Tallis composed music in the reign of Henry VIII, at first grand, gothic Catholic and highly complex Latin works that started with those in the Eton Choirbook (c.1485-1515).
When the English Reformation began, stripping that all back to one note per syllable, limited imitation and clearly accessible in English, more so under the reign of Edward VI.
Mary Tudor brought back the grand Catholic Latin style, which benefited from the clarity brought by the English Reformation style.
Today’s choice comes from that period (1553-57) – a huge votive antiphon to the Virgin Mary. Unlike the shorter English Reformation works, lasting a few minutes if that, these larger Latin works last far longer – in this case 16 minutes.
It combines full and solo sections, and in the words of Andrew Carwood (Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral) this piece reflects Mary Tudor as Queen in that it is “one which could knit together both the old and new: a celebration of the world of her youth in its form and text and, through its very composition, a bedrock for her new Catholic order.”
When Elizabeth I ascended the throne, her via media of trying to follow a middle path in part gave rise to Tallis and Byrd publishing English and Latin music.
It’s believed he lived in Stockwell Street in Greenwich, just around the corner from St Alfege’s Church. He was buried inside the church, but we think his body was misplaced during the renovations in 1710. How careless.
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