae
Pater Noster
O Lord, The Maker Of All Thing
Visita, Quaesumus Domine
Abendlied
O Christ Who Are The Light And Day
O Gladsome Light
Te Lucis Ante Terminum
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Ave Regina Caelorum
Regina Caeli Laetare
Salve Regina
Ave Maria
Bogoroditsye Dyevo
In Manus Tuas
In Manus Tuas

Tracks:

Opening Sentences And Responses
Psalm 91
Lesson: Come Unto Me
Respond: Into Thy Hands
Hymn: Before The Ending Of The Day
Keep Me As The Apple Of An Eye And Nunc Dimmittis
The Apostles' Creed And Lord's Prayer
Verscicles And Responses
Confession And Absolution
Responses And Collects
We Will Lay Us Down In Peace
Closing Responsies And Blessing

Customer Reviews:

ravishing..........2007-07-02

if this recording is not on your short list of things to hear/do, it should be.
the Byrd setting of "Oh Christ who art our light and day" is one of the loveliest things that I have ever heard.
I play it ever day at the same, appointed hour; so comforting, so beautifully well-sung.
the Compline setting on Disc 2 is pretty memorable, too.
a strong rec.

Marvelous.......2007-01-19

This is superb a capella singing. Each note, each syllable, is just right. John Rutter has a genius for writing and, as is the case here, performing religious choral music. The sound is gorgeous. Highest recommendation.

Average customer rating:

Great choral music CD
a voice teacher and early music fan
Lovely!!!
Beautiful, but a little cold
The Greatest Hits of a Pioneer Ensemble

The Essential Tallis Scholars

Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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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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Tallis Scholars sing Palestrina
Tallis: Spem in Alium
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ASIN: B00009NJ20
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Tracks:

Miserere
Ave Maria For Double Choir
Sicut Lilium I
Praeter Rerum Seriem
Pater Peccavi
Ego Flos Campi
Tota Pulchra Es
Descendi In Hortum Meum
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Salve Regina
Ave Regina Caelorum
Gloria

Tracks:

Media Vita
In Manus Tuas
O Nata Lux
Audivi Vocem
Exaudiat Te Dominus
Ah, Robin
Salve Regina
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Agnus Dei

Customer Reviews:

Great choral music CD.......2007-01-26

This CD is excellent - a "must have" for every collection. Beautiful voices, relaxing music.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-01-08

The pieces on these two discs are taken from over fifteen years of recording by the Tallis Scholars, startng with the now-famous recording of Allegri's 'Miserere' from 1980. Allegri lived well into the Baroque era, dying in 1562, Therefore, he did not write the 'Miserere' in renaissance polyphony; and his chordal structure leaned toward the Baroque.
Victoria's 8-part 'Ave Maria' and Palestrina's 'Sicut lilium' are both pieces iln a contemplative mood, the first making direct reference to the Virgin Mary, and the second indirect reference to her via the poetry of the 'Song of Songs'. The remaining selections on Disc l, maintain the consistent, intense sonority of Flemish polyphony.
Disc 2 falls into two parts. The pieces by Sheppard, Tallis,White and Cornysh come from the first half of the sixteenth century and are part of the 'English School' of writing. Here the music is made up of long lines, more notes than syllables, with the emphasis on the part-writing and not the harmonic background.
The second part of Disc 2 is Byrd's five-part Mass, which was written in the 1590's for a recusant Catholic community. Byrd's music has drawn closer to the Flemish style; that is imitative voice parts, largely syllabic in setting with the occasional examples of word-paintings, and the voice parts closer together. But the mood has a different intensity than the writing on Disc one; darker and more questioning. Never was polyphony more passionate than in Byrd's masses,of which the five-part is the crowning achievement.
The members of the Tallis Scholars vary from year to year, and the list of participating singers is included in the accompanying booklet; but it does not tell you which singers are singing each year. That bothered me somewhat because I like to know to whom I am listening specifically. It does mention, however, that the solo group in Allegi's 'Miserere' is Alison Stamp (treble), Michael Chance (countertenor) Jane Armstrong and Julian Walker.
The recording is outstanding in every way. Perfect balance between the voices, perfect emotional investment, flawless dicton and the most beautiful vocal sounds you will ever hear; just Two and One-half hours of pure pleasure!!!!!

