Thomas Tallis (c.1505 – 1585) was the most influential English composer of his generation, and remains one of the most popular renaissance composers of today. Tallis served as an organist and in other professional capacities for four English monarchs, presiding over the most dynamic period in English musical history.

Though Tallis’ music includes a wide range of styles and objectives, the bulk of his output is choral music, both in the older Latin motet style and the newer English anthem style. He was not especially interested in counterpoint, and as a result his settings have an air of serenity about them that arises from the straight-forward means used to develop melodic ideas.

In this program we feature many of his most enduring motets, as well as works from the next generation of composers he inspired by his great success – those of the English Madrigal School (including the works of his most famous pupil, William Bird). This intimate all acapella program has the added benefit that most of the works will be sung in English!

Funds raised from this program will go to support Anna’s Bay’s “Our Children’s Voices” program.