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Allegri’s Miserere & The Renaissance

Ian Thomas

 

The Time – The Renaissance 1450-1600         

• The golden age of polyphony in church music

• Slow development of instrumental music

 

The period known as the Renaissance, around the beginning of the 16th century, was when people gradually began to look beyond the confines of the Church to the world outside. Music of the early Renaissance was still mostly inspired by and written for the Church. The sixteenth century witnessed four major musical phenomena: the polyphonic school reached its peak, instrumental music started up, the first opera was produced and music began to be printed. For most people, the opportunity to see and read music had up to now to been there, now, musicians could stand around a printed score and sing or play their part. Music was now widely available.

New musical developments have always caused controversy. Music before the Renaissance and had been based on and around Plainchant. It had taken a thousand years from the earliest plainchant for music to develop into a highly sophisticated art form such as the choral works by Palestrina, Victoria and Byrd.

Example of a Plainchant manuscript – c. 1520

 

 

 

Musical Developments during the Renaissance include:

·         Musical harmony – the rules governing the relationship between chords and the development of cadences.

·         Before the Renaissance Period the tenor part was the most important part of a choral work, it would normally have the melody or in most cases the melody would be a plainchant melody. During the Renaissance this changed and all parts in a choral work became equally as important as each other - polyphony.

1598 Example of polyphony- The kyrie from Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli was printed in his Second Book of Masses

 

 

 

Renaissance 1450 to 1600 - Timeline

 

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The Man - Gregorio Allegri

Composer

Country Italy

Born 1582
Died 17 Feb 1652

 

Gregorio Allegri was born in Rome in 1582, and became a chorister at the Papal Chapel in 1591 until 1596, when his voice broke. He subsequently became a tenor at S. Luigi del Francesca for the next 8 years, and studied with Giovanni Maria Nanino from 1600 until 1607. In 1604 he was a Singer and Composer at Tivoli and Fermi, and then became Maestro di Cappella at S. Spirito, in Sassia, Rome in 1628. 6th December 1629 saw his appointment as a singer in the Papal Choir, until his death on February 17th, 1652, aged 70. He wrote a large body of work, of both instrumental and sacred choral music, favouring the style of his mentor Nanino, and his before him, Palestrina.

 

The portrait above is taken from a copperplate engraving of 1711. He is shown holding a five part choir book with the opening G minor chord and the word Miserere. The legend reads: Gregorio Allegri, Singer in the Papal Chapel at Rome, Most Excellent Composer, died on 18th(sic) February, 1652

Papal Chapel at Rome

 

                                                         

The Work  - Miserere Mei

 

'Miserere mei'. Setting of Psalm 51 for nine voices (two separate choirs of 4 and 5). Length 10 minutes. The piece mixes two styles: plainsong (single-line chanting in unison, the 'old-style' religious vocal music) and rich polyphony (different voices singing different lines which weave in and out of each other, the 'new-style' harmony as developed by composers such as Palestrina).

 

The work is a falsobordone, alternating between a five part and four part choir, each separated by plainsong on even-numbered verses with harmonized chant called on odd-numbered verses. Most unusual is the use of two different falsobordone in alternation, the first for five-part choir and the second for four soloists. What has made the work famous throughout the western word for over four centuries was the unwritten ornamentation of the soloists. Ornamentation at this time was considered a trade secret, and written-out examples are rare there is an example in the last solo verse on the recording of how it might have sounded.

 

The first choir (a 5) contains a number of suspensions which lead towards the final cadence such as in bar 12, as does the second choir (a 4), whose other main feature is the striking 4th chord, with a diminished 5th between the upper parts, eventually resolving into D Major such as in bar 19. The musical effect is created by Allegri's use of discords (caused by a series of suspensions) and by embellishments around a straight-forward vocal line, which take the solo treble to a high C.

 

 

 

 

The last verse has all nine voices singing together. The solo group choir will be located on the gallery at the back of church with the main choir in the choir stalls so as to create a antiphonal effect.

 

The work has always been associated with Holy Week, and Psalm 51 features in the Liturgy for Lauds on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, commonly called Tenebrae (darkness) from Luke's Gospel: "and darkness covered the whole earth". At the climactic moment of the service, the Pope and Cardinals would kneel at the altar as all light was extinguished and the choir sang its Psalm, a petition for God's mercy.

