Spacious Firmament on High, A

Tallis canon is one of the most beloved canonic melodies of all of Christendom.  Here it is wed with the beautiful and descriptive poetic hymn-text, The Spacious Firmament on High.  Once the choir learns the melody, they know the piece.  Each stanza of the hymn features a different section of the choir and then the sections are combined in varied ways.  It ends with a simple "Amen."  When the melody is sung in the key of E-flat it falls in the exact tessitura to make it easily sung in unison by boy trebles, girl trebles and cambiatas.  The adolescent baritones may join in 8va down.  If no baritones are present, the piece may be sung without them.  It is published in the three-part version, which can be sung as a two-part setting, if desired, since Part III is optional.