Missa Papae Marcelli

Summary

This entry from *A Dictionary of Music and Musicians* (1900) argues that Gregorio Allegri’s "Miserere" for nine voices in two choirs is one of the most beautiful compositions ever dedicated to the Roman Church, but its value depends almost entirely on execution. The work is simple to the point of apparent insipidity and only assumes its true character when sung by the Sistine Chapel choir, which retains the original performance traditions. The entry illustrates this through the story of Emperor Leopold I, who obtained a copy but found the performance at Vienna so disappointing he believed he had been tricked. The effects of the "Miserere" are compared to the aroma of delicate vintages that perish in transit. The entry also covers Palestrina’s "Missa Papae Marcelli" as a similarly treasured work, once protected by excommunication for copying. A reader learns that these compositions require specific performance traditions to realize their intended profundity of sadness and rhythmical adaptation to the words.

Key concepts

• Miserere for nine voices in two choirs — Allegri’s most famous composition, sung annually in the Pontifical Chapel during Holy Week, whose value depends almost entirely on its execution by the Sistine Chapel choir.
• Sistine Chapel choir — The one choir that received and retained the original performance directions for Allegri’s "Miserere," enabling it to produce the work’s intended effects.
• Profundity of sadness — A quality musicians found in the "Miserere" when performed by the Sistine Chapel choir, described as indescribable and linked to the work’s rhythmical adaptation to the words.
• Rhythmical adaptation to the words — The "Miserere’s" quality of being woven around its text, contributing to its difficulty to produce despite apparent simplicity.
• Imperial failure at Vienna — Emperor Leopold I’s disappointing experience when his choir performed a copy of the "Miserere," demonstrating that no fraud was necessary to explain the failure—the work’s effects perish in transit.
• Missa Papae Marcelli — A composition by Palestrina so treasured that copying it was once a crime visited with excommunication, and its value similarly depends on execution.

From the book

This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works . Public domain Public domain false false

← Volume 1 A Dictionary of Music and Musicians edited by George Grove A to Air Airy to Andreoni → 1500747 A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — A to Air George Grove← Burden to Carafa A Dictionary of Music and Musicians edited by George Grove Cardarelli to Chapeau Chinois Chapelle to Claudine von Villabella → 1500897 A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — Cardarelli to Chapeau Chinois George Grove

← Cardarelli to Chapeau Chinois A Dictionary of Music and Musicians edited by George Grove Chapelle to Claudine von Villabella Clauss to Conforti → 1500899 A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — Chapelle to Claudine von Villabella George Grove

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