Thomas Tallis - Suscipe quaeso

Suscipe quaeso, Domine is one of Tallis’s finest compositions and one of the great masterpieces of 16th-century England. Written for seven voices, Suscipe is set to text by 6th century Spanish Saint Isidore of Seville. The size of the choral forces and the nature of the text suggest that it may have been composed for a major public occasion, perhaps in 1554 for the Service of Absolution when Cardinal Pole, who had been appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Queen Mary I, absolved England from schism, bringing England back into the Catholic fold.
LIVE April 27, 2024 at Holy Rosary Church, Seattle
***
Suscipe quaeso Domine vocem confitentis.
Scelera mea non defendo: peccavi.
Deus, miserere mei, peccavi: dele culpas meas gratia tua.
Si enim iniquitates recordaberis, quis sustineat?
Quis enim justus se dicere audeat sine peccato
esse?
Nullus est enim mundus in conspectu tuo.
Receive, I beseech, O Lord, the voice of one who confesses.
I do not defend my misdeeds: I have sinned.
O God, have mercy upon me. By thy grace blot out my sins.
For if thou shalt remember iniquities, who could endure it?
For who is so righteous that he dare say that he
is without sin?
For none is pure in thy sight.
***
The Byrd Ensemble, directed by Markdavin Obenza
Soprano: Ruth Schauble, Julia Baker, Margaret Obenza
Alto: Sarra S. Doyle, Joshua Haberman
Tenor: Orrin Doyle, Sam Faustine
Bass: Matthew Peterson, Willimark Obenza, Clayton Moser
Produced by Scribe Studios

[@madadam12]

Writing for seven voices (and 40!) seems to bring out the best from Tallis.

[@domcogan]

This is very nicely done, thanks.

[@MarkdavinObenza]

Thank you!