# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Tallys, Thomas

​TALLYS (as he himself wrote his name), TALYS, or TALLIS (as it is usually spelled), Thomas, the father of English cathedral music, is supposed to have been born in the second decade of the 16th century. It has been conjectured that he received his early musical education in the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral under Thomas Mulliner, and was removed thence to the choir of the Chapel Royal; but there is no evidence to support either statement. The words 'Child there' which occur at the end of the entry in the Cheque-book of the Chapel Royal recording his death and the appointment of his successor, and which have been relied upon as proving the latter statement, are ambiguous, as they are applicable equally to his successor, Henry Eveseed, and to him. It is however highly probable that he was a chorister in one or other of the metropolitan choirs. He became organist of Waltham Abbey, which appointment he retained until the dissolution of the abbey in 1540, when he was dismissed with 20s. for wages and 20s. for reward. It is probable that he soon after that event obtained the place of a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. His celebrated Preces, Responses and Litany, and ​his Service in the Dorian mode, were most probably composed soon after the second Prayer Book of Edward VI. was issued in 1552. In 1560 he contributed eight tunes to Day's Psalter (one of which, a canon 2 in 1, was subsequently adapted and is still used to Ken's Evening Hymn), and four anthems to Day's Morning, Communion, and Evening Prayer. On January 21, 1575–6 he and William Byrd obtained Letters Patent giving them the exclusive right of printing music and ruled music paper for twenty-one years; the first of the kind. The first work printed under the patent was the patentees' own 'Cantiones quæ ab argumento Sacræ vocantur, quinque et sex partium,' containing 34 motets, 16 by Tallis, and 18 by Byrd, and dated 1575. In the patent the grantees are called 'Gent. of our Chappell' only, but on the title-page of the 'Cantiones' they describe themselves as 'Serenissimæ Regineæ Maiestati à priuato Sacello generosis, et Organistis.' The work is a beautiful specimen of early English musical typography. It contains not only three laudatory poems, one 'De Anglorum Musica' (unsigned), and two others by 'Richardus Mulcasterus' and 'Ferdinandus Richardsonus,' but also at the end a short poem by Tallis and Byrd themselves:—
Autores Cantionum ad Lectorem.
Has tibi primitias sic commendamus, amice Lector, ut infantem depositura suum Nutrici fidei vix firma puerpera credit, Queis pro lacte tuæ gratea frontis erit Hac etenim fretæ, magnam promittere messem Audebunt, cassæ, falcis honore cadent.
which has been thus happily Englished:—
The Framers of the Musicke to the Reader.
As one, that scarce recouer'd from her Throes With trustie Nurse her feeble Babe bestowes; These firstlings, Reader, in thy Hands we place, Whose Milk must be the Fauour of thy Face; By that sustayn'd, large Increase shal they shew, Of that depriued, ungarner'd must they goe.
About the same time Tallys composed his markable Song of Forty parts, for 8 choirs of 5 voices each, originally set to Latin words, but adapted to English words about 1630. [See vol. iii. p. 274.] Tallys, like his contemporary, the famous Vicar of Bray, conformed, outwardly at least, to the various forms of worship which successive rulers imposed, and so retained his position in the Chapel Royal uninterruptedly from his appointment in the reign of Henry VIII until his death in that of Elizabeth. From the circumstance of his having selected his Latin motets for publication so lately as 1575 it may be inferred that his own inclination was toward the older faith. He died November 23, 1585, and was buried in the chancel of the parish church at Greenwich, where in a stone before the altar rails a brass plate was inserted with an epitaph in verse engraven upon it. Upon the church being taken down for rebuilding soon after 1710 the inscription was removed, and Tallys remained without any tombstone memorial for upwards of 150 years, when a copy of the epitaph (which had been preserved by Strype in his edition of Stow's Survey of London, 1720, and reprinted by Hawkins, Burney and others) was placed in the present church. The epitaph was set to music as a 4-part glee by Dr. Cooke, which was printed in Warren's collections. Tallys's Service (with the Venite as originally set as a canticle), Preces and Responses, and Litany, and 5 anthems (adapted from his Latin motets), were first printed in Barnard's Selected Church Musick, 1641. The Service, Preces, Responses and Litany, somewhat changed in form and with the substitution of a chant for Venite instead of the original setting, and the addition of a chant for the Athanasian Creed, were next printed by Dr. Boyce in his Cathedral Music. All the various versions of the Preces, Responses and Litany are included in Dr. Jebb's 'Choral Responses and Litanies.' He appears to have written another service also in the Dorian mode, but 'in 5 parts two in one,' of which, as will be seen from the following list, the bass part only is at present known. A Te Deum in F, for 5 voices, is much nearer complete preservation (see List). Hawkins included in his History scores of two of the Cantiones, and, after having stated in the body of his work that Tallys did not compose any secular music, printed in his appendix the 4-part song, 'Like as the doleful dove.' Burney in his History printed an anthem from Day's Morning, Communion, and Evening prayer, and two of the Cantiones. Several MS. compositions by Tallys are preserved at Christ Church, Oxford, in Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book, in the British Museum, and elsewhere. (See the List.) We give his autograph from the last leaf of a MS. collection of Treatises on Music, formerly belonging to Waltham Abbey, now in the British Museum (Lansdowne MS. 763).
