Spem in alium. Vidi aquam ORA Singers & Suzi Digby

• Thomas Tallis (1505 - 1585):
• 1 Spem in alium nunquam habui (Forty-Part Motet) 09:19
• Derrick Gerarde (1540 - 1580):
• 2 O Souverain Pasteur et Maistre 05:24
• Alfonso Ferrasbosco I (1543 - 1588):
• 3 In Monte Oliveti 04:04
• William Byrd (1540 - 1623):
• 4 Domine, salva nos 03:06
• Anonymous:
• 5 Fructum salutiferum 00:28
• Derrick Gerarde:
• 6 Tua est potentia 03:39
• Philip Van Wilder (1500 - 1553):
• 7 Pater Noster 04:08
• Thomas Tallis:
• 8 In jejunio et fletu 04:15
• Alfonso Ferrasbosco I:
• 9 Decantabat populus Israel 03:04
• Anonymous:
• 10 Ex altari tuo, Domine 00:30
• Alfonso Ferrasbosco I:
• 11 Judica me, Domine 07:08
• William Byrd:
• 12 Fac cum servo tuo 04:17
• Thomas Tallis:
• 13 Derelinquit impius 03:42
• Philip Van Wilder:
• 14 Vidi civitatem 08:06
• James MacMillan (b. 1959):
• 15 Vidi aquam (Forty-Part Motet) 09:07
• Total Runtime 01:10:17

Info for Spem in alium. Vidi aquam

Throughout 2020 ORA Singers was looking forward to celebrating the 450th anniversary of one of choral music’s most iconic works, Spem in alium, with a series of exciting live events. As with so much else, COVID-19 has forced us to rethink our plans, but we are delighted to say that it will not stop us in giving this extraordinary musical masterpiece the attention it deserves!

Composed by Thomas Tallis, favourite composer of Tudor monarchs from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I, Spem in alium has an extraordinary 40 separate voice-parts; a huge task that could only be achieved by a true master of his art.

To mark the anniversary, ORA Singers commissioned a modern master of choral music, Sir James MacMillan, to write a reflection to Spem in alium. The piece has been described as a "shattering experience" by Stephen Fry, a "tour de force" by ORA Director Suzi Digby, and composer John Rutter wrote that it is “an extraordinary piece, like a new-born free spirit rising from the body of Tallis's Spem.”

This programme brings together a true choral landmark from the sixteenth century, Spem in alium, with its present-day reflection, a commission by Sir James MacMillan. These two monumental, large-scale works bookend a ‘tasting menu’ of Renaissance works much smaller in scope. Their composers range from the recognised names of Byrd and Tallis to others that are currently less well-known but worthy of note, such as van Wilder, Gerarde and Ferrabosco, with some works recorded for the very first time. Common to them all is a link to Nonsuch Palace, arguably the location of the first performance of Spem in alium, and the centre of a rich vein of Tudor musical patronage. We hope you enjoy this musical banquet from a previous Golden Age and place: flavours in the shadow of Nonsuch.

ORA Singers
Suzi Digby, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Spem in alium. Vidi aquam