# Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis



## tahnak

Thomas Tallis wrote a beautiful hymnal that was expressively squeezed by Ralph Vaughan Williams in this extra ordinary Fantasia. After listening to this several times, I feel it is perhaps the greatest work written by Vaughan Williams.

A superb rendition by the rich Philadelphia strings under Eugene Ormandy






Few years back, this Fantasia was brilliantly used in a film called `Master and Commander'. I still remember those gigantic waves and currents of the sea when this was used in the background.


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## Sid James

Great work, it has this spiritual and mystical quality. Also very innovative, in that RVW was translating the sounds of Renaissance choral music into chamber music, these sounds had not been heard in the concert hall before. What was later derided as _cowpat pastoralism _by some did not start off as being cliched, but it was just as fresh and new as the more startling modernist music going on in the early 20th century. Indeed, I wonder how the first audience reacted when listening to this work.

In a nutshell, it's the finest work for string orchestra, or nearest to that we can have. Of course, the Brits did some great music in this genre, eg. Elgar's _Sospiri _& _Serenade_, Tippett's _Concerto for __Double String Orchestra_, Warlock's _Capriol Suite_ and Britten's _Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge_. But The _Tallis Fantasia_ was the one that made a really big splash.


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## joen_cph

Yes it is one of the best and most timeless works for strings there is. I own several recordings; including one from the allegedly perfection-seeking Telarc, where you can actually hear the conductor Slatkin singing along with the playing.


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## Vaneyes

joen_cph said:


> Yes it is one of the best and most timeless works for strings there is. I own several recordings; including one from the allegedly perfection-seeking Telarc, where you can actually hear the conductor Slatkin singing along with the playing.


I wonder if he did that ('singing along with the playing') with Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie? Just kidding.

My two favorite recordings of "Tallis" are with Boughton and Glorious John.

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## Vaneyes

Sid James said:


> Of course, the Brits did some great music in this genre....Britten's _Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge_


Ooooh, now you're talkin'.


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