This second instalment of Gimell’s thirtieth anniversary
celebrations contains less English music than the first volume,
which I reviewed
only a few weeks ago. In this latest volume we find an even
more generous representation of Franco-Flemish and Iberian composers.
That may be just coincidence but I suspect it reflects the ever-expanding
repertoire horizons of The Tallis Scholars as the years passed
- remember, these three boxes form a chronological survey covering
three decades.
Though there may be changes in the composers represented in
this latest retrospective as compared with the first volume,
the quality of the music and the ultra-high standard of the
performances are just as impressive as was the case first time
round.
Disc One
The set opens with Brumel’s extraordinary Mass in twelve
parts, the so-called ‘Earthquake’ Mass. There are
three parts for each voice - with two voices to a part on this
recording, so twenty-four singers are involved - although here
two of the alto lines are given to high tenors. Sonically, the
music is as remarkable as Tallis’s celebrated Spem
in alium, even if it doesn’t have as many independent
parts. Opportunities to hear the piece are probably quite limited
- Peter Phillips comments that The Tallis Scholars haven’t
performed it in concert since 1995. It’s a fantastic achievement.
In his notes Phillips refers to the “teeming detail of
the rhythmic patterns” and he also observes that Brumel
needed to write in so many parts “to decorate his colossal
harmonic pillars”. If those phrases suggest a magnificent
piece of musical architecture then that’s exactly what
we get in this Mass setting.
It’s a most imposing and exciting piece of polyphony and
in this superb Tallis Scholars performance it’s revealed
in all its splendour. Let me just draw attention to a few particularly
ear-catching moments. The end of the ‘Gloria’ is
an exuberant piece of writing. But that’s topped by the
closing pages of the ‘Credo’, where the vocal parts
seem to tumble over each other in a thrilling cascade of sound.
By contrast, the ‘Sanctus’ is imposingly devotional.
Here Brumel’s music is impressively slow-moving. However,
when he gets to “Pleni sunt coeli” it really does
sound as if the heavens are full.
The Missa de Apostolis of Heinrich Isaac is more modest
in scale - for a start it’s only written in six parts
(SSATBB). But it’s a wonderful piece by a composer who
Peter Phillips describes as “one of the greatest masters
of what might be called vocal orchestration”. The Mass
is based on a number of plainchant melodies used at the liturgies
of the Feast of the Apostles. The listener is struck by the
loveliness of Isaac’s melodic lines, which are often quite
extended. Phillips rightly draws attention to the melody that
Isaac uses for “Gratias agimus“ in the ‘Gloria’
(Track 7, from 1:47). This Mass is a very beautiful and resourceful
composition and I admired greatly the glorious performance that
it receives here.
Disc Two
Obrecht’s Missa Maria zart (‘Mass for Gentle
Mary’) is an extremely substantial work, lasting nearly
seventy minutes in this performance, and it’s scored for
STTB. Indeed, it may well be the longest polyphonic Mass setting
ever composed. This work was one that I haven’t heard
before and the strong enthusiasm that Peter Phillips expresses
in his notes made me keen to hear it. I hate to say it but,
having done so I’m a little ambivalent about it. It may
be heretical to say so but I wish it was about fifteen minutes
shorter. Obrecht develops his musical ideas at what one might
call, in a different context, Brucknerian length. The trouble
is, to my ears - which are far less expert than those of Peter
Phillips - the music seems too extended.
Phillips remarks on the homogeneity of the music and perhaps
that’s the trouble. Phillips says that in the past he
was criticised in certain quarters for taking the music too
slowly. I don’t think that’s the problem; I’m
sure his spacious treatment is right. In the last analysis,
however, unlike, say, the Isaac Mass, this was music that I
could admire but it didn’t excite me. However, that’s
a very subjective reaction. I may come to feel more positively
about the piece in time and I’m sure other listeners will
feel differently about it. In any event, the quality of this
performance makes the best possible case for the work
The disc is completed by another piece by Isaac, his Tota
Pulchra es. This motet is sung by male voices (ATBarB) and
it’s lovely. Though the words are from the often highly-charged
Song of Songs, Isaac sets them with dignified restraint. The
plangent alto line is particularly pleasing in this performance.
This timeless little gem is one of the most affecting pieces
in the entire collection
Disc Three
Here we have six settings by five different composers of verses
from the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah. It’s fascinating
to be able readily to compare and contrast the different responses
to these words by Italian, English and Franco-Flemish composers
- though none of them set identical verses. The music by Ferrabosco
(SATTB) is disciplined yet fervent while the settings by Tallis,
which are easily the best known, achieve great eloquence and
are here given one of the finest performances that I can recall
hearing.
The Brumel (ATTB) was new to me. This is music of the dusky
twilight. Peter Phillips says of it that Brumel builds up “a
rare mood of desolation by low scoring and slow harmonic movement”.
