set the first lesson, and second lesson, of Tenebrae on Maundy Thursday between 1560, and 1569: "when the practice of making musical settings of the Holy Week readings from the Book of Jeremiah enjoyed a brief and distinguished flowering in England ". The lessons are drawn from Lamentations. These famous and notably expressive settings are both a 5 for ATTBB and employ a sophisticatedly imitative texture. Tallis like many other composers included the following text:
the announcements Incipit Lamentatio Ieremiae Prophetae, and De Lamentatione Ieremiae Prophetae ;
the Hebrew letters ALEPH, BETH, GIMEL, DALETH, and HE, that headed each verse in the Vulgate; and,
the concluding refrain Ierusalem, Ierusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum.
Tallis's inclusion of the refrain emphasises the sombre and melancholy effect of the music. The Latin Vulgate Bible of Tallis's day considered the Hebrew letters integral to the text, although most English translations of the Bible omit them. The Vulgate indicates 'He' for verse 5 facti sunt hostes, and Heth for verse 8 peccatum peccavit Hierusalem; the Maundy Thursday Tenebrae lessons do not go as far as verse 8; but the use of 'Heth' for verse 5 by Tallis may indicate only its inclusion in contemporary liturgy. Tallis's settings happen to use successive verses, but the pieces are in fact independent even though performers generally sing both settings together. Composers have been free to use whatever verses they wish, since the liturgical role of the text is somewhat loose; this accounts for the wide variety of texts that appear in these pieces. William Byrd's early setting of 1563 is rarely performed despite his later popularity and importance. A voice part is missing from the majority of the work as found in the only copy of the lost original manuscript and so performance editions require substantial reconstruction. Robert White, a Catholic composer from East Anglia, set the Lamentations twice: a 5, and a 6. Another English setting of the Renaissance is that by Osbert Parsley.
Contemporary settings include those by Igor Stravinsky '', Edward Bairstow, Alberto Ginastera, Ernst Krenek and Leonard Bernstein. Matthew Hunter, a viola soloist at the Berlin Philarmonic, set the Tallis Lamentations to be played by an ensemble of Stradivari violins, violas and violoncellos. The arrangement is for . The group plays this piece only a couple of times every two years, when they can get the instruments together. Clamavi de Profundis has set Lamentations 1:10-14 and 2:12-15 to music, in Latin.
Selected recordings
Marc-Antoine Charpentier :
* Leçons de Ténèbres, Office du Mercredi Saint, H 117, H 120, H 138, H 131, H 126, H141, H 173, Office du Jeudi Saint, H 121, H 139, H 136, H144, H 128, H 528, H 510, H 521, Office du Vendredi Saint, H 95, H 99, H 100, H 140, H 133, H 130. Il Seminario Musicale, Gérard Lesne. Virgin Classics 1995. Diapason d'or
* Leçons de Ténèbres, Office du Mercredi Saint, H 96, H 97, H 98, H 111, H 112, H 113, Office du Jeudi Saint, H 102, H 103, H 109; Office du Vendredi Saint, H 105, H 106, H 110 - Judith Nelson, Anne Verkinderen, René Jacobs, Concerto Vocale René Jacobs, dir. Harmonia Mundi 1979 Diapason d'or
* Leçons de Ténèbres, H120, H 121, H 122, H 123, H 124, H 125, H 135, H 136, H 137; Howard Crook, Luc de Meulenaere, haute-contres; Jan Caals, Harry Ruyl, ténors; Michel Verschaeve, basse taille; Kurt Widmer, basse; Musica Polyphonica, dir Louis Devos. Erato 1984.
François Couperin :
* Office des Ténèbres de la Semaine Sainte, 3 Leçons de Ténèbres du Mercredy, Il Seminario Musicale, Gérard Lesne. Harmonic records Cantus. 1993 Diapason d’or
