Thomas Tallis

From ChoralWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Thomas Tallis

Life

Born: c.1505

Died: 23 November 1585

Biography

The entry in Cathedral Music, Volume 1 (William Boyce) reads:

Thomas Tallis was Organist of the Royal Chapels to King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth. He was esteem'd a most excellent Composer of Church Music, at least equal to any Contemporary, either of his own Country or of Foreign Nations; and was the first who compos'd the Musical Part of our Divine Service in the English Language. He, in conjunction with William Bird, a Musician of great Eminence, who had been his Scholar, obtain'd of Queen Elizabeth, in the Year of our Lord 1575, Letters Patent, by which they claim'd the exclusive Right of printing all Ruled Paper, as well as of all Music Books, for the Term of 21 Years. He died November 23d, 1585, and was buried at Greenwich in Kent. (Greenwich is, in fact, in Greater London.)

On his Grave-Stone is the following Inscription:

Enterred here doth ly a worthy wyght, / Who for long Tyme in musick bore the bell:

His name to shew, was Thomas Tallis hyght,
 / In honest vertuous Lyff he dyd excell.
He ser'd long Tyme in Chappel with grete Prayse, / Fower Sovereygnes Reygnes (a thing not often seen)

I mean King Henry & Prynce Edward's dayes,
 / Queen Mary, & Elizabeth our Quene.
He maryd was, though children had he none, / and lyv'd in Love full thre and thirty yeres

With loyal spouse, whose name yclyipt was Jone, / Who here entomb'd, his Company now bears.
As he did lyve, so also did he dy,
 / In mild & quyet sort (O! happy man)

To God ful oft for mercy did he cry, / Wherefore he lyves, let Death do what he can.

View the Wikipedia article on Thomas Tallis.

NOTE. This page has been (mostly) automated. Please check if your new work has been automatically added below, then delete "Recent Additions".

List of choral works (automated)

Latin.png Sacred music in Latin

English.png Sacred music in English

A. Hymns
B. Other sacred works

English.png Secular works

Partial list of works (manually maintained)

Anthems

Contrafacta

Many are from period sources, including Latin and pre-1650 English texts (not necessarily translations) set to preexisting music. See also Nine Compositions for Archbishop_Parker's Psalter, below.

Liturgical music

The Dorian Service

1. Venite
2. Te Deum in D minor
3. Benedictus in D minor
4-7. Communion service in D minor (Boyce adds Gloria/Laus tibi, and Kyrie from No. 4.)

4. Responses to Commandments
5. Creed
Offertorie after the Creede: "Not every one that sayeth" [spurious]
6. Sanctus
7. Gloria

8. & 9. Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Dorian)

The Choral Service

  • Preces and Responses (transmitted in 2 versions: '1st Preces' for 5vv & '2nd Preces' for 4vv)
  • Psalm CXIX
  1. Wherewith all shall a young man
  2. O do well unto thy servant
  3. My soul cleaves to the dust

Other service music

Nine Compositions in Parker's Psalter, 1567

1. Man blest no doubt 86. 86 (C.M.)
2. Let God arise C.M.
3. Why fumeth in sight C.M.

4. O come in one 88. 88 (L.M.)
5. When like the hunted hind 66. 86 (S.M.) 6. Expend, O Lord C. M.
7. Why brag in malice high 66. 66


8. God grant with grace L.M.

9. Come Holy Ghost, eternal God C.M. (TALLIS' ORDINAL)

Anglican chants

Choral works not indexed on CPDL

  • Procul recedant somnia - see Te lucis ante terminum

 
Click here to search for this composer on CPDL

Publications

External links