This is a magnificent disc of some of Thomas Tallis's most sublime music. There are many, many recordings of The Lamentations of Jeremiah and a lot of them are very fine indeed; this stands with the best of them, I think. It has a wonderful, haunting plangency about it and the Hilliards sing it at quite a low pitch compared to some choirs which allows David James's lovely countertenor to take the top line and gives that Hilliard sound a full, rich depth which is unforgettable.
For me, though, the highlight of this disc is the Mass for Four Voices. It's a compact work, written in response to Cranmer's insistence on simple settings with one note per syllable. Sung by large choirs it can seem a little flat and uninteresting, but the Hilliards invest it with real emotion and it is one of my favourite Tallis recordings (which, in competition with the likes of The Tallis Scholars, The Taverner Consort and The Cardinall's Musick is really high praise). The sheer yearning beauty in their singing of the relatively simply set words "Agnus Dei" in the Gloria touches my heart every time I hear it, for example, and there are many such moments.
There are also three lovely motets and they complete a truly exceptional disc. It's been a favourite of mine since I bought the original release getting on for twenty years ago and I recommend it without reservation. I am sure that it will give you the same pleasure for many years.