Lovely!!!.......2006-06-02

This set of CDs is truly wonderful. I am fond of sacred choral music and purchased the CD mostly to obtain the recording of Gregorio Allegri's "Miserere Mei." This song alone is worth buying the set. I heard it live by an excellent college choir in my hometown and immediately set out to find the best recording of it. Most buyers recommended this recording over the others. (By the way "Miserere Mei: by Gregorio is hard to find.) Additionally the other songs are also so relaxing, flowing, and meditative. I will be honest . . .the Tallis Scholars sing well but not as flawlessly as the Cambridge Singers. You will note that not every consanant is hit in unison, but this is not overly disturbing. (Still that is the only reason for giving four stars instead of five.) The sound is still lovely and the songs gorgeous. In Media Vita is another gorgeous song (first on second CD). If you haven't heard it, I'm sure you'll love the flowing melody!

Beautiful, but a little cold.......2006-02-06

The Tallis Scholars are the zenith of this type of singing, but sometimes they lack the vocal warmth that they probably could achieve if they were guided to do so. Still, this is a great CD, and even better for the 2 CDs of fine and uplifting singing.

The Greatest Hits of a Pioneer Ensemble.......2005-09-27

For years, Tallis Scholars have been quietly revolutionizing our recovery of sacred music. This is their "greatest hits" collection and quite great indeed. The Miserere which begins the set is alone worth the price of the set. The only fault with it is that it is so startling, so obviously genuine, that you will still be hearing it as you play through the rest of the set. The Scholars' ongoing recovery project only proves how integral music is to the human psyche, how essential the sacred is to basic human sanity. And how the severence of the two in the public space and the popular imagination -- the sacred from music -- has severely damaged us all en masse.

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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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.

Great Choral Classics from King's Choir of King's College, Cambridge

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Great Choral Classics from King's Choir of King's College, Cambridge

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Abide With Me
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ASIN: B000007OTQ
Release Date: 1998-06-09

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
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Beyond Chant: Mysteries Of The Renaissance

Average customer rating:

Great literature... but thats about it
Essential listening.
Captivating!
Lofty music
Slow down Maestro !

Beyond Chant: Mysteries Of The Renaissance

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Duruflé: Requiem Op.9/Messe Cum Jubilo,Op.11
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ASIN: B0000006ZN
Release Date: 1994-05-23

Tracks:

Sicut Cervus
Ave Maria
Justorum Animae
Jesu Rex admirabilis
Exultate Deo
Exultate Justi
Jesu,Dulcis Memoria
Ave Verum Corpus
Psalm 90
Psalm 96
Hodie Christus Natus Est
O Maria Virgo Pia
Tu Pauperum Refugium
O Sacrum Convivium
If Ye Love Me,Keep My Commandments
Hosanna To The Son Of David
O Quam Gloriosum
Selig sind die Toten
Heu Nos Miseros
Exaltabo Te
O Sing Joyfully
O Magnum Mysterium
Laudate Nomen
Cantate Domino

Amazon.com

Go right to the first track and prepare for one of the most masterful and stylish performances of Palestrina that you'll ever hear. It's not flashy music nor is the singing especially virtuosic, but the unified phrasing, ideal balance among sections, and overall ensemble technique is impressive, and Palestrina's little motet simply opens and displays itself like a beautiful flower. The rest of the program, which includes a variety of beautiful flowers from composers such as Josquin, Sweelinck, and Tallis, maintains the same standard. Anyone looking for an introduction to Renaissance sacred choral music will find much here to encourage further exploration--standards like Byrd's "Ave verum corpus" and Victoria's "O magnum mysterium"-- and lesser known tiny masterpieces such as Victoria's "Jesu, dulcis memoria." The Voices of Ascension ranks with the world's finest choirs, and this recording reflects both the highest standard of choral singing and the highest standard of choral composition during the Renaissance. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Great literature... but thats about it.......2007-06-17

This cd was mildly dissapointing, to say the least. The literature is fantastic. Some of the greats are featured on here with some of their best works. No doubt a great taste of the Renaissance, especially for someone new to it. However, I'm sorry to say that the performance is second-rate, at best. Dennis Keene apparently is either unaware, or just simply understudied when it comes to the Renaissance. He shows an incredible lack of messa di voce, which was what drove the counterpoint of the Renaissance. His interpretations rob this music of its deeply personal purpose. I would suggest the Hilliard Ensemble over any ensemble for Renaissance literature, and find it dissapointing that so many people praise such emotionless, understudied Renaissance ensembels such as the Voices of Ascension, the Tallis Scholars, and the Oxford Camerata, just to name a few. Very good literature... But always pick the Hilliard Ensemble or Anthony Rooley's Consort of Musike when you have the option. It seems like Paul Hillier and Anthony Rooley are the only two true Renaissance scholars currently conducting ensembles.

