Miserere
Setting of the penitential Psalm "Miserere mei, Deus" (Psalm 51), known through Allegri's version.
What it means
Miserere (Latin for "have mercy") are the opening words of the penitential psalm Miserere mei, Deus, counted as Psalm 50 in the Vulgate and as Psalm 51 in modern Bibles. The psalm asks for forgiveness of guilt. The term also denotes any musical setting of this psalm.
Musical use
The psalm belongs to the liturgy of Holy Week and was set by many composers, including Josquin des Prez, Orlando di Lasso and Gregorio Allegri. Allegri's nine-part Miserere for two choirs was written in the 17th century for the Sistine Chapel and is traditionally sung during Holy Week. According to tradition, the young Mozart wrote it down from memory in 1770; famous are the ornaments added later, up to the high C.
The miserere should be distinguished from the requiem, the mass for the dead, and from the motet, which sets any sacred text: the miserere is bound to one specific psalm text.
Performance practice
When you sing a miserere, pay attention to the calm, devotional declamation of the Latin text. In multi-choir versions such as Allegri's, blend with the second choir and keep dynamics and tempo restrained.