Allegri's Miserere

Soul Music

BBC

Personal Journals, Music Commentary, Society & Culture, Music

4.7 • 772 Ratings

🗓️ 1 September 2009

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Allegri wrote the chord sequence for his Miserere in the 1630s for use in the Sistine Chapel during Holy Week.

It then went through the hands of a 12-year-old Mozart, Mendelssohn and Liszt until it finally reached England in the early 20th century and got fixed into the version we know today.

The soaring soprano line that hits the famous top C and never fails to thrill has become a firm favourite for concert audiences around the world.

Textile designer Kaffe Fassett, writer Sarah Manguso and conductor Roy Goodman explain how they have all been deeply affected by this beautiful piece of music.

With Peter Phillips.

Series exploring famous pieces of music and their emotional appeal.

Producer: Rosie Boulton

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2009.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Traitors is back, and so is that mysterious cloaked figure with the familiar fringe.
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0:07.8	And when you've watched Claudia in the castle, join me, Ed Gamble, for the official visualised companion podcast.
0:13.6	And remember, I'll be listening.
0:15.8	Okay?
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0:18.4	What a faithful.
0:19.7	We'll unpack betrayals and spill scandalous secrets
0:22.2	with celeb guests, traitors' legends,
0:25.0	and murdered and banished players.
0:27.0	The Traitors Uncloat.
0:28.3	Watch on EyePlayer, listen for more on BBC Sounds.
0:32.3	You're listening to a download of soul music from BBC Radio 4.
0:38.1	When I first heard it, I'm trying to think of the very first impression I had,
0:42.9	and the way I would describe that,
0:45.0	there was this beautiful kind of background richness of sound of music.
0:53.3	And then this incredible boy's voice starts to sing.
1:00.5	And at first it's kind of ordinary.
1:02.9	And then it starts to climb.
1:06.7	And it just, it rises up in a way that just seems impossible.
1:13.2	You think, how can it go on and on?
1:16.5	How can a little human body have that much breath to hold that note and to go up and up?
	...

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