Lamenta

Most of the composers followed the sequence of verses in the Hebrew text, denoted by letters from the Hebrew alphabet. There are distinctions between these, separated like verses; each of the pieces ends with the call 'Ierusalem, Ierusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum' - Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return to the Lord thy God.

Phillips likens the effect of these compositions to illuminated manuscripts, where the stark content of the words often contrasts with the beauty and colour of the artwork surrounding them.

--Composers--
There are five composers featured here: Alfonso Ferrabosco (the elder), Thomas Tallis, Antoine Brumel, Robert White, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Only Palestrina differs from the others in the textual construction of these lamentations. These composers were contemporaries, roughly speaking - Brumel was the first, composing in the late 1400s to early 1500s; Tallis was born in 1505, and he with Ferrabosco, White and Palestrina were composing through much of the 1500s. Each of the composers is considered a master of liturgical compositions, and the trained ear will hear much similarity as well as much individuality in the pieces contained here. Palestrina is probably the most accomplished of the lot, being, according to one commentary, 'the summation of Renaissance polyphony.' Polyphony is distinct from Gregorian and other sorts of chant (which is monophonic) or much of choral/vocal music today, which is homophonic (a major melody line with harmony). Ferrabosco was better known for his madrigals, but as the selection here indicates, he has powerful sacred music as well (Ferrabosco may have been a spy for Elizabeth I in Italy). Brumel was considered one of the greatest composers of his generation during his lifetime. White lived a brief life, cut short by plague, but produced astonishing music for the Tudor church. Tallis, of course, is the outstanding English composer from whom this music group takes its name.

--Liner Notes--
Being internationally acclaimed, the Tallis Scholars' CDs typically present their commentary and texts in English, French, German and Italian (together with any Latin texts); unfortunately, that is not true of this disc, which only features the English and Latin. It does list the singers for each piece, separated out by the appropriate role (SATB, etc.). However, the liner notes here are a bit of a disappointment, without much information about the composers or the artists. The cover art for this disc is not the typical contemporary artwork, but rather a more modern abstraction of a person in sorrow or lament.

--The Tallis Scholars--
The Tallis Scholars, a favourite group of mine since the first time I heard them decades ago, are a group dedicated to the performance and preservation of the best of this type of music. A choral group of exceptional ability, I have been privileged to see them many times in public, and at almost every performance, their singing seems almost like a spiritual epiphany for me, one that defies explanation in words. Directed by Peter Phillips, the group consists of a small number of male and female singers who have trained themselves well to their task.

Their recordings are of a consistent quality that deserve more than five stars; this particular disc of pieces of Lamentation deserves a place on the shelf of anyone who loves choral music, liturgical music or Gregorian chant, classical music generally, or religious music. It is truly remarkable.