Spem In Alium & Sing and Glorify
Thomas Tallis

Chapelle du Roi
directed by Alistair Dixon

—  CD SINGLE  —

Programme

Spem in alium is surely not just the greatest of all Thomas Tallis’ musical achievements, but one of the great musical compositions of all time. Writing for 40 independent voices, Thomas Tallis created a noble and monumental edifice which in the course of its 69 longs makes creative and imaginative use of the extensive musical palette.

Tallis groups his singers into eight choirs of five voices (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass) and it seems most likely that he intended them to stand in a horseshoe shape. The piece begins with a single voice from the first choir; gradually the voices enter in imitation and, as the earlier voices fall silent, the sound moves around the line from choir one to choir eight. During the fortieth breve, all forty voices enter simultaneously for a few bars, and then the process happens in reverse with the sound moving back from choir eight to choir one. After another brief full section the choirs sing in pairs, alternately throwing the sound across the space between them, until finally all voices join for the culmination of the work.

Clearly Spem in alium is an occasional piece despite being based on a liturgical text; Spem in alium is a respond from Sunday Matins during the reading of the history of Judith. Various theories have been put forward concerning the purpose for which Spem in alium was written and the significance of the number of voices. Of these, Paul Doe’s suggestion that the first performance took place in 1573, the fortieth year of Elizabeth I’s reign, was perhaps the most plausible.

However, as Denis Stevens later pointed out, a near contemporary account from 1611 describes how Tallis was commissioned to compose the work—probably by Thomas Howard, fourth Duke of Norfolk—as an answer to Striggio’s 40-part Ecce beatam lucem. The first performance of Spem in alium took place in the long gallery at Arundel House in the Strand.

The earliest surviving manuscript of this great work, the Egerton manuscript, is laid out with an English contrafactum, Sing and glorify heaven’s high majesty. This version was evidently produced for the coronation (as Prince of Wales) of Prince Harry in 1610 and (after his death) repeated in 1616 at Charles’ coronation. In the manuscript Harry’s name is clearly written in each part—then crossed out and Charles’ name substituted. The English words are not a translation of the Latin, but a new poem written as a syllable-for-syllable replacement. Evidently the authorities decided that musically Spem in alium was fitting for such an impressive occasion as a coronation, but that the Latin words were too sombre.

Alistair Dixon, March 2003

Texts and Translations

1. Spem in Alium

Spem in alium nunquam habui praeter in te, Deus Israel, qui irasceris, et propitus eris, et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis.

Domine Deus, Creator coeli et terrae, respice humilitatem nostram.

I have never put my hope in any other but you, God of Israel, who will be angry and yet become again gracious, and who forgives all the sins of suffering man.

Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth, look upon our lowliness.

2. Sing and Glorify

Sing and glorify heaven’s high majesty, author of this blessed harmony; sound divine praises with melodious graces. This is the day, holy day, happy day, for ever give it greeting, love and joy, heart and voice meeting.

Live Henry princely and mighty, Henry live in thy creation happy.