Byrd/Tallis - Heavenly Harmonies - Stile Antico

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ARTISTIC QUALITY: 10
SOUND QUALITY: 10
(CLASSICSTODAY.com)

At the heart of the religious disputes which ravaged 16th-century England, Tallis and Byrd embody two opposing tendencies: the former's austere, homophonic Protestant psalm tunes, in which the clarity of the biblical texts was paramout, contrast with the latter's Catholic motets, which constantly heighten musical expressivity and emotiveness.

Yet, far from being stifled by the rigour of one camp or the traditionalism of the other, the creativity of these two masters of English music thrived on such constraints as they dedicated themselves to the service of their art and of God.