Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Miserere mei Deus (Psalm 51), motet for chorus
2. Ave Maria, gratia plena, motet for 8 voices & organ
3. Sicut lilium inter spinas, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book I)
4. Praeter rerum seriem, motet for 6 parts
5. Pater peccavi, motet
6. Ego Flos Campi for 7 voices
7. Tota pulchra es, motet for 4 voices
8. Descendi in Hortum Meum
9. Work(s): [Unspecified] Alma redemptoris mater
10. Work(s): [Unspecified] Salve regina
11. Work(s): [Unspecified] Ave regina caelorum
12. Missa 'Et Ecce Terrae Motus,' for 12 voices: Gloria

Disc 2:

1. Media Vita, motet for 6 voices
2. In manus tuas, motet for 5 voices, P. 202
3. O nata lux de lumine, motet (hymn) for 5 voices, P. 209
4. Audivi vocem, motet for 4 voices, P. 90
5. Exaudiat te Dominus
6. A Robyn, Gentyl Robyn for 3 voices
7. Salve Regina for 5 voices
8. Mass for 5 Voices (SATTB): Kyrie
9. Mass for 5 Voices (SATTB): Gloria
10. Mass for 5 Voices (SATTB): Credo
11. Mass for 5 Voices (SATTB): Sanctus
12. Mass for 5 Voices (SATTB): Agnus Dei

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7944 in Music
• Brand: Philips
• Released on: 2003-09-09
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .32 pounds

Customer Reviews

A real gem of sacred Renaissance music
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".

the most delicate music of all time
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

The Greatest Hits of a Pioneer Ensemble
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.