The last time I saw the Tallis Scholars and reviewed them here I had the temerity to suggest that perfection was no longer enough. There was a time, perhaps twenty years ago when I'd have given anything to see them but now I've seen them a few times, I'm a bit blase about it. By all means if they're in town, I'll go but I'm almost doing them a favour.I'd like to recant on any such idea immediately if I may.
It is wonderful how many stars these days are prepared to meet their public and engage with them. I know they are promoting themselves but many do seem to genuinely enjoy giving a bit extra. Peter Phillips appeared in a pre-concert event to talk and answer questions for 45 minutes. He was born very much in the neighbourhood into a non-musical family. And on the evidence grew up to be a charming man. Most amazingly, his interest in music came from records like the Cambridge University Willcocks recording of Spem in Alium, not from any nurturing or fostering by a well-meaning teacher or family, and somehow, all these years later, he is pre-eminent in the field.
His aim is to produce the immaculate tone and blend that have made The Tallis Scholars outstanding at what they do over the last 40 years and there is no way of telling if the sound they make is anything like that which Tallis and Byrd would have heard. His guess is that contemporary performances would have been more private and probably quieter. And those 45 minutes were an invaluable introduction to the performance.
He did express his own doubts about their efforts to fill larger concert halls with sound with such small, unamplified resources. The Albert Hall holds 7000. I said I'd been at the Prom a few years ago when they had done the Striggio and it was fine, it was okay. And a lady in the audience asked 'only okay?'
(Yes, madam, that's right, I said it was 'okay'. I entirely take Peter's point that his group might be better suited to more intimate venues. And if you want to write in and debate it then I'll be more than happy to publish our exchanges here rather than provide gushing endorsements to our heroes when they don't necessarily apply. There are more than enough opportunities to enthuse about stuff without making it compulsory. (I'm sorry about that.))
The highlights of the first half were Arvo Part's The Woman with the Alabaster Box and Mouton's Quis dabit oculis, which was remeniscent for me of the plaintive lament on the death of Ockeghem by Josquin and needs investigating as soon as I've rushed these notes out to the world.
There were pieces by Victoria, extracts from the Missa Batalla of Guerrero, the great master Josquin himself, Palestrina who belongs in the same bracket and almost inevitably outstanding in the second half was John Tavener's Song for Athene which I don't even feel qualified at the moment to find an adjective for.
The programme included several different combinations of the five sets of two voices. The top line is always likely to be most memorable for its use of the cathedral's acoustic but especial mention for me needs to be made of the counter-tenor in the Mouton, Patrick Craig, as well as the basses in the Tavener. But it is very much an ensemble performance and no part would amount to as much without the excellence of the rest of it. Peter Phillips doesn't believe in auditions- they can all do that; he needs a bit more convincing than that before you can join his liitle choir.
I don't know if I've ever seen a musical act while they were number one in the charts. Possibly the Boomtown Rats. But the Tallis Scholars' website says today that their latest release has been number one in the Classical Chart for six weeks. And Peter Phillips made no secret of the financial considerations involved in touring, performing or being prepared to sign a copy of his book (which cost 25 pounds) for you or direct you to the CD stall. I've never quite been able to line up the most sublime art with commercial expediency but it pertains to these fine people just as it does to Simon Cowell's latest generic pop singer. But at least they're honest about it.
I will never doubt them again. I didn't actually doubt them, I just took them a bit for granted. I won't be doing that either.
Fine, gorgeous, immaculate and forever.