Since I first discovered renaissance choral music in college, I've been entranced with the beauty of this music. It is timeless and just as moving today as it must have been centuries ago. In 2019, I sang in a chamber choir (I'm really a saxophonist, but they still let me sing!) and one of the pieces we sang was the hymn "Third Mode Melody" by Thomas Tallis. The music captivated me. It lingered in my mind for weeks. Shortly thereafter, I had decided to write a piece for my college wind ensemble director, Gary Green, based on a photograph he took of a church in Savannah, Georgia. The mysterious and beautiful photograph and the music from "Third Mode Melody" seemed to fit well, so the piece came together quickly as Entrata.
After studying "Third Mode Melody" and weaving that music into my piece Entrata, I took time to explore other Tallis works. I had heard and sung the Tallis canon before, and also came across his stunning work 'If Ye Love Me." Fast forwarding a bit to spring 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, composers and conductors began to think about creating music that could be adaptable to a wide range of instrumentations and ensemble sizes for fall 2020 (and potentially beyond). At the writing of these notes (July 2020) we still don't know how many musicians will be able to make music together, and how each school will organize classes. As I thought about creating music that could be flexible, I quickly thought of these Tallis works. I believe they are works of remarkable depth and beauty, while at the same time relatively simple. I think there is a lot to learn and enjoy from playing and studying this music, and so I decided these tunes might be helpful in a flexible setting.
As I was arranging this music, I pictured student groups of various sizes and instrumentations - 7 wind players, or 12 strings, or 23 players including strings, winds and percussion - all finding some solace and beauty in the music of Thomas Tallis. I pictured them being filled by the richness of this music, being touched by the depth of this centuries-old art. This thought inspired me to create this music, and I hope that teachers and students find it meaningful and rewarding.
