Mozart, at age fourteen, famously transcribed Allegri's forbidden Miserere from memory after hearing it performed in 1770, bringing the piece to a wider audience.
Historical Context
Allegri's Miserere was so guarded by the Pope that copies were forbidden from leaving the Sistine Chapel under penalty of excommunication.
Composition History
Pizzetti and Malipiero, after a period of estrangement, wrote their respective De profundis settings for each other to mark the reestablishment of their friendship.
Compositional Technique
Allegri's Miserere features an oral tradition of vocal ornamentation, or abbellimenti, including a leap to high C by castrati, now sung by sopranos.
Composition History
James MacMillan's Miserere was commissioned in 2009 by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen as a companion piece to Allegri's famous Miserere.
Composer Biography
Puccini, despite coming from a long line of church composers, shifted his focus to opera after being profoundly impacted by a performance of Verdi's Aida in 1876.
Album & Artwork
This recording features three pairs of settings, mostly Italian, spanning over 350 years, showcasing juxtapositions of different composers' approaches to similar texts.
