Apart from popular songs like I shared yesterday the King’s Singers also performed a huge range of “classical” music from all of the history of music. A Capella singing has been around a long time!! I particularly enjoyed many of their “early music” songs – but today’s offering would have been a bit beyond six of them. It is Thomas Tallis’ 40-part “Spem in alium”.
This music is even older than the Allegri “Miserere Mei” that I shared in almost my first post.
This particular recording was going to be used a while back as it was recorded specifically for the marking of 40 days of lockdown. Now – having said there are too many parts for the King’s Singers, the choir here have used the wonders of technology to make up the 40 voices as there are actually only 12 of them!
One advantage of this video is that it shows just how the voices are contributing – there are eight groups of five which you can see across the screen as they sing.
The English translation of the Latin text is :
I have never put my hope in any other
but in Thee, God of Israel
who canst show both wrath and graciousness,
and who absolves all the sins
of man in suffering
Lord God,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
Regard our humility
Words that fit this time well.