As a staunch Catholic, Thomas Tallis wrote relatively little for the newly founded Anglican Church. The dozen anthems he composed date from either the reign of Edward VI (1547-1552), the most radical period of Protestant reform, or the early years of the reign Elizabeth I. "If Ye Love Me" is the most famous of the eight anthems in four parts (alto, alto, tenor, bass). The requirements for music in the Anglican church stood diametrically opposed to the florid polyphonic style of the Tudor Catholic church. The demands for verbal clarity and simplicity were perfectly understood by Tallis, whose tiny work is a masterpiece of succinct devotional expressivity employing a juxtaposition of exquisitely wrought chordal harmony and imitative writing. "If Ye Love Me" along with other Tallis anthems, has retained its place in the Anglican church service.

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