Tír Na HiFi

Ciaran wrote:A lot of polyphony leaves me cold

Insert "shocked" emoticon here!

I seem to remember you saying something of that ilk before actually, perhaps related to Palestrina? It's funny really, but for my ears it's all just ravishing music that I could listen to all day long. One man's meat, etc. Of course, the Tallis Scholars have an almost otherworldly, disciplined perfection in this music, and I know their approach leaves a lot of other listeners cold as well.

Diapason wrote:

Ciaran wrote:A lot of polyphony leaves me cold

Insert "shocked" emoticon here!

I seem to remember you saying something of that ilk before actually, perhaps related to Palestrina? It's funny really, but for my ears it's all just ravishing music that I could listen to all day long. One man's meat, etc. Of course, the Tallis Scholars have an almost otherworldly, disciplined perfection in this music, and I know their approach leaves a lot of other listeners cold as well.

Yes, Palestrina in particular. OTOH I do enjoy the Tallis Scholars' performances of the polyphony I like, in fact I am tempted to get more of their records. Just not Palestrina, and probably not Byrd either.

Actually, their recordings of Tallis are worthwhile, such is the variety of Tallis' compositional style over his lifetime (due to the vagaries of the church in England at the time). And hey, they're the Tallis Scholars, so...

Yes I had an LP of them doing various Latin motets including Spem in alium, though in fact that was all I ever listened to from the disc. I may get it again and give it another go!

on the TT this evening....

followed by....

Beethoven – Archduke Trio....



Probably my favourite piece of chamber music!

back to an old favorite, this time on vinyl.

The notable thing about this recording is the marvellous singing both from the soloists and the choir.