Tye: Missa Euge bone / Peccavimus / Western Wynde Mass
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CHRISTOPHER TYE
Tye: Missa Euge bone / Peccavimus / Western Wynde Mass
Choir of Westminster Cathedral, James O'Donnell
[ Hyperion / CD ]
Release Date: Tuesday 10 April 2012
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Christopher Tye flourished as a church musician in England during the mid-sixteenth century. A direct contemporary of Thomas Tallis, he held the prestigious post of Master of Choristers at Ely cathedral and successfully managed to compose music for both Protestant and Catholic services during a politically unstable time. Henry VIII was a fan, asserting: 'England one god, one truth, one doctor hath for music's art-and that is Dr Tye' (Tye himself had Protestant leanings).
The composer was also described as 'peevish and humoursome', and these qualities are reflected in his remarkably individual music, characterized by unpredictable cadences and phrases of often unexpectedly startling beauty. The two major works on this recording are his masterful Missa Euge bone for six voices, and his Western Wynde Mass, probably an early work, and likely written as a complement to John Taverner's own Mass based on this secular English song.
The peerless Westminster Abbey Choir directed by James O'Donnell performs these sparsely beautiful a cappella works with customary freshness and sense of grandeur.
'For a true celebration of the English high-treble phenomenon one need look no further than this. The amplitude of the basses makes a most wonderful balancing effect with the brightness of the boys and there are great surges of sound that almost lift you out of your seat. Just as you think they've given their all, a super-charged wave of glory takes it all to the next level. Their quiet singing is heavenly, too, and both ends of the dynamic spectrum are sublimely devotional' (Choir & Organ Magazine)
'The Gloria of Tye's magnificent Missa Euge bone brings you up short with some startlingly grumpy gestures and intriguing harmonic shifts, but the dark clouds never last long - the closing section of his glorious motet "Peccavimus cum patribus nostris", for instance, resolves in an explosion of dazzling polyphony. Westminster Abbey Choir are on brilliant form here, trebles crisp and alert and lay vicars forthright and muscular' (The Observer)
'Immediately one is introduced to Tye's extraordinary sound-world of unusual cadences and rigorous alternation of high and low voices to achieve impressive effects. All of these are carefully allowed to speak for themeselves thanks to the judicious direction of Westminster Abbey's Organist and Master of the Choristers, James O'Donnell' (International Record Review)
"[the choir] are on crack form here, near flawless in ensemble and intonation. The trebles perform with real fervour, their sheer, plangent sound complemented by the dusky lower voices. O'Donnell responds to the texts in shaping the unbroken melodic lines, and draws readings that are ardent...radiant...candid...and celestial" BBC Music
Tracks:
Quaesumus omnipotens et misericors Deus
Missa Euge bone
Give almes of thy goods
Christ rising
vimus cum patribus nostris
Western Wynde Mass
Nunc dimittis Lord, let thy servant now depart in peace