[ W. H. H. ]
The following is a first attempt to enumerate the existing works of Tallys:—
I. PRINTED.
The earliest appearance is given.
Hear the voice and prayer ('a Prayer'). O Lord in thee is all my trust ('a Prayer'). Remember not, O Lord God ('the Anthem'). If ye love me ('the Anthem'). I give you a new Commandment. (All for four voices. Printed in John Day's 'Morning and Evening Prayer and Communion,' 1560?)
Man blest no doubt, 1st tune. Let God arise, 2nd do. Why fumeth in fight, 3rd do. O come in one, 4th do. Even like the hunted hind, 5th do. Expend, O Lord, 6th do. Why bragst in malice high, 7th do. God grant with grace, 8th do. Come, Holy Ghost, eternal God.
(All for four voices, in John Day's 'Whole Psalter' 1563? The 8 tunes (in the Tenor part) are in the 8 modes, 1 in each. No. 8—a Canon 2 in 1, sung upside down—is the tune usually sung to 'Glory to Thee, my God this night.' [App. p.798 "omit the words sung upside down"])
Salvator mundi, à 5. No. 1 (Burney, iii. 76). Adapted to 'With all our hearts,' by Barnard. Also (?) to 'Teach me, O Lord,' Ch. Ch., and 'When Jesus.' Absterge Domine, à 5. No. 2 (Hawkins, iii. 267). Adapted to 'Wipe away,' by Barnard. Also to 'Discomfit them, O Lord' (1588?) and 'I look for the Lord.' In manus tuas, à 5. No. 3. Mihi autem nimis, à 5. No. 7. Adapted to 'Blessed be thy name,' by Barnard. Also to 'Great and marvellous,' by Motett Society. O nata lux (Hymn), à 5. No. 8. O sacrum convivium, à 5. No. 9. Adapted to 'I call and cry,' by Barnard. Derelinquit impius, à 5. No. 13 (Burney. iii. 80). Sabbathum dum transisset, à 5. No. 14. Virtus, honor et potestas, à 5. No. 15. Illæ dum pergunt (Hymn), à 5. No. 16 (? has a 2nd part, Rex Christe). Procul recedant(Hymn), à 5. No. 20. Salvator Mundi, à 5. No. 21 (different from No. 1). Facti sunt Nazarei, à 5. No. 22. In jejunio et fletu, à 5. No. 26. Suscipe quæso, à 7. No. 27. Si enim (2da pars), à 7. No. 28. Miserere nostri, à 7. No. 34 (Hawkins. iii. 276). (All from the Cantiones sacræ, etc. 1575.)
'First Service, or 'Short Service'—in D dor. Venite, Te Deum, Benedictus, Kyrie, Creed, Sanctus, Gloria in Excelsis, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis; all à 4. 'First preces.' First Psalm to do. (Ps. cxix.) 'Wherewithal,' a chant harmonised. Second do., 'O do well,' do. Third do. 'My soul cleaveth,' do. all four à 4. Responses, Lord's Prayer, and Litany à 5. (Anthem) O Lord, give thy Holy Spirit, à 4. (Adapted from Latin, according to Tudway.) With all our hearts, à 5 (Salvator Mundi, No. 1). Blessed be thy name, à 5 (Mihi autem nimis). I call and cry, à 5 (O sacrum convivium). Wipe away my sins, à 5 (Absterge Domine). See 'Forgive me,' MS. (All from Barnard's 'First Book of Selected Church Music. 1641.)
