Thomas Tallis: The Complete Works
Volume 2 - Music at the Reformation

Chapelle du Roi
directed by Alistair Dixon

Penguin Guide to Compact Discs

Most, and possibly all, the musi8c here dates from the 1540s and reflects the remarkable diversity of musical response that came directly from the profound change in reformed religious procedures which developed in England within a single decade. Tallis himself joined the new, non-monastic cathedral choir at Canterbury in 1540, and went on to become a lay Gentleman of the Chapel Royal (almost certainly working immediately as a composer) in 1543/4. Much liturgical music was still sung in Latin, notably the splendid ‘Magnificat’ and the deeply felt ‘Sancte Deus’, but already there are settings in English, including three fine early anthems, an extended English ‘Benedictus’ and a remarkable five-part ‘Te Deum’, all very different from the music on Volume I of this series. The surprisingly homophonic setting of the Latin ‘Mass’ is forward-looking too, and very telling. The ‘Angus Dei’ is most beautiful. ‘If ye love me’ resourcefully alternates chordal and imitative section. The sheer variety of the music here is remarkable and makes a stimulating second volume in this distinguished series.

Ivan March

Gramophone Dec 98

Two exciting ‘Complete Works’ projects have taken off in the past year, both of which show increasing signs of doing much more than merely filling gaps in the catalogue. Chapelle du Roi under Alistair Dixon have embarked upon a nine-volume project devoted to Tallis, organized in roughly chronological order of composition. Their second volume offers music dating from the first years of the Reformation, including a Latin ‘Magnificat and Nunc dimittis’, and the Mass for four voices. To my ear this volume represents an appreciable advance over the first for the ensemble: vocal quality is more consistent, entries are far more confident, lines more assertively shaped. And you may well find that it is not just the musicians who are on better form here: Tallis himself seems far happier in the syllabic, concisely imitative idiom of these pieces than in the note-spinning, earlier post-Eton Choirbook style of the votive antiphons. This volume also includes a number of the composer’s anthems (including the most famous, ‘If ye love me’) which receive equally fine performances. I remember The Hilliard Ensemble’s rugged rendition of the Mass for four voices (ECM. 4/88) with great affection, but this version for mixed choir is equally satisfying.

Footloose Magazine 1998

Thomas Tallis (1505 – 1585) is regarded as one of the finest English composers of the 16th-century, along with his pupil Wiliam Byrd (1542 – 1623). Signum Records has released volume 2 of the complete works of Tallis, which includes his ‘Mass for Four Voices’ ‘Te Deum for Means’, ‘If Ye Love Me’ and ‘Magnificat & Dunc Dimittus’, sung by Chapelle Du Roi ands conducted by Alistair Dixon. The voices in this CD have a beautiful homogeneous quality and are pure and uncomplicated, thankfully omitting the use of vibrato. It is finely recorded, and contains detailed and informative programme notes including the placing of music in its historical context. Highly recommended.

Kathryn Thomas

MusicWeb.co.uk, December 2002

Volume 2 of the Tallis complete works follows the successful format of its predecessor. Here the selection features better known music and there is greater competition on disc. The anthems in particular are available on disc from the Tallis Scholars (Gimell CDGIM007) at full price. This is relevant in that if one takes the trouble to use the card in this disc to request a mailing from Signum Records, one can purchase all this series direct from them at £7.99 per disc - a considerable saving, particularly for performances such as these.

The high standard of singing and interpretation is continued throughout these pieces, and together with the most informative booklet this is a document to be treasured. The omission on the last disc of voice parts has been rectified and again translations of all pieces are provided in Latin, English, French and German. The anthems are possibly the most well known, and are performed by men’s voices, with an alto taking the upper part. These are all smoothly and tastefully sung, with the false relations obvious without being overly pointed. In the other pieces, boyish female voices are employed to effect.

The dates of many of the items are uncertain, particularly given the upheaval and changing patterns of religion. From 1530-1570 dominance moved from early protestantism to a return to Catholicism under Mary, and then again to the protestant faith under Elizabeth. It is thus intriguing to sample Latin texts and a Mass, interspersed with English anthems (the latter probably dating around 1570). The Latin mass and antiphons are probably much earlier - around 1540. The mass is preceded by a plainchant Kyrie which in the Latin rite was sung on major feast days.

I have not heard all the Tallis Scholars disc, but comparing those pieces which I am able, the Chapelle du Roi acquit themselves in excellent fashion; if one takes advantage of the price reduction obtainable from Signum Records, this becomes a real bargain.

John Portwood

Click here to read a comparison with the Winchester Cathedral's recording of similar repertoire