# Thomas Tallis - Spem in Alium



## P The D (Aug 25, 2009)

After listening to Thomas Tallis' motet Spem in Alium more than a dozen times I am having dificulty finding any part of it to grasp onto & enjoy. Yeah, basicly I don't like it. Does anyone have any insight on what they enjoy or do not enjoy about the piece? I believe it to be a well regarded work from the pre-Baroque era & am left slightly confused as to it's apeal.

I have listened to several pre-Baroque era vocal pieces & have enjoyed them to varying degrees. With Spem in Alium I am drawing much more of a blank than with say Guillaume de Machaut's Messa de Nostra Dame (1364) or Johannes Ockeghem's Deo Gratias (1498).

Is there anything anyone specifically enjoys or respects about the composition? Is it a work that typifies the compositions of Tallis & thus my lack of interest in it would seem to indicate that he would not be a good choice for continued listening? Any thoughts about the motet in question & even Tallis the composer would be appreciated.


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## andruini (Apr 14, 2009)

I think trying to grasp onto something is definitely not the idea in this piece.. I love it for the extremely rich polyphonic texture and the overwhelming effect 40 individual voices make, especially in the tutti sections.. For me, it's a piece to just get lost in.. I get from it a really intense spiritual feeling.. That's just me, though..


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2009)

I agree with andruini,I have the complete works of Tallis and this piece [perhaps all choral] should be heard on a good Hi Fi system to really get the full feeling of the sound, Goose bumps...............


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