 

The Mozart Connection

 

The famous story concerning the Miserere involves the 12-year-old Mozart. On December 13, 1769, Leopold and Wolfgang left Salzburg and set out for a 15-month tour of Italy where, among other things, Leopold hoped that Wolfgang would have the chance to study with Padre Martini in Bologna, who had also taught Johann Christian Bach several years before. On their circuitous route to Bologna, they passed through Innsbruck, Verona, Milan, and arrived in Rome on April 11, 1770, just in time for Easter. As with any tourist, they visited St. Peter's to celebrate the Wednesday Tenebrae and to hear the famous Miserere sung at the Sistine Chapel. Upon arriving at their lodging that evening, Mozart sat down and wrote out from memory the entire piece. On Good Friday, he returned, with his manuscript rolled up in his hat, to hear the piece again and make a few minor corrections. Leopold told of Wolfgang's accomplishment in a letter to his wife dated April 14, 1770 (Rome):

"...You have often heard of the famous Miserere in Rome, which is so greatly prized that the performers are forbidden on pain of excommunication to take away a single part of it, copy it or to give it to anyone. *But we have it already*. Wolfgang has written it down and we would have sent it to Salzburg in this letter, if it were not necessary for us to be there to perform it. But the manner of performance contributes more to its effect than the composition itself. Moreover, as it is one of the secrets of Rome, we do not wish to let it fall into other hands...."

Wolfgang and his father then traveled on to Naples for a short stay, returning to Rome a few weeks later to attend a papal audience where Wolfgang was made a Knight of the Golden Spur. They left Rome a couple of weeks later to spend the rest of the summer in Bologna, where Wolfgang studied with Padre Martini.

The story does not end here, however. As the Mozart’s were sightseeing and traveling back to Rome, the noted biographer and music historian, Dr. Charles Burney, set out from London on a tour of France and Italy to gather material for a book on the state of music in those countries. By August, he arrived in Bologna to meet with Padre Martini. There he also met Mozart. Though little is known about what transpired between Mozart and Burney at this meeting, some facts surrounding the incident lead to interesting conjecture. For one, Mozart's transcription of Allegri's Miserere, important in that it would presumably also reflect the improvised passages performed in 1770 and thus document the style of improvisation employed by the papal choir, has never been found. The second fact is that Burney, upon returning to England near the end of 1771, published an account of his tour as well as a collection of music for the celebration of Holy Week in the Sistine Chapel. This volume included music by Palestrina, Bai, and, for the first time, Allegri's famous Miserere. Subsequently, the Miserere was reprinted many times in England, Leipzig, Paris and Rome, effectively ending the pope's monopoly on the work.

 

 

 

The Words – Psalm 51

 

Psalm 51 is filled with lamentation about one's sinful origin and sin-filled life, ending with a plea for cleansing and forgiveness.

 

 

 

The Latin words of Psalm 51  as sung in the Miserere are as follows:

'Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam; et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea, et a peccato meo munda me.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco et peccatum meum contra me est semper. Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci, ut iustificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum iudicaris.

Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis concepit me mater mea. Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti.

Incerta, et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi. Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.

Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exultabunt ossa humiliata.

Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis, et omnes iniquitates meas dele. Cor mundum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. Ne proiicias me a facie tua, et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me. Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui, et spiritu principali confirma me.

Docebo iniquos vias tuas: et impii ad te convertentur. Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae; et exultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam. Domine, labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.

Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis. Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus non despicies.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion, ut aedificentur muri Hierusalem. Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.'

This is the English equivalent:

'Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity. Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me. To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest overcome when thou are judged.

For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me. For behold thou has loved truth.

The uncertain and hidden things of they wisdom thou hast made manifest to me. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.
Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels. Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of they salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee. Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice. O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, i would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted. A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up. Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.'

The Recording

·         Listen to the pronunciation of the Latin words

·         Which solo group verse is different from the other solo group verses? Listen out for the extra notes in that verse - the decorated notes.

·         Listen to how to how fast the piece goes.

Go Online - Interact & Experience

·         WWW.cappella.demon.co.uk/music looks at the manuscript sources of the Miserere and traces the different versions of the work. This website also contains details of  choral performance practice during Allegri’s time and in the Sistine Chapel.

·          Choral Timeline which traces - selectively - a path from some of the earliest sacred music for unaccompanied voices to the choral repertoire of the present day. Specially recorded by the BBC Singers www.bbc.co.uk/singers/timeline/

·         Download your own personal free copy of Allegri’s Miserere from this website http://www.cpdl.snaptel.com/

·         A Quick Guide To Classical Music www.bbc.co.uk/music/classical/guide.shtml (The BBC)

·          Listen online to the Allegri’s Miserere and another Miserere composed  by the Polish 20^th Century composer Henryk Gorecki www.bbc.co.uk/aboutmusic/toptens/mentopten.shtml (The BBC)

·         The Vatican Library website contains images of music manuscripts from the Renaissance Period and images of the Papal Chapel and choir from the 1500’s. www.loc.gov/exhibits/vatican/music.html (Library of Congress)

 

 Date: Tuesday 18th March 2003, Version 1.00

 

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