ITT 17 Movements/Sections Mov'ts/Sec's: 1 Year/Date of Composition Y/D of Comp. Spem In Alium is widely regarded as Tallis’s finest achievement, if not one of the greatest compositions of all time. Spem is literally a surround-sound piece, so this recording, the first to use the latest technology in new audio formats, gets closer than most. When the full score is sung, only the audience can hear what is going on: the singers cannot. General information (Fifth Week of September, Matins Responsory; cf. This complex work has received some outstanding recordings, with the five selected here representing a worthy and ever-increasing catalogue. Nevertheless, “Spem in alium” can be easily divided into three parts: Part 1. But even though we know the approximate when of Spem In Alium, we’re still unsure as to the why. The original Latin text of the motet is from a prayer response adapted from the book of Judith, which was not included in the King James Version of the Bible.. Spem in alium nunquam habui praeter in te, Tallis’ Spem in Alium is a one-off masterpiece that stands out of musical history like Beethoven’s 9 th or Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Spem in alium is written for eight choirs of five voices arranged in an SATBarB line-up. The renowned Spem in alium is a perfect example of the former technique, being liturgically a responsory from the Historia Iudith. Spem in alium. Spem In Alium Nunquam Habui. The 11-part arrangement of Spem in alium is intended for use by anyone who does not happen to have eight 5-part choirs to hand, for the enjoyment of singers and to give them an overview of the work. Title Sing and glorify heaven’s high majesty Composer Tallis, Thomas: I-Catalogue Number I-Cat. No. It’s a forty-part motet performed by eight choirs of five members each (which means that you need 40 frigging people singing 40 totally different lines of music). After a short interjection from choirs III and IV (which functions antiphonally as “decani” to the “cantoris” of choirs VII and VIII) Tallis completes the circle with Spem In Alium was composed during the reign of Elizabeth I, probably in 1570. Esther 14:19) The Tallis motet is not the source for Palestrina's Missa Spem in alium, which was published almost contemporaneously in 1570.Palestrina's parody mass is based on a 4–part motet with a similar text, by Jacquet de Mantua, dating from 1539.. First Pub lication. Spem in alium nunquam habui (choirs I to IV) and Præter in te, Deus Israel (choirs V to VIII). Motet in Forty Parts By Thomas Tallis. Music for Monarchs and Magnates. The repeating structure of the responsory is entirely ignored, and no reference is made to its chant melody. The piece opens with choir 1 (on the left) and moves through each choir in order down to choir 8 (on the right). The Sixteen, Harry Christophers. 1888 Language Latin Composer Time Period Comp. The source for the original Latin text is a respond in the Sarum liturgy. In part one, one voice (Alto from the first group) starts, and all the others from the group join in one after another. 1570 ca. Spem in alium nunquam habui Alt ernative.