Customer Reviews

The Essential Tallis Scholars. Tallis Scholars/Phillips

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I can't even begin to understand why this wonderful album, a selection from recordings of the renowned Tallis scholars starting in 1980, has remained without reviews so far. Let me tell all lovers of Renaissance music and choral music in general that this album is one of the best in its kind. For me, it is even superior to the overblown "The Best of the Renaissance" (also by the Tallis scholars).

The enchantment begins wit the cds themselves, exquisitely decorated with a reproduction of the Vision of St Bernhard of Clairvaux by Renaissance painter Filippino Lippi. The plastic box is protected by a beautiful, glossy paper cover featuring cherubs absorbed in contemplation. Inside you will find a booklet containing the Latin texts of the chants translated in English, French and German (which is not the case with "The Best of the renaissance")together with a presentation-illustrated with photographs-of the Tallis scholars and the music of the album.

Although this is a compilation of different recordings extending over a dozen years or so, I would like to emphasize that there is not the slightest difference in sound quality between the various tracks.

One of the strong point of this album is the great variety of the sung pieces. Whereas "The Best of the Renaissance" features no less than 3 Masses (by Byrd, Desprez and Palestrina), which means hearing again and again Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus, this album offers a whole range of motets and hymns with a few major Mass pieces like the final Gloria by Brumel on the first cd, whose splendor almost puts it on a par with the gorgeous "Spem in Alium" by Thomas Tallis.

Maybe the only weakness of this album is the choice of the composers, many of whom are rather obscure Flemish and English composers (who knows Crecquillon Isaac, Clemens, Cornysh, Sheppard, Rore, White?), although great names like Allegri, Byrd Palestrina, Lassus Victoria, Tallis and Desprez are also represented.

But the music is splendid all along and,last but not least, in this recording you are spared the experimental music of pretentious Gesualdo, which in my opinion spoils "The Best of the Renaissance".

Great and manifold are the divine mysteries of Christ's love, and all the wonder he hath created. The depth of the love of His children is so beautifuly rendered in the music on these cds, (wich I purchased for 1 dollar less at cdconnection :)). It sparks my imagination to think of the beauty of the songs of real angels. If meer mortal men can make harmony so crushingly exquisite, how wonderful is the song of the Sarrafim??!!! I recommend this to everyone. good music for your private time with the Lord.