Search - Thomas [Composer] Tallis, John [Composer] Sheppard, Clerkes of Oxenford :: Tallis, Sheppard: Sacred Music

THE "Spem in Alium" to have

Hafizullah Chishti | Seattle, WA United States | 12/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Most other performances of this piece use adult female sopranos, which would not have been used in church music of Tallis' period. Moreover, the texture is wrong -- too rich -- even when they sing without vibrato. Wulstan used girl sopranos who were trained to sound like boys (necessary because boys' voices break earlier nowadays). The result is magical and even overwhelming in the angelic purity and crystalline texture of the voices and the astonishing definition of the contrapuntal lines as they weave about each other. The tuttis have an emotional force like no other recording and the total effect can leave one dazed.



If you are extraordinarily picky about these things, it should be mentioned that the recording was originally analog and on fine equipment there is the everso-faintest hiss typical of this kind of recording. However, the unique power of the performance makes it easy to overlook it."