Essential listening........2007-03-05

This was my first CD of Renaissance choral music, as it undoubtably has been for a great many people. It offers the best possible introduction to the genre for 2 main reasons: 1. No other CD of Renaissance choral music contains such a varied cross-section of early to late Renaissance sacred music styles. 2. The performance and recording quality are fabulous.

Keene uses a variety of different voicings and numbers of singers according to the needs of each particular piece, sometimes with only 2 on a part. The ensemble heard on this recording is a select professional core of The Voices Of Ascension, one of the best choral groups in the country. The voices are all very rich and resonant, and the intonation through the entire CD is unquestionably on par with the best in the world. The singing is, for the most part, completelly vibratoless and extremely smooth, which creates a gorgeous purity that allows this music to shine. However, it does become strident at times, which may put off some choral conductors who are strongly against straight-tone singing.

Of particularly high quality and beauty are the Viadana "Exultate Justi", Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus", Tallis' "O Sacrum Convivium", and the Victoria and Sweelinck pieces. Another extraordinary track is Leonardo Leo's "Heu Nos Miseros", a late Baroque piece included because of its influence from earlier styles. It is a 9 part double choir piece full of extravigant dissonances and emotion, performed breathtakingly.

Captivating!.......2006-04-12

I was christened as a choral music fan once, as a college student, I heard the music of the Cambridge Singers. Inundated with classical music for years, how could I never have heard such music?! It was as if my musical senses were born anew: for it was with the same awe as a child encountering the world for the first time, that I discovered this novel and fascinating world of a cappella choral music. There were landmark discoveries along the way: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge; Concordia Choir; St. Olaf Choir; the Dale Warland Singers; the Kansas City Chorale; Kantorei; the West Coast Mennonite Chamber Singers...and (as you expected!) I must end with the Voices of Ascension. The clarity of their pure voices can only be paralleled by the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge. Chant haters, do not avoid this CD - you will find no chants here! Chants hold absolutely NO intrigue for me and I cannot endure listening to them for long periods of time. By contrast, this music, aptly named "Beyond Chant," truly does uncover hidden musical treasures of the Renaissance for those who would ordinarily avoid such music. The intricately woven a cappella harmonies are captivating and satisfying. I highly recommend this CD to all choral music fans.

Lofty music.......2005-10-14

Some of the earliest pieces of Christian music are the various kinds of chant. These hearken back to synagogue singing; there were various kinds of chant, including Gregorian, Old Roman, Mozarabic, Cistercian and Anglican chant. These tend toward the monophonic, singing with a single 'tune' or lone. They are generally without regular beats or set meters. However, in the Renaissance, monophonic chant grew into a polyphonic form, and this is one of the most glorious eras of music. (My shelves at home are filled with CDs of this sort.) Composers in this era include many represented on this disc - Palestrina, Desprez, Victoria, Lassus, Byrd, Gibbons and Tallis were some of the leading lights of the time. Lesser known but still glorious include Tye, Viadana, Sweelinck, Hassler, Batten and Schutz.

One of the interesting features of this disc is that it includes three pieces by Sweelinck, two psalm settings and 'Hodie Christus Natus Est'. (Sweelinck is very under-represented in recording and performance today). Some pieces are very well known - Byrd's 'Ave Verum Corpus' is perhaps one of the most familiar pieces from this period, as is Palestrina's 'Exultate Deo'. This is a collection that draws from the breadth of the Western Christian tradition of music from this time, with composers from Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Spain.

The composers here wrote liturgical music for Masses and other worship services, as well as other pieces - motets and other kinds of new music. This disc represents music that is two or three steps removed from plainsong and basic forms of chant - some are quite a bit distant. Viadana's composition for 'Exultate Justi', for example, was actually composed later, and despite being done in a more Renaissance style, shows decided influences of the Baroque (this might also be part of the performance of the Voices of the Ascension that gives this impression).

