Gregorio Allegri
(1582 – 1652, Italian priest)Allegri joined the choir of the Sistine Chapel as composer and singer in 1629, and remained a member until his death.
Miserere
- "Miserere mei, Deus" / "Have mercy on me, O God"It was composed in c.1638 for use in the Sistine Chapel at Vatican during matins (during Holy Week) only. At some point, writing it down or performing it elsewhere was punishable by excommunication.
According to the popular story, the 14-year-old Mozart was visiting Rome in 1770, when he first heard the piece during a Wednesday service. Later that day, he wrote it down entirely from memory, returning to the Chapel that Friday to make minor corrections.
Later, Mozart met a British historian, who obtained the piece from him and took it to London, where it was published in 1771.
Mozart was summoned to Rome by the Pope; only instead of excommunicating the boy, the Pope showered praises on him for his feat of musical genius.
Since the lifting of the ban, Allegri's Miserere has become one of the most popular a cappella choral works now performed.
The Miserere is a setting of Psalm 51 (50) composed for exclusive use in the Sistine Chapel during matins, as part of the exclusive Tenebrae service on Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week.
It is written for two choirs, one of five voices (SSATB) and one of four (SATB), and is an example of Renaissance polyphony surviving to the present day: one of the choirs sings a simple version of the original Miserere chant; the other, spatially separated, sings an ornamented "commentary" on this.
The Sixteen choir
Later, Mozart met a British historian, who obtained the piece from him and took it to London, where it was published in 1771.
King Henry VI founded King's College, Cambridge in 1441
to provide daily singing in his Chapel
Mozart was summoned to Rome by the Pope; only instead of excommunicating the boy, the Pope showered praises on him for his feat of musical genius.
Since the lifting of the ban, Allegri's Miserere has become one of the most popular a cappella choral works now performed.
--- Wikipedia
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Notes: |
| Sistine Chapel - paintings by Michelangelo enacted in 'The Agony & The Ecstasy' movie |
It is written for two choirs, one of five voices (SSATB) and one of four (SATB), and is an example of Renaissance polyphony surviving to the present day: one of the choirs sings a simple version of the original Miserere chant; the other, spatially separated, sings an ornamented "commentary" on this.
From Allegri, to Mozart, to Mendelssohn
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