Thomas Tallis

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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.

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.

List of choral works

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Latin.png Sacred music in Latin

English.png Sacred music in English

  1. Psalm 1   ( Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif Finale 2005 )
  2. Psalm 68   ( Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif Finale 2005 )
  3. Psalm 2     (2 editions available)
  4. Psalm 95   ( Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif Finale 2005 )
  5. Psalm 42   ( Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif Finale 2005 )
  6. Psalm 5   ( Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif Finale 2005 )
  7. Psalm 52   ( Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif Finale 2005 )
  8. Psalm 67   ( Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif Finale 2005 )
  9. Veni Creator   ( Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif Finale 2005 )

Anglican chants

English.png Contrafacta in English

Pre-1650 English texts (not necessarily translations) set to the music of the Latin motets.

English.png Secular songs in English


Click here to search for this composer on CPDL

Publications

External links

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