BaL 31.03.18 - Tallis: Lamentations of Jeremiah

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30
Building a Library: Tallis's Lamentations of Jeremiah with Alexandra Coghlan
Thomas Tallis set the first and second lessons of Tenebrae for Maundy Thursday in the 1560s at a time when it was popular to make musical settings of the Holy Week readings from the Book of Jeremiah. These haunting settings are among Tallis's most performed pieces. Composed during the turbulent years of the mid 16th Century, Tallis's Lamentations have most often been read as a personal and private lament on the state of English religious life.

Available versions:-

Pro Cantione Antiqua, Mark Brown
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, Timothy Brown
Lay Clerks of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Timothy Byram-Wigfield
The Cardinall's Musick, Andrew Carwood
The Sixteen, Harry Christophers
Choir of King's College Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury
Chapelle du Roi, Alistair Dixon
Clerks of the Choir of New College, Oxford, Edward Higginbottom
Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier, (Download)
Hilliard Ensemble, Paul Hillier
The King's Singers (Download)
Choir of King's College Cambridge, Sir Philip Ledger (Download)
Liverpool Cathedral Choir, Christopher McElroy
Taverner Consort & Taverner Choir, Andrew Parrott
Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
Liverpool Cathedral Choir, David Poulter
Opera Polifonica, Raffaele Puccianti (Download)
The Gentlemen of St. John's College, Cambridge, Christopher Robinson
Tenebrae Consort, Nigel Short
Oxford Camerata, Jeremy Summerly
The Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks

[ardcarp]

No doubt there will be all sorts of scholarly thoughts (on BAL and here) about (a) the original pitch and (b) what pitch it should and should not be sung at today. IMO the music transcends these considerations; though a low (original?) pitch gives it a gravitas suitable to the occasion. I've performed it at various pitches, including using sopranos (albeit in mezzo range) on top. My personal preference of performance style is to milk the emotional possibilities of the words. OTOH, a detached and somewhat 'Anglican' rendition has its charm too. The old Kings Singers version is rather beautiful in that respect...but I see it's only available now as a download.

For penitential music, Saturday 31st just sneaks in before Easter!

[verismissimo]

Think I've only ever had The Clerkes of Oxenford dir David Wulstan on CfP from 1974 (presumably nla).

Will review, but it must be time for something new.

[Keraulophone]

There couldn’t have been many groups singing this OVPP in the 1960s, but the Deller Consort showed the way. Their Vanguard recording may have been deleted (though it’s still available on HM via the river). It sounds as though the singers are still discovering the joys of the music, not least Alfred Deller, whose Jerusalem, Jerusalem at the end of Part 1 is otherworldly and unafraid in its spontaneous emotion.

[BBMmk2]

A most interesting topic for a BaL, IMO. I do hope I’ll get to listen.

[LeMartinPecheur]

There couldn’t have been many groups singing this OVPP in the 1960s, but the Deller Consort showed the way. Their Vanguard recording may have been deleted (though it’s still available on HM via the river). It sounds as though the singers are still discovering the joys of the music, not least Alfred Deller, whose Jerusalem, Jerusalem at the end of Part 1 is otherworldly and unafraid in its spontaneous emotion.

I'm a recent discoverer of this classic recording, via charity shop IIRC.

[jean]

Missed it!!! Where was my reminder? Was it well done?

[Dave2002]

Missed it!!! Where was my reminder? Was it well done?

I think it's still on - though nearing the end. I find the music very strange. The reviewer compares versions, but doesn't give me any really good clues as to how I should listen to music like this. Perhaps listeners are supposed to know about the pieces already, and their musical and extra musical significance.

You should be able to pick it up on RadioPlayer.

[jean]

I will, but now I've got to wait until the whole programme is over - all 3 hours of it!

[doversoul1]

Missed it!!! Where was my reminder? Was it well done?

I enjoyed it very much. Generous amount of music and concise comments although the winner was rother obvious from early on.

We’ve had quite a lot of excellent reviewers and critics on BaL. Why can’t they join the regular presenters on R3

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Was it well done?

Sort-of ... although two of my own treasured recordings (Pro Cantione Antiqua, and Oxford Camerata) were roundly dismissed. She prefers all-male OVpP performances, and gave very good reasons for her preference, and I have no problem at all with her chosen recording. Quite cool delivery - peppered with a few emotive similes to stop it becoming too "dry" for the general listener.

I kept thinking that the Musical illustrations she chose weren't long enough to demonstrate the points she was making, though; some were only a few seconds long.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Generous amount of music

Oh, well - there you go!

(Actually, there were lots of illustrations: I just felt that they weren't long enough.)

[doversoul1]

Oh, well - there you go!

(Actually, there were lots of illustrations: I just felt that they weren't long enough.)

It suited me but I agree the comments were musicologically (?) a bit light.

[DracoM]

<< I kept thinking that the Musical illustrations she chose weren't long enough to demonstrate the points she was making, though; some were only a few seconds long.>>

Yes, I'm afraid that's what I thought. BUT, in a piece with such long and intricate lines and devices, how you distil bits must a reviewer's nightmare.

For me, oddly, one of the central test pieces would be the 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem' cry - surely the searing point that any recusant piece [was it?] is heading for, and we heard very little of that from any ensemble, and quite a lot of the 'initial capitals' filigrees.

And I too am sad at the King's Singers getting such short shrift. I still miss Deller. The Carwood was full of what he seems to favour in both this and how St P's sing - full-on, semi-operatic booming basses and vibrato, which for my money is substantially against the spirit of both the piece, and the times in which it was written, and the likelier liturgical settings.

Hilliard's for me on the evidence provided. Ascetic, quieter, less look-at-me than the Carwood or the Tenebrae/Short - which was perfectly OK

[Dave2002]

I will, but now I've got to wait until the whole programme is over - all 3 hours of it!

I think if you go to the Live programme you have the option to begin at the start and then scan through.