With so many entries in the discography, we need a way to readily classify the different types of performances that have been recorded. You can navigate each kind of performance by clicking the disc icons below.
CD Traditional
Performances of Allegri’s Miserere that include the famous high ‘C’ as most commonly heard today. “Traditional” recordings in the Discography do not include additional ornamentation beyond what is included in the published score. Graham O’Reilly suggests the term “English Miserere” to describe editions including the high ‘C’, because the transcription error that resulted in this version of the Miserere was first published in Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians and was later promulgated by English musicologists and editors. For our purposes, especially as we need to distinguish between performances using Latin or English text, “Traditional” is more appropriate.
CD Traditional – Latin
Performances in Latin that typically follow editions such as those by George Guest (Chester 1976) or John Rutter (Oxford University Press 1996).
CD Traditional – English
Performances in English typically follow the edition by Ivor Atkins (Novello 1951) using the translation of Psalm 51 in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, although other more modern translations have been used such as the 1979 American Book of Common Prayer.
CD Without Abbellimenti
Performances without any ornamentation or “abbellimenti”, based on performing editions containing the simple, un-ornamented fauxbourdon-only version of the Miserere, such as that published by Charles Burney in 1771. In the USA, this includes the edition by Frank Damrosch published by Novello in 1899.
CD Ornamented
Performances that include ornamentation to the top line of the 4 (or sometimes 5) part sections, but do not seek to reconstruct “authentic” performances or re-interpret / evolve the Miserere from a musicological standpoint.
CD Reconstructed
Performances that reconstruct “Allegri’s” Miserere from manuscript sources, seek to recreate “authentic” performances, present alternatives, or explore how performance of the Miserere evolved from a musicological standpoint. These performances go beyond merely adding additional ornamentation to the top line of the four-part verses and are usually supported by liner notes or reference material that explains the approach taken.
CD Reduced Duration
Performances where sections have been omitted to reduce the overall quantity of music presented, as opposed to the duration being established by following a particular performing edition. Typically done to allow the Miserere to be included in a compilation album without reducing time for other works. A full performance of the Miserere could take up around 20% of the available recording time on a CD.
CD Davison (TTBB)
Arranged for male voices (TTBB) by A. T. Davison and published in the “Harvard University Glee Club Collection of Part Songs for Men’s Voices, Vol. 1” (1922) by the E. C. Schirmer Music Company. Compared to Allegri’s original, Davison’s score includes only four sections (1, 3, 5, 7) with performances averaging between 2m 30s and 3m 30s in duration. For more background to the Davison setting, see the notes accompanying our reissue of the VMI Glee Club recording.
Section 1: Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam:
Section 3: Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me.
Section 5: Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris.
Section 7: Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
CD Augmented
“Augmented” performances modify or extend Allegri’s Miserere with additional choral or instrumental writing (distinct from a simple organ accompaniment) and are of sufficient artistic relevance to be included without diminishing the value of the Discography. “Augmented” performances are typically based on the “Traditional” performance type most common today.
CD Instrumental
Instrumental transcriptions of Allegri’s Miserere that are of sufficient artistic relevance to be included without diminishing the value of the Discography.
CD Performance Type Unknown
This classification is used when we have been unable to determine which of the other performance types should be used, which will be the case where we cannot locate a copy of the recording or even find out any more about it.
Page last updated: 3 March 2025