# Suggestions for pieces similar to Thomas Tallis' "If Ye Love Me"



## RockmanDSX (May 21, 2018)

Hello all,

So.... Thomas Tallis' _If Ye Love Me_

I heard this piece some years ago (before Shazam and similar apps), but was never able to locate the composer or the name of the piece. It wasn't until I saw it in the royal wedding that I was able to identify it.

I absolutely love the cascading counterpoint melodies. It definitely seems like this style influenced the work of contemporary vocal artists like Enya (is that even still contemporary?).

Anyway, are there any similar pieces I should investigate?

My expertise is much more in Baroque orchestral and solo pieces, so I'm trying to expand that a bit (read: a lot).

Thank you for your help.


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## BenG (Aug 28, 2018)

Byrd 'O Lord make thy servant Elizabeth queen' for the chorale beginning and amazing counterpoint lines. 

Palestrina 'Sicut Cervus' great counterpoint. 

Bruckner 'Locus Iste' not berok or contrapuntal but has a charming opening melody. 

Tomkins '5th service' great counterpoint and just fantastic, like his other 6 services. 

Byrd 'Non vos relinquam orphanos' just a church classic. 

Byrd 'terra tremuit' short but great. 


And finally all of Tallis' other works

Hope you enjoy these!


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

If you don't know a lot of Tallis's music?, his two motets, "Spem in Alium" (for 40 voices!), and "Miserere Nostri" are essential listening, IMO. I also think very highly of William Bryd's Consort Songs--especially his deeply moving elegy on the death of his teacher, Tallis, called "Ye Sacred Muses": here are the lyrics, before you listen to the song:

"Ye sacred Muses, race of Jove,
whom Music's lore delighteth,
Come down from crystal heav'ns above
to earth where sorrow dwelleth,
In mourning weeds, with tears in eyes:
Tallis is dead, and Music dies."





--the Andrew Parrott recording.




--the Tallis scholars excellent recording, though I slightly prefer the Magnificat Choir & Philip Cave in this music.




--the excellent Michael Chance/Fretwork recording, although the Hilliard Ensemble are arguably even better: 



.

https://www.amazon.com/Tallis-Spem-...=1540165450&sr=1-1&keywords=tallis+magnificat
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SYYSLU/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp
https://www.amazon.com/Dowland-Ayre...166872&sr=1-3&keywords=hilliard+ensemble+byrd
https://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Consort...TF8&qid=1540165482&sr=1-1&keywords=byrd+lesne

If none of these works grab you (which would surprise me), I'll add that Tallis composed 11 more "English Anthems" in addition to "If you love me", and the Tallis Scholars have recorded all 12 of them (on a CD that I think you'll enjoy): https://www.amazon.com/Tallis-Compl...64931&sr=1-1&keywords=tallis+english+anthems; as have Chapelle du Roi, led by Alastair Dixon, as part of their excellent survey of the complete Tallis works: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Wor...=1-2&keywords=tallis++anthems+chapelle+du+roi

I hope that gives you some new music to treasure.

After that, you may want to explore the songs of John Dowland, who was another major composer of Shakespeare's era (whose music even Sting has recorded):


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