Allegri: Miserere mei, Deus

A wonderful collection of meditative choral music, spearheaded by Allegri's ubiquitous Miserere and including works by other Renaissance composers, including the magnificent Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis, performed by two of the foremost British choirs under the direction of two of Britain's leading choral conductors - David Willcocks and Stephen Cleobury.

Some of the world’s greatest sacred masterpieces are heard on this disc, performed by some of the world’s leading vocal ensembles. The journey ranges from Thomas Tallis’s extraordinary Spem in alium to César Franck’s immortal Panis angelicus. Pergolesi’s Stabat mater is a masterpiece of the early eighteenth century. Mozart, who as a 14 year old had copied out Allegri’s Miserere from memory, is represented by his beautiful Ave verum corpus. It is impossible to omit the Bach-Gounod Ave Maria from a journey that crosses geographical borders and spans the centuries.

Gregorio Allegri deserves better than for his reputation to rest on just one piece; alongside his iconic 'Miserere', which never fails to cast its spell on listeners, The Choir of Kings College London present premiere recordings of two of his five surviving Masses: 'Missa in Lectulo Meo Missa' and 'Christus Resurgens Miserere'. Richly-wrought with consummate skill in the prima prattica of Palestrina, these glowing performances shed new light on a much-loved composer.

Born in 1582, Allegri, an Italian priest, singer, and composer in the stile antico tradition, spent much of his life working in Roman churches, joining the papal choir in 1629 and eventually becoming its choirmaster. But it is for the 'Miserere' that he is best known: a work so powerful that Mozart is thought to have written out the full score after hearing it only once, allowing him to circumnavigate the rule that prohibited anyone from removing any parts of the score from the Sistine Chapel, where it was guarded.

Much in demand as a choral conductor, David Trendell has been College Organist and Lecturer in Music at King's since 1992, when he established the Chapel Choir. Now considered one of the finest mixed-voice university choirs in the country, performing music from the 14th century to the present day, the 25 choral scholars and two organ scholars bring great musical intensity to Allegri's music in these luminous performances. Trendell's scholarly acumen is also brought to bear with his own edition of 'Missa In lectulo meo' performed here for the first time since the early 17th century.

The Psalms of David are arguably the portion of the Old Testament that has been enfolded most completely within the Christian tradition and its liturgies. Their messages of strife and joy, prayer and praise, resonate strong and loud alongside the teachings of Jesus and find special expression in musical settings. This disc is an exploration of all these themes, as interpreted by composers over the course of four and a half centuries.

The Temple Church is one of the most historic and beautiful churches in London. Situated between Fleet Street and the Thames Embankment, its recorded musical history extends back to its restoration in 1841, although a church has stood on the site for over 800 years. This is Signum’s second disc with the choir, following 2010’s release of ‘The Majesty of Thy Glory’.