CD ECM Records Hilliard Ensemble - Tallis, Tye, Sheppard: Audivi Vocem

2008

David James - contratenor
Rogers Covey-Crump - tenor
Steven Harrold - tenor
Gordon Jones - bariton
Robert Macdonald - bas

After the enormous success of their recordings of the Bach Motets the Hilliard Ensemble turn their attention to English renaissance music and specifically works of three 16th century composers Thomas Tallis, Christopher Tye and John Sheppard. All three were masters of polyphony, associated with the Chapel Royal. Their works are alternated and contrasted throughout this composed recital. Tallis has long been an inspirational reference for the Hilliards, who recorded his “Lamentations of Jeremiah” for the New Series already in 1986, and brought his music into their collaboration with Jan Garbarek on “Mnemosyne”.

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One of the attractive things about one-to-a-part performances of this repertoire is that they recall the sound-world of the viol consort, especially when sung by an all-male ensemble. The Hilliards also have another trick up their sleeves – a special way of listening to each other that results not only in impeccable tuning and balance but in a shifting range of tone colours that never seems premeditated and yet is always apposite both to the music and the words. … This is yet another magnificent release from a fine vocal outfit whose diversity of repertoire and sheer longevity never cease to amaze.
Robert Levett, International Record Review

Christopher Tye’s Missa Sine Nomine here acts as the unifying thread for an interesting programme of Latin polyphony from the earlier years of the Reformation. Both here and in pieces by John Sheppard and Thomas Tallis, straightforward word-setting is satisfyingly combined with quirky chord progressions and melodic twists characteristic of the period, and the richly sombre all-male sound is admirably suited to penitential motets.
Elizabeth Roche, Daily Telegraph
 
This is an enjoyable selection of mostly-Henrican music by the great trio of mid 16th-century English composers. … These are engagingly intimate performances – and the music is definitely worth hearing.
Matthew O’Donovan, Early Music Today
 
The Hilliards here return to familiar territory with a programme of Tallis, Tye and Sheppard. While the territory may be familiar, however, not all of its landmarks are, and neither is their disposition – this is an extremely well organised disc. …
The music by Tye includes ‘Omnes gentes plaudite’, which may perhaps be considered relatively known, but the four sections of the ‘Missa sine nomine’ from the Peterhouse part-books will, I suspect, be unknown even to most connoisseurs of this period, precisely on account of the missing voice. I trust that these beautifully blended performances will help to change this state of affairs, for it is an extremely impressive work, heralding the new, compact and more declamatory style with consummate skill. An outstanding release.
Ivan Moody, Gramophone