Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Palestrina's 400th Anniversary was in 1994, which was when Peter Phillips directed the Tallis Scholars in this historic concert, filmed in the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore where the composer sang as a choirboy and later became maestro di cappella. The video was released to great acclaim and now, at last, the recital is available on DVD complete with all the extras one could hope for. First the track listing: Palestrina's "Missa Papae Marcelli", "Stabat Mater", "Alma Redemptoris Mater", "Surge, Illuminaire", "Magnificat Primi Toni" and "Nunc Dimittis" and Allegri's "Miserere". In addition there is almost an hour of audio bonus material with the Tallis Scholars singing Palestrina's "Missa Brevis" in Merton College, Oxford and his "Missa Assumpta Est Maria" in Salle Church, Norfolk. Vocally the Tallis Scholars are on top form. Visually this is one of the most interesting DVDs I have seen with a wonderful collection of artworks used to illustrate the sung texts. If you prefer, you can have just the singers - with or without subtitles - and you can also see what the singers see during the "Nunc Dimittis" with the camera pointing at Peter Phillips throughout.

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