Thomas Tallis

Born: ca. 1505, Leicestershire (England)
Died: 23 November 1585, Greenwich (England)

Tallis was a church organist and composer, whose work spanned a wide period in English church music.   There is no record of his childhood.  He was organist at Waltham Abbey until that foundation dissolved, organist and lay clerk at Canterbury Cathedral.  Tallis then was employed as organist and composer at the Chapel Royal, over the course of four monarchs, until his death.   There he survived, evidently without being persecuted, the changes in monarchies and changes of state religion between Protestantism and Catholicism.  He was of the first to write for the new Church of England liturgy.   Because of the changes in the state religion, Tallis set both Latin and English texts and also composed anthems, service music, some instrumental pieces, and some secular music.  His vocal polyphony earned him respect and for awhile he quite well off.  At the Chapel Royal, Tallis worked with his younger colleague, William Byrd.  The two of them asked the Queen for additional funds, and she granted them in 1575 an exclusive license to print and publish music -- the first of its kind in England.

Classical music's roots go back a long way, although most people know little of who preceded the famous Italian and German composers of the 17th century. One English composer who deserves to better known is Thomas Tallis, who in his lifetime was a renowned composer of sacred choral music. Tallis remained a Catholic at time of considerable religious upheaval in the British Isles, and the fact that he was able to continue to write for both the Catholic and Anglican churches illustrates the esteem in which he was held. Aside from his association with Vaughan Williams, Tallis is probably best known today as the composer of Spem In Alium, an astonishingly beautiful motet for 40 voices.

The popularity of psalm singing prompted Tallis to write the nine psalm tunes.   The ninth appears in the LBW as "All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night" no. 278 (Tallis' Canon). Tallis was described in his epitaph as humble and unassuming and one who avoided religious conflict.  He was much respected by four monarchs and by succeeding generations of church musicians.

Links

• Thomas Tallis Society:  www.thomas-tallis-society.org.uk 
• Thomas Tallis is buried at St Alfege church in Greenwich.
• Thomas Tallis School in Greenwich: www.thomastallis.greenwich.sch.uk