Western Wind Masses

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Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Christopher Tye, John Sheppard, John Taverner

Genre:

Vocal

Label: Gimell

Magazine Review Date: 9/1993

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 80

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: CDGIM027

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
Mass, '(The) Western Wynde'	John Sheppard, Composer John Sheppard, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars
Mass, 'Western Wynde'	John Taverner, Composer John Taverner, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars
Mass, 'Western Wind'	Christopher Tye, Composer Christopher Tye, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars

Composer or Director: Christopher Tye, John Sheppard, John Taverner

Label: Gimell

Magazine Review Date: 9/1993

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 80

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: 454 927-2PH

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
Mass, '(The) Western Wynde'	John Sheppard, Composer John Sheppard, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars
Mass, 'Western Wynde'	John Taverner, Composer John Taverner, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars
Mass, 'Western Wind'	Christopher Tye, Composer Christopher Tye, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars

Composer or Director: John Taverner

Label: Hyperion

Magazine Review Date: 9/1993

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 56

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: CDA66507

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
O splendor gloriae	John Taverner, Composer (The) Sixteen Harry Christophers, Conductor John Taverner, Composer
Te Deum laudamus	John Taverner, Composer (The) Sixteen Harry Christophers, Conductor John Taverner, Composer
Alleluia, Veni electa mea	John Taverner, Composer (The) Sixteen Harry Christophers, Conductor John Taverner, Composer
Mass, 'Western Wynde'	John Taverner, Composer (The) Sixteen Harry Christophers, Conductor John Taverner, Composer

Composer or Director: Anonymous, Christopher Tye, John Sheppard, John Taverner

Label: Gimell

Magazine Review Date: 9/1993

Media Format: Cassette

Media Runtime: 0

Catalogue Number: 1585T-27

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
Westron wynde	Anonymous, Composer Anonymous, Composer Rufus Müller, Tenor
Mass, '(The) Western Wynde'	John Sheppard, Composer John Sheppard, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars
Mass, 'Western Wynde'	John Taverner, Composer John Taverner, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars
Mass, 'Western Wind'	Christopher Tye, Composer Christopher Tye, Composer Peter Phillips, Conductor Tallis Scholars

Author: Fabrice Fitch

In issuing the complete Western Wind Masses on one disc, The Tallis Scholars make it possible to compare three works whose common origin belies their strikingly different natures. Taverner's work is justly famous, but many listeners will be equally impressed with the restrained, placid melodiousness of the Tye. Its ingenious concealment of the well-known tune stands in marked contrast with the elder composer's striking design; the sprinkling of dissonances and exotic cadences are carefully controlled, and its overall effect is one of classical balance and poise.
Heard alongside its fellows, Sheppard's work is bound to seem dull and one-dimensional, the harmony flat-footed, the treatment of dissonances wilful and contrived (as in the Sanctus). Sheppard follows Tye's example in confining the tune to one voice, but by choosing the treble rather than Tye's mean, he places himself in a contrapuntal strait-jacket which proves impossible to shake off. And whereas The Tallis Scholars perform the Tye with commendable lucidity, the Sheppard has just a hint of weariness about it—possibly the tempos might have been brisker.
The Sixteen's recording of the Taverner appears as Volume 5 of a Complete Edition of his sacred music. Their interpretation is restrained and mellifluous, but The Tallis Scholars surpass them in rendering of detail, in structural clarity and in crispness, this despite the fact that Phillips's version is fully four minutes longer. The Tallis's full, bright acoustic seems better suited to Taverner's outgoing setting than the more subdued, atmospheric sound chosen by Christophers. Moreover The Sixteen's inner voices sound slightly uncomfortable at the limits of their registers, whereas the Tallis handle everything with an easy elegance. For the rest, both ensembles share a similar view of the work, transposing the music up a tone and using soloists in partially-scored sections. Finally, both are inconsistent in their interpretation of triple-time sections, opting at times for crotchet equivalence (in modern score), at others for a 3:2 proportion.
The Sixteen round out their disc with several lesser-known pieces, including the splendid antiphon O splendor gloriae: here again there is stiff competition, this time from the Taverner Choir. On balance, then, The Tallis Scholars disc offers the more rewarding programme, though unfortunately space couldn't be found for the Western Wind tune, available only on the excellent cassette.'

Sheppard; Taverner; Tye Western Wind Mass

Mass, '(The) Western Wynde'

Mass, 'Western Wynde'

Mass, 'Western Wind'