|
|
|
Renaissance Music Online Lesson |
|
|
|
|
Thomas
Tallis (1505 - 1585) |
| Thomas
Tallis was a church organist and composer
from England during the Renaissance period.
He was born c1505 probably in Leicester and
died in Greenwich, November 1585.
There is no record of his childhood. |
| He
was organist at Waltham Abbey until that
foundation dissolved, organist and lay clerk
at Canterbury Cathedral. Tallis then
was employed as organist and composer at the
Chapel Royal, over the course of four
monarchs, until his death. |
| At
the Royal Chapel, Tallis survived the
changes in monarchies and state religion.
It was at this time that societies religion
was changing between Protestantism and
Catholicism. He was of the first to
write for the new Church of England liturgy.
Because of the changes in state religion
Tallis set both Latin and English texts and
also composed anthems, service music, some
instrumental pieces, and some secular music. |
| His
vocal polyphony earned him respect and for
awhile he was quite well off. At the
Chapel Royal, Tallis worked with his younger
colleague, William Byrd. The two of
them asked the Queen for additional funds,
and she granted them in 1575 an exclusive
license to print and publish music -- the
first of its kind in England. |
|
|
Go back to Renaissance Online Lesson