Litany, Preces, and Responses, à 4. In Rimbault's 'Full Cathedral Service of Thomas Tallis'; and Jebb's 'Choral Responses and Litanies' (1847). Like as the doleful dove, à 4. In Hawkins, Appendix. All people that on earth do dwell, à 4. In Arnold's Cathedral Music, vol. 1. Hear my prayer, à 4. In 'Anthems' and Services for Church Choirs. Burns, 1846, vol. i. 15. Blessed are those, à 5. In Motett Society's Collection, iii. 131. Great and marvellons, à 5. Ibid. iii. 99, adapted from 'Mihi autem nimis,' Cantio 7; and 'Blessed be thy Name,' in Barnard. Verba mea auribus, à 5. In Rochlitz's Sammlung. A retranslation of 'I call and cry.' 'Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire.' Parish Choir.
II. MANUSCRIPT (NOT PRINTED).
Ch. Ch. = Christ Church Library, Oxford. M.S.O. = Music School, Oxford. R.C.M. = Library of Royal College of Music. Add. MS. = Additional MSS. British Museum. F.W. = Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. O. = Library of Rev. Sir F. A. G. Ouseley. Bt. P.H. = Peterhouse, Cambridge.
'Second Psalms' to Preces, viz. Pss. cx. and cxxxii. Probably Chants harmonised. 'Third Psalms' to Preces, viz. Ps. cxix. 145–176. Do. (Both these are in a Bass part book, formerly Juxon's, in the Library of St. John's Coll., Oxford.)
Service 'of five parts, two in one' in D dor., containing Venite, Te Deum, Benedictus, Kyrie, Nicene Creed, Sanctus, Gloria in Excelsis, Magnificat, and Nunc Dimittis. Bass part in Juxon book, St. John's, Oxford. No other parts yet known.
Adesto nunc, à 5. Ch. Ch. Ad nihilum deductus, à 5. 2nd Part of 'Domine quis.' Add. MSS. 5,059. A new commandment (?) Arise, O Lord, P.H. Ave Dei patris, à 3. R.C.M. Ave Domini filia, à 3. Do. Ave mulieris, à 3. Do. Ave plena gratia, à 2. Do. Ave rosa, à 2. Do.
Blessed are those that are undefiled, à 5. M.S.O.
De lamentatione (Gimel, Daleth), à 5. Ch. Ch. Add. MS 5,059. Deliver me, God. St. Paul's list. Discomfit them, O Lord, adapted (?1588) from 'Absterge Domine.' Ch. Ch. Domine quis habitabit, à 5. Ch. Ch. Add. MS. 5.059. Dominus tecum, à 3. R.C.M.
Ecce tempus, à 4. Add. MS. 30,513. Et benedictus, in Lute tablature. Add. MS. 29,246. Ex more docti mistico. Add. MS. 30,513.
'Fancy' for the Organ in A minor. Ch. Ch. Felix namque, No. 1, for Virginals. Virginal Book, Fitzwilliam Library, Cambridge. Felix namque, No. 2. for do. Do. Felix namque, No. 3. 'Mr. Thos. Tallis Offetary,' for do. Add. MS. No. 30.485. Fond youth is a bubble, à 4. Add. MS. 30,513. Forgive me, Lord, my sin, Clifford's list. This is probably only a variant of 'Wipe away my sins.'
Gaude gloriosa, à 5. Ch. Ch. Gaude gloriosa. à 3. R.C.M. Gaude Virgo Maria, à 6. M.S.O. Gloria tibi Trinitas, à 4(?) Ch. Ch. Gloria tibi Domine, à 5 (?) O.
Hec deum celi, à 5. Ch. Ch. How long, à 4(?) In Lute tablature, Add. MS. 29,247; 31,992.
If that a sinner's sighs, à 5. O. I look for the Lord, à 5. Ch. Ch. An adaptation of 'Absterge Domine.' Incipit lamentatio (Aleph, Beth), à 5. Do. Add. MS. 5,059. In nomine, à 4. M.S.O. In nomine, à 4. Do. In nomine, Lute tablature. Add MSS. 29,246. I will give thanks, St. Paul's list. I will cry unto God, Do.
Laudate Dominum, à 5. Ch. Ch. Let the wicked forsake his way. Calvert's list. [App. p.798 "add that 'Calvert's list' refers to his anthem book, published 1844.]
Magnificat anima mea à 6. Ch.Ch. Maria Stella, à 3. R.C.M. Miraculum videte, à 5. Ch. Ch.
