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The Tallis Scholars

Michael Zwiebach on December 1, 2009
The Tallis Scholars
The Tallis Scholars sing in Berkeley this week, courtesy of Cal Performances. At the First Congregational Church, they perform one of Josquin des Prez’ greatest works, the sublime Missa de Beata Vergine (Mass of the Blessed Virgin).

This is Renaissance music at its most spellbinding, and a work of pure religious feeling. It was written at the very end of Josquin's life when, already famous, he had retired to a church in his home region, Condé-sur l-Escaut. But it doesn't feel like an older man's work. The lithe melodies stick in your ear, even as the interweaving lines roll over you in ever-changing intensities. Of course the Tallis Scholars are such old pros that their fans come to hear whatever they sing. But in this case, you just might want to scrounge for a couple of tickets, even if you're not a chorus groupie.