Gloria from the ‘Missa puer natus est nobis’ – Thomas Tallis

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‘Gloria’ from the ‘Missa puer natus est nobis’ – Thomas Tallis
Sung by ‘Viva la Musica’, East Midlands Chamber Choir 🔘 https://www.vivalamusica.org.uk/
Recorded live in Trinity Methodist Church, Loughborough – Saturday 6th January 2024
Conducted by Simon Lumby 🔘 https://www.simonlumby.co.uk/

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Little is known about Tallis’s early life, and no record of him exists before 1531. Though at heart a Catholic, he survived the religious controversies of the age, and served four successive monarchs from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I.

He was briefly at Waltham Abbey, before it was dissolved in 1540, then at the Chapel Royal and the Royal Palace of Placentia, in Greenwich. At some stage, he had taught his great contemporary William Byrd, and in 1575 Queen Elizabeth I granted the two of them the monopoly for printing polyphonic music in England, in any language. As known Catholics, they did not prosper, however, and poor sales led to a petition to Elizabeth for further support. Shortly after this, Tallis may have given up composing altogether: no manuscripts exist in the last ten years of his life.

The Missa Puer natus est nobis is one of Tallis’s most complex works, composed in December 1545, possibly as an oblique compliment to Mary I, thought (wrongly) to be pregnant. Ornate and ceremonial, and scored unusually in seven parts, the ‘Gloria’ presents a tapestry of parts, all woven around the Tenors, who sing the cantus firmus (plainsong melody) throughout.

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Text:

Glória in excélsis Deo
et in terra pax homínibus bonæ voluntátis.
Laudámus te, benedícimus te,
adorámus te, glorificámus te,
grátias ágimus tibi propter magnam glóriam tuam,
Dómine Deus, Rex cæléstis,
Deus Pater omnípotens.

Dómine Fili Unigénite, Iesu Christe,
Dómine Deus, Agnus Dei, Fílius Patris,
qui tollis peccáta mundi,
miserére nobis;
qui tollis peccáta mundi,
súscipe deprecatiónem nostram.
Qui sedes ad déxteram Patris,
miserére nobis.

Quóniam tu solus Sanctus,
tu solus Dóminus,
tu solus Altíssimus,
Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spíritu:
in glória Dei Patris. Amen.

Translation:

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of The Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father
have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.