Natus est nobis à 2. Add. MS 30.513. Nunc dimittis Domine, à 6. Ch. Ch.
O give thanks, MS. by A. Batten, O. O God be merciful, P.H. O thou God Almighty, à 4. Ch. Ch. [App. p.798 "omit as it occurs again in its right place in the list"] O praise the Lord, Adapted to 'O Salutaris.' Bass part in Barnard's MS. Coll. R.C.M. O Salutaris, à 5. Ch.Ch. O sing unto the Lord (Ps. cxlix), 6. M.S.O. O thou God Almighty, à 4. Ch. Ch. Out of the deep, à 4. Ch. Ch. O ye tender babes, à 4. Add. MS. 30,513.
Pange lingua (no name), à 4. Do. Pange lingua (no name), à 4. Do. Pange lingua (no name), à 4. Do. Per haec nos, à 3. R.C.M. Per haec nos, à 4. Add. MS. 30,513. Poyncte, a (for the Virginals), à 4. Do.
Quidam fuit, à 6. Ch. Ch.
Salve intemerata, à 5. Ch. Ch. Salve intemerata, à 3. R.C.M. Save Lord and hear us, St. Paul's list. Solennis urgebat, à 5. Ch. Ch.
Te Deum, English, in F, à 5. Parts for 1st Countertenor, Tenor, Bass Cant., in Barnard's MS. Collection In R.C.M. An Organ part in Ch. Ch. Teach me, O Lord, à 5. Ch. Ch.(?) adaptation of Salvator Mundi No. 1. Teach me thy way, à 4. Ch. Ch. Tu fabricator, à 5. Do. Tu nimirum, à 4. Add. MS. 29,246.
Up, Lord, and help us, St. Paul's list.
Variis linguis, à 7. Ch. Ch. Veni redemptor, à 4. Add MS. 30,513. Veni redemptor (No 2), à 4. Do. Verily, verily, à 4. Ely. P.H. Add. MS. 15.166.
When Jesus went into Symon the Pharisee's house, à 5. Adapted to 'Salvator mundi' (No. 21). Add. MS. 31,226.
[ G. ]
* ↑ This fact was discovered by Mr. W. H. Cummings.
* ↑ By Mr. H. F. Wilson, of Trinity College, Cambridge, to whom the Editor's best acknowledgments are due.
* ↑ Copies are to be found iu the Madrigal Society's Library, made by John Immyns; the British Museum; the Royal College of Music; the Library of Sir F. A. G. Ouseley.
* ↑ By an odd misprint the composer's name is called 'Gallys' on Strype's copy.
* ↑ Printed by Day with the name of Sheppard; and given in 'Parish Choir' as by Sheppard. See Add. MS. 30.513.
* ↑ Of these four 5-part anthems there are transcripts in the Fitzwilliam Museum of 'I call and cry' by Blow and by Purcell; of 'With all our heart,' 'Blessed,' and 'Wipe away,' by Blow only.
* ↑ I have not been able to discover if this is the same as 'I give you a new commandment.'
* ↑ The volumes in the Add. MSS. numbered 30,513 and 30,485 are valuable, not only because they contain works not known elsewhere, but because of the light they throw on the domestic position of music in the 16th century. They are arrangements for the Virginals—the fashionable keyed instrument of the day—exactly analogous to the arrangements for the Pianoforte of our own times; and it is startling to find that the sacred choral music of that day was the favourite music, and that the learned contrapuntal 5- and 6-part motets of Tallis, Edwardes, Farrant, Taverner, Byrde, Crequillon, Josquin, Orlando Lasso, and others, were compressed for the amusement of musical amateurs just as oratorios, operas, and operettas are now. From Add. MSS. 29,246, 29,247, another thing is plain, that these learned compositions were arranged for the Lute so that the top part could be sung solo, and the other parts played as accompaniment. An example of this may be found in the 'Echos du temps passé,' where Gibbons's 'Silver Swan' is set to French words (Le Croisé captif) as a solo with accompaniment; but it will be new to many to find the same practice in the 16th century.
* ↑ This and 'Salve Intemerata,' for 3 voices in R.C.M., no. 1737, appear to be portions of 5-part motets to the same words, reduced to 3 parts by simple omissions of voice-parts. The same probably applies to all the 3-part motets in R.C.M. mentioned above; but they require investigation.