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Throughout his service to successive monarchs as organist and composer, Tallis avoided the religious controversies that raged around him, though, like
William Byrd, he stayed an "unreformed Roman Catholic." Tallis was capable of switching the style of his compositions to suit the different monarchs' vastly different demands. Among other important composers of the time, including
Christopher Tye and
Robert White, Tallis stood out. Walker observes, "He had more versatility of style than either, and his general handling of his material was more consistently easy and certain."
"People were naturally wary of their [Byrd and Tallis] new publications, and it certainly did not help their case that they were both avowed
Roman Catholics. Not only that, they were strictly forbidden to sell any imported music. "We straightly by the same forbid...to be brought out of any forren Realmes...any songe or songes made and printed in any foreen countrie." Also, Byrd and Tallis were not given "the rights to music type fonts, printing patents were not under their command, and they didn't actually own a printing press."
Wikipedia.
