Miserere—Music for Holy Week
Friday 3 April 2015, 7.30pm
Pre-concert talk 7.00pm
Wellington Cathedral of St Paul
Cnr Molesworth and Hill St
Wellington
Directed by Michael Stewart
Allegri’s setting of the Miserere is one of the most well-known choral pieces in existence—notable for its stratospheric soprano top C. But was this really the piece that Allegri wrote? Come and hear The Tudor Consort present it in both its most familiar setting and an historically-informed edition. The fascinating story of how this piece has transformed over time will be explored in a pre-concert talk. Also, discover how this penitential text has inspired great composers from Gesualdo, Byrd and Josquin, to contemporary Scottish composer James Macmillan.
Programme
Miserere mei Deus William Byrd (c.1540-1623)
(Liber Secundus Sacrarum Cantionem)
Miserere Gregorio Allegri (1582-1652)
(‘top C’ version)
Miserere – Salmo 50 Josquin des Prez (c.1450/1455-1521)
Miserere mei a 6 – Psalmus L Giovanni Croce (1557-1609)
(Septem psalmi poenitentiales)
INTERVAL
Miserere Carlo Gesualdo (1560-1613)
Miserere Gregorio Allegri
(‘authentic’ version) edition by Ben Byram-Wigfield
Miserere James MacMillan (b.1959)
This concert was part of the 2015 Performance Series.
Review
Memorable and illuminating exploration of the Miserere, its rivals earlier and later, by The Tudor Consort and Michael Stewart