Tudor Church Music Volume 1 = Works of BROWNE, CORNYSH, TAVERNER – Tallis Schulars – Gimell (2) Tudor Church Music Volume 2 = Works of SHEPPARD, TALLIS, WHITE – Tallis Schulars – Gimell (2)

by | Jan 23, 2009 | Classical Reissue Reviews | 0 comments

Tudor Church Music Volume 1 = BROWNE: Salve regina I; Stabat iuxta; Stabat mater; O regina mundi clara; O Maria salvatoris CORNYSH: Gaude mater Christi; Salve regina; Ave Maria, mater Dei; TAVERNER: Western Wind Mass; TYE: Western Wind Mass – Tallis Scholars – Gimell CDGIM 209 (2 CDs), 153:42 **** [Distr. by Harmonia mundi]:

Tudor Church Music Volume 2 = SHEPPARD: Media vita; Christe Redemptor omnium; Reges Tharsis; Sacris Solemnis; In manus tuas 1, 2, 3; Verbum caro; Western Wind Mass; TALLIS: In ieiunio et fletu; O salutaris hostia; O nata lux; WHITE: Magnificat; Portio mea; Regina caeli; Christe qui lux es 3, 4; Exaudiat te dominus; Lamentations – Tallis Scholars – Gimell CDGIM 210, (2 CDs) 153:46 **** [Distr. by Harmonia mundi]:

Ostensibly marking the 500th anniversary of the coronation of King Henry VIII (a date many historians would prefer to forget), the Tallis Scholars are releasing these two two-disc sets to celebrate the occasion, full of some of the finest Tudor music ever composed, though each and every one is a re-release of previous material. These sets are essentially half-price (going for around 20 bucks each), and well worth the investment if you don’t already have the duplications.

Here is what you would be replicating: The Western Wind Masses disc from 1993; a full disc devoted to John Browne from 2005; and full discs comprised of music by John Sheppard (1989) and Robert White (1995) respectively.  I think I have around 11 Tallis Scholars discs but only the Western Wind disc is in my collection, so this is a worthwhile set for me. Others, especially the many, many devoted followers of this ensemble would do best by carefully checking your collections before buying, lest you inadvertently double-up.

For those newcomers to this group, suffice it to say that you will rarely find an ensemble as carefully rehearsed or skillfully prepared for the repertory they choose to engage in—simply one of the finest ever, legendary, and there has never been a disc they have released that has gotten less that rave reviews. Some people find the sound a little close on some of the discs, but this is a nit—the singing has been standard setting for years, and I find myself just a little envious of those who are only now discovering them. Conductor Peter Phillips has been at the forefront of the revival of late Medieval and early Renaissance music for some time now, and this set could serve as the beginning of a great discovery for many people. Especially noteworthy are the three aforementioned Western Wind Masses, the first instance of English composers setting a mass to a popular tune (Taverner was the first). But all of these recordings are splendid, and worth the modicum of money to enhance any worthwhile collection.

— Steven Ritter

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