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Miserere Mei Deus Lyrics and English Translation
Miserere Mei Deus Lyrics and English Translation
English Translation
A Sacred Choral Work by Gregorio Allegri
by Aaron Green
Updated June 29, 2018
Gregorio Allegri composed this sacred work in the 1630s, during the
papacy of Pope Urban VIII. The piece was written for use in the
Tenebrae service on Holy Wednesday and Good Friday of Holy
Week. Pope Urban VIII loved the piece so much, that he forbid it to
be performed elsewhere outside of the Sistine Chapel. For over 100
years, Allegri's 'Miserere mei, Deus' was performed exclusively in
the church. Anyone caught with a transcription of the piece outside
of the chapel could be immediately excommunicated from the
church. (In 1770, a 14-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was
present at one of the performances while touring Italy with his
father. After hearing the piece, Mozart transcribed the work entirely
from memory and even made corrections. He attended one more
performance to make his final adjustments. The following year, after
meeting with music historian and biographer, Dr. Charles Burney,
Mozart gave him the sheet music. Burney took the score to London
and published it, which resulted in the papacy lifting its ban.)