The Essential Tallis Scholars [Import]

Gregorio Allegri (Composer), Tomas Luis de Victoria (Composer), Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (Composer), Josquin Desprez (Composer), Thomas Crecquillon (Composer), Jacobus Clemens Non Papa (Composer), Heinrich Isaac (Composer), Cipriano de Rore (Composer), Orlande de Lassus (Composer), Antoine Brumel (Composer), John [Composer] Sheppard (Composer), Thomas [Composer] Tallis (Composer), Robert White (Composer), William Cornysh (Composer), William [Composer] Byrd (Composer), The Tallis Scholars (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: The Tallis Scholars
• Composer: Gregorio Allegri, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Josquin Desprez, Thomas Crecquillon, et al.
• Audio CD (September 9, 2003)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Gimell UK
• ASIN: B00009NJ20
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,445 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #39 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Partsongs
  • #64 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Renaissance (c.1450-1600) > Composers
  • #68 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Songs & Lieder > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

105 of 109 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real gem of sacred Renaissance music, December 27, 2003

By 

Boileau0663 (Tournai, Belgique) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Tallis Scholars (Audio CD)

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".

66 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the most delicate music of all time, December 28, 2004

By 

N. Piplica "apprentice" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Essential Tallis Scholars (Audio CD)

i truely recommend this cd. i'm 19, grew up with metal, rock, n rap. But this is truelly the most delicate music, makes earth feel like heaven. it has changed my life, n hopefully changes yours. The music takes you farther than you will ever be as a human, farther than ur wildest dream. Listen and take the path of splendid creations.

Nick

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Hits of a Pioneer Ensemble, September 26, 2005

By 

Billyjack D'Urberville (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Tallis Scholars (Audio CD)

For years, Tallis Scholars have been quietly revolutionizing our recovery of sacred music. This is their "greatest hits" collection and quite great indeed. The Miserere which begins the set is alone worth the price of the set. The only fault with it is that it is so startling, so obviously genuine, that you will still be hearing it as you play through the rest of the set. The Scholars' ongoing recovery project only proves how integral music is to the human psyche, how essential the sacred is to basic human sanity. And how the severence of the two in the public space and the popular imagination -- the sacred from music -- has severely damaged us all en masse.