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Surround Sound: Tallis's Spem in alium

Tom Service surrounds himself in Tallis's Spem in alium, a colossal Renaissance masterpiece for 40 individual voice parts, arranged in groups situated all around the listeners.

Tom Service surrounds himself in Tallis's Spem in alium, a colossal Renaissance masterpiece for 40 individual voice parts, arranged in eight groups of five voices, each situated all around the listeners. This was the original surround sound experience - one that came about not in 20th-century cinemas but in 16th-century churches.

Produced by Dom Wells

Available now

29 minutes

Last on

Fri 23 Jun 2023 16:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Liam Taylor-West

    Backdrops

    Conductor: Anna-Maria Helsing. Performer: BBC Concert Orchestra.

  • Nicolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov

    The Flight of the bumblebee [from 'The tale of the Tsar Saltan'], arr. various for misc. instruments/ensembles

    Conductor: Neville Marriner. Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
    • EMI.
    • 5689532.

  • Thomas Tallis

    Spem in alium for 40 voices

    Conductor: Harry Christophers. Performer: The Sixteen.
    • CORO.
    • COR16016.

  • Robert Wylkynson

    Credo in Deum/Jesus autem transiens for 13 equal voices

    Conductor: Paul Van Nevel. Performer: Huelgas Ensemble.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • HMC-801954.

  • Josquin des Prez

    Qui habitat in adjutorio Altissimi

    Conductor: Paul Van Nevel. Performer: Las Huelgas Ensemble.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • HMC-801954.

  • Alessandro Striggio

    Ecce beatam lucem for 40 voices [10 choirs]

    Performer: I Fagiolini. Performer: Robert Hollingworth.
    • Decca.
    • 4782734.

  • Irving Berlin

    Annie get your gun - musical

    Performer: Bing Crosby. Performer: Rosemary Clooney.
    • MUSIC DIGITAL.
    • CD6018.

  • Thomas Tallis

    Spem in alium for 40 voices

    Conductor: Harry Christophers. Performer: The Sixteen.
    • CORO.
    • COR16016.

  • Gyorgy Ligeti

    Requiem - Kyrie

    Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Performer: London Voices. Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • Warner.
    • 2564602858.

  • James MacMillan

    Vidi aquam for 40 voices

    Conductor: Suzi Digby. Performer: ORA Singers.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • HMM90266970.

  • Thomas Tallis

    Spem in alium for 40 voices

    Conductor: Harry Christophers. Performer: The Sixteen.
    • CORO.
    • COR16016.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 18 Jun 2023 17:00
    BBC Radio 3
  • Fri 23 Jun 2023 16:30
    BBC Radio 3

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