By contrast, the Palestrina setting stresses higher voices (SSATTB),
though there is no less solemnity in the music as a result.
The Robert White piece, which is the most extensive because
it’s really two pieces sung consecutively, again emphasises
the higher voices (SSATB) and as a result the sound is brighter
and more plangent. Phillips describes the White Lamentations
as “consummate pieces of vocal architecture” to
which I’d add that the music is really intense and sorrowful.
Disc Four
The previous disc concluded with a lovely motet (SSAATTB) by
Cipriano de Rore. His Descendi in hortum meum takes words
from the Song of Songs and the prominence that Rore gives to
high voices accords his music a light, airy texture that’s
most seductive.
The main offering by this Flemish composer is his Missa Praeter
rerum seriem. Scored for SSATTBB, the Mass is based on a
Christmas motet by Josquin. This is rich music, yet the inclusion
of two soprano and two tenor parts means that the textures are
generally bright. The opening of the ‘Gloria’ is
compelling. The music is complex - and full of vitality in this
performance. Here, as throughout the four discs, Phillips and
his gifted singers ensure that all the lines are laid out with
great clarity.
The ‘Sanctus’ is spacious and impressive. Interestingly,
for the “Pleni sunt coeli” Rore, instead of using
extravagant part-writing to suggest the heavenly host, restricts
his scoring to a mere two solo voices - tenor and bass. This
means that when the whole consort is deployed at “Hosanna”
the exuberance and richness of the music is all the more apparent.
Rore similarly fines down his scoring for the ‘Benedictus’,
where just three soloists (SST) are used. This emphasises the
intimacy of the music before the full forces return for the
“Hosanna”.
To close the set we hear the earliest recording in the box,
dating from 1990. The Requiem by the Portuguese composer, Manuel
Cardoso is a serene and very beautiful composition, which shows
traces of Victoria’s influence. It’s written in
six parts (SSAATB) and the purity of the soprano lines throughout
this glowing performance is especially winning. A mood of calm
devotion pervades the first movement, the Introit, and that
proves to be the hallmark of the entire work. However, though
the music is consistently beautiful and very consoling this
performance isn’t just about beauty. Cardoso’s music
has an emotional charge to it as well, even if it’s relatively
restrained, and that comes out in this exceptionally dedicated
and controlled performance.
At the start of this review I referred to the ultra-high standard
of execution. The technical skill on display throughout this
set is remarkable. And when one reflects that here we have twelve
separate recordings, set down variously between 1990 and 1998
the sheer consistency is little short of amazing. Furthermore,
though the singing is never less than beautiful and always superbly
controlled these aren’t pale and merely technically efficient
readings. At all times one feels that Peter Phillips and the
Tallis Scholars have a profound understanding and love for this
music and they communicate the spirit of the music and the visions
of the various composers most effectively and persuasively.
All the recordings were made in the Church of St Peter,
Salle, Norfolk, which was the Tallis Scholars’ recording
home throughout the 1990s. Only three engineers were responsible
for all the recordings included here, Mike Clements, Mike Hatch
and Philip Hobbs, and the evenness of the results surely reflects
how much those three engineers and all the artists were in tune
with not only the music but also the church building. The sound
throughout is beautifully clear and with just the right amount
of resonance and ambience.
Once again Gimell have excelled themselves in terms of documentation,
providing booklets in English, French and German, all of which
are copiously illustrated. This box is a worthy successor to
the first volume and represents an astonishing bargain. I shall
be reporting on the third and final instalment of this handsome
thirtieth birthday celebration very soon.
John Quinn
Track listing
CD 1
Antoine BRUMEL (c.1460-c1520) Missa Et ecce terrae
motus [47:09]
Heinrich ISAAC (c.1450-1517) Missa de Apostolis
[29:00]
CD 2
Jacob OBRECHT (1457/8-1505) Missa Maria zart [69:18]
Heinrich ISAAC Tota Pulchra es [9:05]
CD 3
Alfonso FERRABOSCO the Elder (1542/3-1588) Lamentations
I [10:00]
Thomas TALLIS (c.1505-1585) Lamentations I [8:48]
Lamentations II [13:15]
Antoine BRUMEL Lamentations [9:06]
Robert WHITE (c.1538-1574) Lamentations (5vv)
[21:56]
Giovanni Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (1525/6-1594)
Lamentations for Holy Saturday (Lesson 3, 6vv) [9:46]
Cipriano de RORE (c.1515/16-1565) Descendi in
hortum meum [5:36]
CD 4
Cipriano de RORE Missa Praeter rerum seriem [30:02]
Manuel CARDOSO (c.1566-1650) Requiem [47:20]
The Tallis Scholars/Peter Phillips 