The Voices of Ascension, under the direction of Dennis Keene, grew out of the choir of the Church of the Ascension in New York City. Many of the singers are active soloists in addition to being part of this group (whose numbers vary, but often around 40). Keene is a conductor, organist and teacher (not an uncommon combination). Trained at Juilliard, he has led the Voices of Ascension through many outstanding recordings and performances.

This is a performance that is definitely uplifting, and a good collection of music in its breadth to introduce the glories of Renaissance polyphony to those who with little exposure to it. The recording quality is very good, and the choir is quite full and well suited for the music. Some have commented upon the tempo, but this was not a concern for me, and did not stand out as unusual or a problem upon listening (indeed, there were a few points at which I might wish for it to be a bit faster, rather than slower).

A collection that soars!

Slow down Maestro !.......2004-01-04

Another reviewer writing about another album by Dennis Keene wrote:

"Yet the performance is not the slowly flowing honey usually served up by, say, the Tallis Scholars (as good as that is). Particularly in the Gloria and Credo of the Mass, Dennis Keene deliberately de-emphasizes the rise and fall of the different voices' lines in favor of a more naturally speech-like declamation of the long Latin texts. This means a surprisingly fast tempo--and some rhythmic spring and syncopation one might not expect in Palestrina. Some (not all) of the motets get a similar treatment: it works well in joyous pieces like the Pentecost motet Dum complerentur, but listeners might miss that melodic rise and fall in some of the slower works. The singers of Voices of Ascension are quite skillful, and the slight edge in their tone helps make the different melodies unusually audible. Very worthwhile, but not your father's Palestrina."

As a matter of fact, I used to like this album quite much although it was certainly not my favorite. That was until I listened to Robert shaw's "O Magnum Mysterium", which is amedley of Renaissance, negro spiritual, Russian and Western contemporary religious music. I was struck by Shaw's profoundly spiritual interpretation of the pieces by Victoria and Tallis that are also recorded on "Beyond Chant".

From then on I could no longer listen to this cd without feeling feeling increasingly dissatisfied. I tried to find a precise reason and not being a music specialist I was quite at a loss until I found the review above. Maybe the quick tempo is the key to my dislike.

I definitely feel that Dennis Keene and his singers do not have the depth of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers although the booklet accompanying the cd claims that the audience was spellbound by their performance, which took place in a cathedral in New York.

Tracks:

Hildegard of Bingen: O virga ac diadema
Palestrina: Sitivit anima mea
Byrd: Justorum animae
Isaac: Sanctus
Josquin: Ave Christe
Dufay: Alma Redmptoris Mater
Byrd: Rejoice, rejoice
(chant): Kyrie eleison
Palestrina: Surge illuminare
(chant): Sanctus
Tallis: In ieiunio et fletu
Palestrina: Hodie Christus Natus Est
Byrd: Sing joyfully
Farrant: Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake
Hildegard of Bingen: Ave generosa
Byrd: Miserere mei, Deus
(anonymous): Rejoice in the Lord alway - Anonymous
(chant): Ave Verum Corpus
(chant): Agnus Dei
Lotti: Crucifixus
Ingegneri: Tenebrae factae sunt
Palestrina: Ascendo ad Patrem
Weelkes: Hosanna to the Son of David
Weelkes: Alleluia, I heard a voice

Customer Reviews:

The best early choral music recording I've heard!.......1999-07-25

This is a stunning recording, including well-known and not-so-well-known works.

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

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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The Essential Tallis Scholars
Josquin Desprez: Motets & Chansons
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli, Missa Aeterna
Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection
Music for a Medieval Banquet

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.

The King"s Singers: English Renaissance
Average customer rating:

Absolutely Outstanding!!!

Not to be missed!

