Andrea Bocelli vs. the Tallis Scholars

13 July 2012, 12:02 | Updated: 13 July 2012, 12:18

Andrea Bocelli's smooth single, 'Time to Say Goodbye' goes head to head with Tallis' 400-year-old Latin choral piece, 'Spem in alium' in a hotly contested chart battle.

Andrea Bocelli and the Tallis Scholars are fighting it out to make it to the top of this week's Classical Singles Chart. His new single, performed alongside popular soprano Sarah Brightman is up against the Tallis Scholars’ recording of Tallis’ Spem in alium.

The tracks couldn’t be more different. One is a choral piece, written in Latin, and the other is a smooth number by a classical crooner.

Both tracks have a strong claim to the No. 1 spot. Tallis’ impressive 40-part choral piece has been popular for more than 400 years and was featured in E L James’ 50 Shades of Grey, but Andrea and Sarah’s Time to Say Goodbye topped the US Bilboard Classical Crossover chart in the US for 35 weeks when it was originally released in 1997.

Andrea, who has already secured more than 75million album sales, believes his voice is a gift from God. If his religious claims weren’t enough, master-tenor Pavarotti championed the singer, saying "There is no finer voice than Bocelli."

It’s no wonder he’s feeling the pressure. He said: “As you become more famous, people come and expect to hear something extraordinary, so you don’t want to disappoint them. I feel this sense of responsibility.”

If Andrea and Sarah secure the No. 1 spot on Monday, the singer will have yet another cause for celebration after the recent birth of his daughter, Virginia. Just hours after she was born, he treated her to a performance of ‘Ange Adorable’ from Gounod’s opera Romeo And Juliette.

Will crossover artist Andrea Bocelli triumph over Tallis' Latin choral music? Let us know what you think.