Album insights
During the years between Henry VII's victory over Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 and the beginning of the separation from Rome initiated by Henry VIII, unique developments took place in English music unprecedented in the Western world. Under Henry VII, a phase of political stability ensued, along with a stricter control over finances, transforming England into a diplomatically esteemed country that gained influence and blossomed artistically. Spiritual music was composed in increasingly elaborate formats—works became longer, higher, and in the best instances, more dramatic than anything produced on the European continent.
The music for the church and its liturgies was essentially divided into four categories during that time. Veronese of the Ordinarium texts (Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei) were required for the main Eucharistic celebrations, often based on a cantus plain melody. Smaller settings were needed for simpler Marian masses. The Vespers service of the Office was the most embellished, featuring extensive settings of the Magnificat (the central canticle of Vespers). The fourth category, the Votivantiphon, was more diverse: pieces added to the liturgy, often towards the end of Mass or Vespers, expressing special devotion through both text and music. Although mostly dedicated to the Virgin Mary, as reformative ideas spread, texts and music in honor of Jesus Christ also emerged. The texts, akin to the pre-Reformation Church itself, became increasingly exalted, expansive, and unbounded. The best compositions are ingenious and inspiring, exemplified by Fayrfax's setting of Maria plena virtute, while the worst are verbose, clumsy, and unimaginative in their rhyme schemes, sometimes concluding each line with the suffix "-issima," indicating the superlative, such as "gloriosissima": "the most glorious."
Tallis' precise birth date remains unknown, with sparse documented records. However, his keen understanding of the pre-Reformation style implies that he must have been born early enough to fully experience and absorb it, suggesting a birth year around 1505. The earliest official mention of his career records him as the organist of the modest Benedictine monastery in Dover in 1532. By 1537, he had secured a position at the St Mary-at-Hill church in Billingsgate, London. Another move in 1538 took him to the Augustinian abbey in Waltham, Essex. This decision proved unfortunate, as the systematic dissolution of monasteries by Henry VIII began in earnest in 1536 and culminated in 1540 with the dissolution of Waltham Abbey. After losing his position and pension, Tallis soon reemerged as a singer in the Canterbury Cathedral choir. By 1544, Tallis appeared on the payroll of the monarch's private chapel, the Chapel Royal—a position he resumed after his return to London post-1542.
Tallis married Joan around 1552, receiving a 21-year partial lease of a manor in Minster near Thanet, Kent from Queen Mary in 1557. In 1572, Tallis and his younger colleague William Byrd petitioned Queen Elizabeth I for financial support, garnering a 21-year publishing monopoly for musical notation and publication in return. The Cantiones sacrae of 1575 is considered a superb collection of motets today, though it was a financial disaster then. Despite this setback, Tallis and Byrd sought Queen Elizabeth's aid again in 1577. Throughout his life, Tallis maintained his association with the Chapel Royal, serving in various capacities such as composer, teacher, organist, and singer. He passed away around November 20, 1585, and was buried in St Alphege Church in Greenwich.
"Ave, rosa sine spinis" is an anonymous text with seven stanzas reflecting on Gabriel's greeting to Mary as described in the Gospel of Luke. Reconstruction was necessary from the Peterhouse Partbooks as expertly done by Nick Sandon. Crafted skillfully, the text is ingeniously composed, with a clever incorporation of Gabriel's salutation across various stanzas. The rhyming scheme of the four-line stanzas is designed as AABB and varied. Popular in horae books, the text also features an enthusiastic introduction found in "Enchiridion preclare ecclesie Sarum" (Paris 1530), showcasing devotion to the golden prayer worn by the Virgin Mary.
The music of "Ave, rosa sine spinis" presents a significant advancement from the four-voiced Magnificat in Latin but is less complex than "Salve intemerata virgo." Assigning Tallis' works chronologically is challenging, but this may be considered one of his early works among surviving pieces. It likely predates his tenure at the Chapel Royal in mid-1540s London. Tallis mastered his craft, blending solo and choral sections seamlessly, with thoughtful melody arrangements. Although harmonically conservative, delving into distant keys towards the end, the concluding "Amen" is beautifully crafted with an imitative melody, reminiscent of the closing of "Gaude gloriosa," his final work in the Antiphon tradition.
Contemporary with this is the simple piece "Euge caeli porta," a setting of the second verse of "Ave, praeclara maris stella," a sequence for Sunday Marian masses. Found in the Gyffard Partbooks, it is a modest, four-voiced piece featuring an embellished cantus plain base in the lowest voice.
The Reformation movement in Europe wasn't abrupt and transcended political or church legislation, with discussions aligning with the rise of Humanism before Henry initiated the English Reformation. During his reign, certain liturgical and musical occurrences stood out. Tallis' Mass for four voices exemplifies this transition. Unlike earlier Mass Ordinarium settings such as Nicholas Ludford's "Missa Videte miraculum," Tallis' style underwent a radical transformation. The work is syllabically strict, focusing on textual clarity, setting it apart from its predecessors. Only in the Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei sections does Tallis allow himself more freedom. Departing from the high treble characteristic of previous generations, Tallis employs a head motif with variations, repeating sections like the music of particular phrases across different movements. The Gyffard Partbooks serve as the source of this Mass.
Tallis appeared disinterested in the rising popularity of polyphonic renditions of Psalter texts. He composed two pieces in this vein—“Domine, quis habitabit?” and “Laudate Dominum,” the latter being a setting of Psalm 117. Lively with bouncing rhythms and Tallis' trademark cadences, it likely influenced William Byrd's later "Laudate pueri" setting. "O salutaris hostia" is a pre-Reformation SATBarB setting for Benediction, placed stylistically during either Mary's or Elizabeth I's reign. While not overly complex, it's preserved in several printed sources due to its relevance in style.
Five Latin motets played here originate from the 1575 Cantiones sacrae, a publication shared between Tallis and William Byrd. Noteworthy among them is the canonic "Miserere nostri," showcasing technical brilliance with a canon structure and intricate vocal interplay. Following a tradition from the Continent, it incorporates separate voices linked by canonic principles. "Salvator mundi" adopts a simpler canon structure between the top and low voices in a sub-octave range.
Connected to the Compline are three pieces—a beautiful Responsorium "In manus tuas, Domine" and slightly varying versions of the Hymn "Te lucis ante terminum." The uplifting motet "O come in one to praise the Lord" is based on Parker's metrical translation of the Psalter, featuring harmonies if a choir is available. Similarly, "Why fum'th in fight", a setting of Psalm 2, resonates thanks to Ralph Vaughan Williams' adaptation, becoming renowned in the 20th century.
Lastly, the "Contrafacta" are motets where the original Latin text has been translated into English, meant for private devotion or potentially Anglican church performances. Found in John Barnard's "The First Booke of Selected Church Musick (London 1641)," these adaptations ensure that several of Tallis' Latin masterpieces remain integrated into the everyday repertoire of church institutions, preserving his genius until the 20th-century reassessment.
Andrew Carwood © 2015