Majestic: Thank you, Zephyrinus: Allegri's sublime ‘Miserere Mei, Deus,’ a 9-voice setting of Psalm 51 'Have mercy upon me, O God,” a work so beautiful it even impressed the 14-year-old Mozart visiting Rome with his father, Leopold.
No doubt Zephyrinus and others at this blog know the almost legendary story about this piece: Allegri composed it in 1638 for his patron, P. Urban VIII (Maffeo Barberini, his papal reign from 1623-1644), and it was only allowed to be performed in the Vatican Sistine Chapel during Holy Week: copies were strictly forbidden under penalty of excommunication. (Part 1, cont., Comment by Dante P)
(Part II, cont.) The following is from the site classicfm.com (a treasure house for classic music lovers):
“The city was captivating to teenage Mozart. He was overawed by St Peter’s, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the greatest impression was made on him by that piece of music, performed exquisitely by the chapel choir.”
“When the young composer returned to his lodgings – where he was sharing a bed with his father and not getting much sleep at all – Mozart wrote the entire Miserere out from memory, perfectly.”
“It is said that after having transcribed the piece, the young Mozart and his father went back to St Peter’s to hear the work again, probably the same week, to compare his own score with the sung version.”
“The score made its way to London, where it was published the following year, in 1771. So that, as the story goes, is how we know and love Allegri’s Miserere to this day.”
So: Thank God for the genius of Allegri—and Mozart! -Note by Dante P
Majestic: Thank you, Zephyrinus: Allegri's sublime ‘Miserere Mei, Deus,’ a 9-voice setting of Psalm 51 'Have mercy upon me, O God,” a work so beautiful it even impressed the 14-year-old Mozart visiting Rome with his father, Leopold.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt Zephyrinus and others at this blog know the almost legendary story about this piece: Allegri composed it in 1638 for his patron, P. Urban VIII (Maffeo Barberini, his papal reign from 1623-1644), and it was only allowed to be performed in the Vatican Sistine Chapel during Holy Week: copies were strictly forbidden under penalty of excommunication. (Part 1, cont., Comment by Dante P)
(Part II, cont.) The following is from the site classicfm.com (a treasure house for classic music lovers):
ReplyDelete“The city was captivating to teenage Mozart. He was overawed by St Peter’s, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the greatest impression was made on him by that piece of music, performed exquisitely by the chapel choir.”
“When the young composer returned to his lodgings – where he was sharing a bed with his father and not getting much sleep at all – Mozart wrote the entire Miserere out from memory, perfectly.”
“It is said that after having transcribed the piece, the young Mozart and his father went back to St Peter’s to hear the work again, probably the same week, to compare his own score with the sung version.”
“The score made its way to London, where it was published the following year, in 1771. So that, as the story goes, is how we know and love Allegri’s Miserere to this day.”
So: Thank God for the genius of Allegri—and Mozart! -Note by Dante P
Allegri's Miserere is in a class of its own.
DeleteSuch a treasure. Such a sublime gift to The Church.
Thank You, Dante P, for your welcome Comment.