The number 40 in Spem in alium may hold symbolic significance, referencing biblical events such as the 40 days of the flood, the Israelites' wandering, or Christ's temptation.
Composition History
Thomas Tallis's Spem in alium, a massive 40-part piece, may have been written in response to a challenge after a 30-part Italian song was performed in England.
Historical Context
Tallis was among the first composers to adapt to writing religious music in English, a necessity after the 1549 Prayer Book and the English Reformation.
Notable Performances
Spem in alium was sung at the investiture of Henry, eldest son of James I, as Prince of Wales in 1610, with a newly written English text, 'Sing and glorify'.
Compositional Technique
Tallis's Spem in alium, though 138 bars in modern terms, was likely conceived in the 16th century as 69 'longs' (double-length bars), a number that can be cryptically linked to the names Judith and Tallis using the classical Latin alphabet.
Composer Biography
Thomas Tallis and his younger colleague William Byrd were granted a 21-year monopoly on music printing and publishing by Queen Elizabeth I in 1572.
Compositional Technique
Spem in alium is structured for eight choirs of five voices each, arranged in an SATBarB line-up, creating a rich, dialogic texture.
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