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Allegri Miserere Discography

Recordings in the Allegri Miserere Discography

Fordham University Glee Club placeholder image

1973 – Fordham University Glee Club

1923-1973 50th Annual Concert

Record Label in 1973 by # No catalogue number
Performance Type Language Latin Verses vv. 1, 3, 5, 7 Duration 02:53
Choir /
Choir Country based in
Recording Type and Location made in in 1973
Recording Medium , / Stereo
Rating Rating: N/A Favourite: No Influential: No

Whereas little is known of Fordham University Glee Club’s first recording of the Miserere, by contrast this recording at the Glee Club’s 50th Annual Concert in 1973 is well documented, and has been preserved and made available by the present Glee Club. The Miserere is presented in a section of sacred music alongside works by Perotin, and a rousing performance of Hassler’s ‘Cantate Domino’. Later pieces in the concert include some fine close harmony singing – especially ‘Mr Sandman’ by the “Ramblers of Rose Hill”

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Martindale Sidwell Choir cover

1973 – Martindale Sidwell Choir

Concert in support of the Fenton House appeal, 16th April 1973

Record Label in 1973 by # MSLCD015
Performance Type , Language English Verses All verses Duration 12:58
Choir /
Choir Country based in ,
Recording Type and Location made in , in 1973
Recording Medium , / 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]

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St Paul’s Cathedral Choir placeholder image

1976 – St Paul’s Cathedral Choir

Allegri’s “Miserere mei Deus” - St Paul’s Cathedral 1976 (Barry Rose)

Record Label in 1976 by # No catalogue number
Performance Type , Language English Verses All verses Duration 12:22
Choir /
Choir Country based in ,
Recording Type and Location made in , in 1976
Recording Medium / Mono
Rating Rating: N/A Favourite: No Influential: No

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]

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The Choir of Winchester Cathedral cover

1976 – The Choir of Winchester Cathedral

Golden Hour Presents the Choir of Winchester Cathedral

Record Label in 1976 by # GH 629 (LP) / ZCGH 629 (MC)
Performance Type , Language English Verses All verses Duration 11:48
Choir /
Choir Country based in ,
Recording Type and Location made in in 1976
Recording Medium , / Stereo
Rating Rating: N/A Favourite: No Influential: No

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]

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Regensburger Domspatzen cover

1977 – Regensburger Domspatzen

Jubilate Deo

Record Label in 1977 by # 28 152 XAK
Performance Type Language Latin Verses All verses Duration 09:56
Choir /
Choir Country based in
Recording Type and Location made in in Between 1959 and 1962
Recording Medium / Stereo
Rating Rating: N/A Favourite: No Influential: No

A particularly fine rendition of the Miserere without abbellimenti, this pressing is much more acceptable in terms of audio characteristics than the earlier pressing in the Archive.

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Ohio State University Men’s Glee Club cover

1977 – Ohio State University Men’s Glee Club

The OSU Men's Glee Club Takes Center Stage

Record Label in 1977 by # OSU-080767
Performance Type Language Latin Verses vv. 1, 3, 5, 7 Duration 02:38
Choir /
Choir Country based in
Recording Type and Location made in in 1977
Recording Medium / Stereo
Rating Rating: N/A Favourite: No Influential: No
Tags

Another outstanding Glee Club performance of the Davison arrangement for mens voices. The pedal ‘D’ in the bass in the final cadence is especially fine. We have been unable to locate the venue for this recording – please get in touch if you can help with any information.

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Christ’s Hospital Singers cover

1978 – Christ’s Hospital Singers

Christ's Hospital Singers

Record Label in 1978 by # WS 178
Performance Type , Language English Verses vv. 1-11, 16-20 Duration 07:56
Choir /
Choir Country based in ,
Recording Type and Location made in , in 1978
Recording Medium / Stereo
Rating Rating: N/A Favourite: Yes Influential: No
Tags

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.

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The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge cover

1979 – The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

Festival of Kings

Record Label in 1979 by # D148D (LP), K148K 43 (Cassette)
Performance Type , Language English Verses All verses Duration 11:19
Choir /
Choir Country based in ,
Recording Type and Location made in , in 1963
Recording Medium , / Stereo
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’.

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Tallis Scholars 1980 Front Cover

1980 – The Tallis Scholars

Allegri Miserere

Record Label in 1980 by # CFP 40399 (LP) / TC-CFP 40399 (MC)
Performance Type , Language Latin Verses All verses Duration 12:31
Choir /
Choir Country based in
Recording Type and Location made in in 1980
Recording Medium , / Stereo
Rating Rating: 5 Favourite: Yes Influential: Yes

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”.

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miserere.org placeholder image

1980 – William Byrd Choir

BBC Early Music Forum 26th July 1980

Record Label in 1980 by # No catalogue number
Performance Type , Language Latin Verses All verses (assumed) Duration Unknown
Choir /
Choir Country based in
Recording Type and Location made in , in 1980
Recording Medium / Stereo
Rating Rating: N/A Favourite: No Influential: No
Tags , , ,

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.

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