Tallis singers bring us the Renaissance

THE TALLIS SCHOLARS AT THE RAVINIA FESTIVAL

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Renaissance music is something of an acquired taste. To modernears, its a cappella repertoire can sound remote and austere. Plus,like the art of its time, much of it is either liturgical orreligious.

The England-based Tallis Scholars, directed by Peter Phillips,made their Ravinia Festival debut Monday night in the Martin Theatre.Their finely polished performance was a musical bridge back in time,when Gregorian chant was part of sacred services and it was notunusual to hear unaccompanied voices.

In its program, the nine-voice ensemble -- usually 10, but onebass was missing -- explored music in German and Latin by mainlyGerman composers: Heinrich Isaac, born about 1450, just as theRenaissance was beginning; Hans Leo Hassler, born more than a centurylater, and Heinrich Schutz, who lived from 1585 to 1672, well beyondthe era's commonly defined time boundaries. The single Italian,Gregorio Allegri, was almost an exact contemporary of Schutz.

The concert opened with Isaac's serenade, in German, to Innsbruck,perhaps a forerunner to urban tribute songs, such as "Granada" and"Vienna, City of My Dreams."

It was a good opening choice, allowing the audience to experiencethe clarity and perfect pitch of the singers: sopranos Sally Dunkley,Tessa Bonner, Janet Coxwell and Deborah Roberts, altos Patrick Craigand Caroline Trevor, tenors Andrew Carwood and Steven Harrold, andbass Robert Macdonald.

It wasn't long before we were deep into sacred music. We heardHassler's Missa VIII for Double Choir, a richly polyphonic work.Segments, such as the Gloria and Credo, began with Gregorian chant,but quickly flowered forth in rich vocal strands.

The voices, though harmonious, did not blend as sections in achorus meld together and emerge as one. Each voice type retained itsindividuality, from the needle-sharp sopranos to the strong bass,braiding particular colors as intricately as strands in a tapestry.

Did those composers save their sweetest music for their Marianworks? Isaac's "Virgo prudentissima" was full of sunshine and agentle energy, which flowed through the piece, phrase by phrase.Under Phillips' keen direction, the rhythm was propelled by someinner force of the text or the elusive melody.

For Allegri's "Miserere," the ensemble was split -- five onstageand four at the back of the theater -- giving an antiphonal andotherworldly effect to this heartrending plea for mercy.

It was followed by Hassler's less formal "O sacrum convivium,"Isaac's "Tota pulchra es," from the Bible's "Song of Songs" andIsaac's "Regina caeli," with merry alleluias.

Phillips saved Schutz's powerful, complex work "DeutchesMagnificat" for last. This piece was performed with particular zest,and the audience obviously appreciated this rare chance to hear suchmusic.

After seeing the Tallis Scholars, the Renaissance doesn't seemremote at all.