One of the most noted groups in the world of Renaissance music, the Tallis Scholars bring us a compilation of their work from 1980-1998. 'The Essential Talllis Scholars,' a two CD set, gives us an introduction to the vast amounts of music from this period and their discography. Disc 1 contains motets by such composers as Palestrina, Josquin and Lassus. The opening piece is the incomparably gorgeous 'Miserere' by Allegri, which should be in everybody's library. Disc 2 is comprised of works by English composers, such as Tallis and includes Byrd's 'Mass for 5 Voices.' If you are new to the works of the Tallis Scholars or to the world of Renaissance music, this is a great place to start.