Beautiful and Flawless

The King's Singers Overcome Obsticles of Byrd and Tallis

The King"s Singers: English Renaissance

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003FSO
Release Date: 1995-02-14

Tracks:

Haec Dies
Te Lucis Ante Terminum (I)
Beata Viscera Mariae Virginis
Ave Verum Corpus
Vigilate
Viri Galilaei
Te Lucis Ante Terminum (II)
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, First Set: Incipit Lamentatio
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, First Set: Aleph
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, First Set: Beth
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, First Set: Ierusalem
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: De Lamentatione
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: Gimel
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: Daleth
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: Heth
Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: Ierusalem
If Ye Love Me
O Lord, Make Thy Servant Elizabeth, Our Queen
Sing Joyfully
Laudibus In Sanctis

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Outstanding!!!.......2005-02-12

I own several other King's Singer CDs, but this one is definitely my favorite. Every track is a gem! It is amazing that only six vocalists are able to produce such beautiful harmonies. My favorite tracks are:
-"Te Lucis Ante Terminum (I)" This begins with Gregorian chant done in the way that God intended for it to be sung. When I am listening to this, I imagine it being performed in an English cathedral, and I imagine the entire building resonating with the music. After the opening unison Gregorian chant, the music changes into a polyphonic and harmonic style that is a very interesting textural contrast. Wonderful!
-"The Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah" This is a wonderful example of the highest form of English polyphony. I have a CD that has the Choir of King's College performing the "Lamentations", however, the King's Singers' version on this CD is much clearer and richer.

If you like this type of music, then this album is for you. Even if you are not sure if you like this kind of music, I would still recommend purchasing this recording. You won't regret it.

Not to be missed!.......2002-01-22

This CD is absolutely essential. These guys know their music inside and out, and the dynamic levels they are able to achieve should be the envy of any ensemble.

The album contains an exceptional recording of Tallis's "The Lamentations of Jeremiah" which are virtually unperformed in the music world, but are exquisite pieces of vocal polyphony. I highly recommend this album for that reason alone.

Listen to it as an activity in and of itself, with no background noise if possible. You will be rewarded! Also, it is a great album to help you fall asleep, if you use music to relax.

If you like Early music, you MUST acquire this CD! End of story!

Beautiful and Flawless.......2000-12-08

The King's Singers are one of the best small vocal ensembles in the world today. With beautiful, strong, clear voices, they sing new life into some of the loveliest melodies of the two wonderful English composers. Their voices seem perfectly suited to this music, and indeed their performance itself is essentially perfect--I cannot find a single significant fault with anything on this recording. The quality of singing is absolutely first-rate. In particular, the sound of the male contralto is wonderfully pure. If you like Byrd and Tallis, then you are in for a wonderful treat with a purchase of this CD. If you are not very familiar with the composers, or the Singers, then I am sure this CD will make you quite a fan of both! This is very, very lovely music.

The King's Singers Overcome Obsticles of Byrd and Tallis.......2000-06-10

William Byrd. Thomas Tallis. Both were common copmosers in the Renaissance era that were sure to offer up a challenge to anyone who dared. The King's Singers were up there to challenge the music of Byrd and Tallis. What an interesting choice of composers too. Byrd was known to be the most respected composer of his time in England (1543-1623), which may also be the reason he got away with composing music for both the banned Catholic church and the new Angelican church.

I honetly do not know much about Tallis, but I think that "Te Lucias ante Termnium I" shows well defined and blended harmonies while focusing on an excellent bass line. "Haec Dies" sounded like two different SATB choirs copying each other while actually the music is only SSATTB; they made a masterpiece out of a song that only consists of: 'Haec dies, quam fecit Dominus, Exultemus, et laetemur, inea, Alleluia'. The melodies were bouncy and fizzed with intense pop and curiosity to what was coming up, how the style format was going to suprise you next. "Beata Viscera Maria Virgins" demonstrated brilliant sections as well as dramatic dynamics. "Ave Verum Corpus" drifted me into a daze with beautiful melody lines to relax to. "Viqilate" created a sea of harmonies using the basic lyric line while brilliantly intensifying with each word.

The King's Singers have once again proved they are serious singers by tackling a new challenge: music that invloes dramatic dynamics and does not always have smooth transitions. Not only did they manage to pull it off, they also perfected the music and performed it with such eloquency it almost sounds easy. Almost. I have personally performed some music composed by William Byrd, and it is not easy. That is all part of brilliance. '-English Renaissance' has definitly proved that the King's Singers can overcome obsticles with grace and purify the rest, such as "You Are the New Day", with their beautiful sound. This is one album that is worth the trouble to understand.

Byrd: 3 Masses
Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan

Wonderful, Lovely, Mood...

