Recording Medium Compact Disc, Open Reel Tape / Stereo. "Transcribed from good quality private tape recordings."
Rating Rating: N/A Favourite: No Influential: No
A transcription of a concert by the Martindale Sidwell Choir and the Jaye Consort of Viols from 1973 in support of the Fenton House appeal. Miserere mei by Allegri, behold thou hast made my days by Gibbons, Byrd – Ne irascaris, Domine – civitas sancti tui and The seven last words by Heinrich Schutz plus an extra track by the St Clement Danes Chorale of the Malcolm Sargent arrangement of ‘de virgin Mary had a baby boy’. [Although technically a re-release, this entry has been placed at the correct position in the timeline of the Discography]
A private recording made during Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral in March 1976, with the cathedral choir, directed by Barry Rose. The solo quartet sang from the Whispering Gallery. [ARCM]
This second Golden Hour from Winchester again draws on the inexhaustible riches of the church music repertory to present a sample of some of the different types and styles heard in the course of the cathedral’s day to day life. [from the cover notes]
A fascinating recording by the A Cappella Choir of Christ’s Hospital School. The Miserere is unique in its use of a modified setting of the SATB section (the remainder mirrors Atkins), which both compresses and simplifies whilst still retaining the high ‘C’. Other features of the album include ‘Sound the Trumpet’ (Purcell), an excellent ‘Hear my Prayer’ Mendelssohn), and the school hymn ‘Praise the Lord for our Foundation’. Andrew March, the 1st treble – should be highly commended. John Shippen, who conducted the Miserere, was kind enough to share details of the recording with miserere.org.
Rating Rating: See original Favourite: No Influential: No
This four-disc compilation box set released in 1979 is a hint towards the more recent ‘Complete Argo Recordings’ CD box sets issued by Decca. It contains a wealth of music from King’s on the Argo label, including of course the Miserere from ‘Evensong for Ash Wednesday’.
Next to the King’s College recording of 1963, the Tallis Scholar’s 1980 recording of Allegri’s Miserere is equally influential. In 2018, BBC Music Magazine included this recording in their list “The 50 greatest recordings of all time”.
Founded in 1973 by Gavin Turner, the William Byrd Choir was the first outside choir (apart from the Sistine Chapel Choir itself) to record in the Sistine Chapel, with the BBC in June 1980. Their recording, which included Allegri’s Miserere alongside works by Palestrina was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 a month later. The recording was produced by Miserere scholar Hugh Keyte.
A documentary about the chapel of King’s College Cambridge and its choir, directed by Philip Ledger and accompanied by John Butt (organ scholar), made by Canadian company Prometheus Productions, and first made available in the USA on VHS by Home Vision Inc.
Recording Medium Vinyl - EP / Stereo - Meridian "Natural Sound Recording" at 45rpm
Rating Rating: 5 Favourite: Yes Influential: Yes
The first of a number of recordings that include Allegri’s Miserere by the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge, and use the new performing edition edited by George Guest in 1976. Recorded at 45rpm, the Meridian ‘Natural Sound Recording’ claims a ‘marked improvement in sound quality when it matters in the listener’s room’. Our copy of this recording is signed by George Guest.
