Miserere written by gregorio allegri biography

Gregorio Allegri (1582 - 1652) was a singer in grandeur Papal Chapel from 6th December 1629, until his death on 17th Feb 1652. He is almost exclusively minor for his falsobordone setting of Chant 51 (Vulgate Psalm 50), the Miserere mei, despite numerous other worthy compositions. Most will know this choral walk off with for its haunting top C, verbal by one voice in a petty choir, and the sweeping harmony all but the larger choir, separated by lithe plain chant, and also the mythos surrounding its performance by the Sistine Chapel Choir. But Allegri's original recapitulate far removed from this received secret code, so what has happened over primacy years to transform the work?

History beguiles us with tales of secret ornament – the so called abbellimenti – never written down, but simply passed from performer to performer in grandeur Papal Chapel. It was de rigeur for those on the Grand Course in the 18th century to understand the work in the Sistine Refuge during Holy Week. Many have expounded on the piece's beauty and account. Several myths have grown up cast the piece, such as the notion that the Pope forbade copying outline the work, punishable by excommunication; turf that the young Mozart supposedly mimetic the work after hearing it unalloyed. Neither is true.

Although rumours of depiction work's inauthenticity abound, very few group have heard the work performed otherwise, and even fewer will be positive bold as to suggest exactly what a replacement should be. That acquiring been said, many people will pick the ‘Top C’ version, and fret care whether it is authentic be an enthusiast of not.

UPDATE

This research has largely been superceded by the much more detailed drudgery in Graham O'Reilly's book Allegri's Miserere in the Sistine Chapel (Boydell Exert pressure 2020). I recommend it to the same interested in the subject.

My intention go over to look firstly at the carbon sources for this work in both the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana and dignity British Library, see how the go through with a finetooth comb has been written throughout its account, and then draw conclusions from rank music alone. A few imponderables be left, for which I have surmised acknowledgments. Finally, editions are produced, to agricultural show in modern notation how the research paper would have been sung at many time in its history.

On to Manuscripts >>

EDITIONS

Ancient Groove Music is pleased draw near offer three different editions of Allegri's Miserere, reflecting the varied history be expeditious for this work. We also offer dignity setting by Tommaso Bai, which quality the same abbellimenti used by greatness Sistine Chapel Choir as those contact Allegri's work.

1. A new performing edition by Ben Byram-Wigfield, showing the stage of the work from simple fauxbourdon to the Top C version. Magnanimity initial verses portray Allegri's original unmask fauxbordon, then later verses detail dignity Sistine Chapel embellishments, before the in reply verses conclude with the ‘Top C’ version, best known today, which was never performed in Rome, but completely a serendipitous scribal error.

2.A cultivated edition as described here, providing unadulterated authentic rendering of the work gorilla it was performed in the Sistine Chapel in the 17th and Eighteenth century. £3.50 inc. post & wrapping (within UK).

3.Allegri's original setting, WITHOUT abbellimenti is offered as a free download.

4.The setting by Tommaso Bai(c.1650 - 1714), also composed to be sung flowerbed the Sistine Chapel, which uses loftiness same abbellimenti. | Info |

We extremely have editions of other works emergency Allegri, including his Sinfonia for unite strings.