Stunning music

Byrd: 3 Masses

Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Byrd, William | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005ATDI
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Tracks:

Mass For Five Voices: Kyrie
Mass For Five Voices: Gloria
Mass For Five Voices: Credo
Mass For Five Voices: Sanctus & Benedictus
Mass For Five Voices: Agnus Dei
Mass For Four Voices: Kyrie
Mass For Four Voices: Gloria
Mass For Four Voices: Credo
Mass For Four Voices: Sanctus & Benedictus
Mass For Four Voices: Agnus Dei
Mass For Three Voices: Kyrie & Gloria
Mass For Three Voices: Credo
Mass For Three Voices: Sanctus & Benedictus
Mass For Three Voices: Agnus Dei
Motet: Ave Verum Corpus

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-12-29

GLORIUS! GLORIUS! GLORIUS! That's the best way I can describe this marvelous rendition by the Tallis Scolars of Byrd's three Masses.
William Byrd(1543-1623) was a Catholic in the Protestant England of Queen Elizabeth, and had to be careful to keep his head, in every sense of the phrase. By writing for the Protestant Church a Great Service and a Short Service, and for the Papists three Masses(on this disc),besides madrigals, anthems, and hymns, he remained in the good graces of both factions. In his position as Master of Musicke, he was called upon for music for every sort of occasion, and rose nobly to the challenge, inventing new types of composition as need arose. He composed a number of songs with string quartet accompaniments, actually the first vocal solos in which instruments played a the part purely of accompaniment.
Byrd published his three Mass-settings between c.1593 and c.1595 separately, in very small books. They have an unmistakable austerity of tone, and in this lies the peculiar power of these pieces. It is like a theme, to which each movement of each of these 3 Masses is a variation; but the theme is a MOOD, not a MELODY. During the course of these pieces Byrd clearly explored every feeling a man may have when he is fighting for something he passionately believes in, with his back to the wall. His 5-part Mass is one of the most convincingly argued, as well as sonorous, achievements in all his music.
There is no doubt in my mind that this Tallis Scholars recording is the greatest of all the recordings of these Masses. Peter Phillips has assembled his most accomplished singers for this disc (made in 1985). Singers such as:Sally Dunkely & Alison Gough (sopranos)-Michael Chance & Robert Harre-Jones (countertenors)-Charles Daniels, Mark Padmore,Rufus Miller & Nicolas Robertson (tenors)-Francis Steele and Jeremy White (basses). Their sound is sonorous;their emotional investment high and correct; their balance perfection and the diction is flawless! I have 2 other recordings of these Masses, and they just don't get to this SUPERIOR level.

Wonderful, Lovely, Mood..........2005-12-21

The harmonies written by Byrd will wrap you in a mysterious blend of piousness and beauty.

Wonderful for quiet time in an early childhood classroom.

Stunning music.......2003-07-27

--William Byrd--
William Byrd was a composer of grace and power. A staunch Catholic in an increasingly Protestant country, Byrd maintained his church loyalties at high cost. However, as a recognised genius at liturgical music, he had powerful admirers and friends, perhaps including Queen Elizabeth herself. Producing musical settings to Latin texts in a new-regime English-dominated church environment took courage. However, Byrd persevered all his life to produce music that remains timeless while being firmly rooted in its time.

--Mass for Five Voices, Four Voices, Three Voices--
Each mass consists of five primary pieces: the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus & Benedictus, and the Agnus Dei. The five-voice mass is probably the latest composition of the three masses presented here. It requires two tenor parts, and has an elongated Credo ending vis-à-vis the other masses. Like other Byrd compositions, in Phillips words, 'remains true to the English preference for counterpoint.' Counterpoint is a particular kind of polyphony that has a different emphasis, but a way to think about it is of having a melody against a melody in the same piece. The four-voice mass was likely the first composition, and remains the most popular. The three-voice mass presented some difficulties of composition, according to Phillips, to present counterpoint for so few voices. Nonetheless, it remains an exquisite piece of liturgical music. The Mass for Five Voices, however, is probably one of Byrd's greatest works, and thus has pride of place in this collection.

--Ave Verum Corpus--
As an added bonus, the Tallis Scholars have provided the 4-minute motet Ave Verum Corpus, also by Byrd. A motet is typically a choral composition sung at services other than masses (often at Vespers, although sometimes as anthem music). Byrd, together with Tallis (from whom this ensemble derives its name), was considered a master of the Flemish style of motet.

--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 by Rubens, who was a contemporary of William Byrd.

--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 Byrd 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 astonishing.

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