Allegri | Miserere mei | King's College, Cambridge

From the DVD of the BBC broadcast Easter from King's, featuring Stephen Cleobury conducting the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.

[ryanfoley]

I came here because of that helium kid but this is actually a pretty nice piece of music on its own

[mako]

If this is how church was I would go every Sunday

[irababystwo]

The voice of this child is out of this world…

[lexinator]

I can't believe I came across this beautiful masterpiece because of a meme... words cannot describe how amazing this performance is

[I-QUAN]

This piece was a closely guarded secret sung just twice a year in only one place - the Sistine Chapel. That was, until a 14 year old Mozart came to visit, went away and reproduced it entirely from memory. True Story

[eternalfeline]

The boy that has his little solo moment is so angelic

[ovtreemas]

I am a Muslim but Christian hymns are very relaxing and touch the soul

[ilariyaalkan]

If I saw this in real life I would actually cry like it's so beautiful

[nickthemusicman]

I don’t know why but 1:40 is my favorite part. It reminds of an angel cry

[roberthofmann]

The notes that kid hits from 1:40-1:58 and again later pierces my soul. I think perhaps it is one of the most beautiful sounds to have ever come from a human being.

[deepakchand]

I am not christian but whenever i heard this music i feel connected, i feel something is calling me. It’s holy

[TommyFromEarth]

There's a little bit of history to this piece that still boggles my mind to this day.

This piece was only ever performed in the Sistine Chapel during Holy Week and the sheet music was unavailable outside of the chapel, essentially a highly restricted piece of music. There was a 14-year old boy who was visiting Rome, and he heard this piece in the Chapel. Later that day he proceeded to TRANSCRIBE the entire song from memory, only returning to the chapel to make minor corrections to his transcription. The boy's name was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He gained fame after that, being summoned by the Pope himself who proceeded to praise him for his musical genius!

[girishbhosamanihosamanai]

I love the way how those halls are built for perfect echoing and giving those vibrations

[budsy]

I'm not really religious but oh my god hearing this sends chills down my spine. Humans can do this, their voices can go this high and sound this mysterious and ethereal. Just imagine being in that beautiful church with all the architecture and hearing this. It's so beautiful. I could listen to this forever and never become tired of it

[alleycat_]

You guys it's 2024 I wonder if anybody else is watching this too fr these years have been flying fast...

[unripeyarrowroot]

I am atheist but dude these church choirs just make me feel so relaxed. They are phenomenal

[eeeeeeeeee]

if this doesn't play at my funeral, *I'm never dying*

[defenseandgeopolitics]

I'm a Muslim and each time me and my family play home alone part one the scene where he goes to church and this plays i always like that sound, its so beautiful, peace and love to all christian brothers and sisters.

[solwaters]

LYRICS:

Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam.
Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me.
Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris.
Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
Asperges me hysopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.
Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
Ne proiicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: et spiritu principali confirma me.
Docebo iniquos vias tuas: et impii ad te convertentur.
Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae: et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.
Domine, labia mea aperies: et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis.
Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.
Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Ierusalem.
Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.
Source: Musixmatch

English translation
This translation is from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and is used in Ivor Atkins' English edition of the Miserere (published by Novello):

Have mercy upon me, O God: after Thy great goodness.
According to the multitude of Thy mercies, do away mine offences.
Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness: and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my faults: and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified in Thy saying, and clear when Thou art judged.
Behold, I was shapen in wickedness: and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
But lo, Thou requirest truth in the inward parts: and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.
Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness: that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.
Turn Thy face from my sins: and put out all my misdeeds.

Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence: and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
O give me the comfort of Thy help again: and stablish me with Thy free Spirit.
Then shall I teach Thy ways unto the wicked: and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.
Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou that art the God of my health: and my tongue shall sing of Thy righteousness.
Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord: and my mouth shall shew [show] Thy praise.
For Thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it Thee: but Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt Thou not despise.
O be favourable and gracious unto Sion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations: then shall they offer young bullocks upon Thine altar.

[potteranimations]

*I JUST CAME HERE FROM THAT MEME AND I SWEAR THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AN AMAZING PIECE OF CHOIR MUSIC*
Edit: I love this