Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli: A Sacred Recording in the Sistine Chapel by the Vatican's Legendary Choir CD

UPC: 0028947961314

MPN: 479 6131 GH

Brand Name: Deutsche Grammophon

Overview

Experience one of the most historically significant sacred music recordings of our time with this extraordinary 2016 album by the Sistine Chapel Choir, officially the Coro della Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina, the Pope's personal choir that performs at papal functions in the Sistine Chapel. Recorded under studio conditions in the hallowed Sistine Chapel itself—the very venue for which Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina composed these magnificent works—this album features three world premiere recordings, including the original and long-inaccessible 1567 edition of Palestrina's most famous mass, the Missa Papae Marcelli, the best known of his more than 100 masses, published in 1567 and renowned for its intricate interplay of vocal lines. Under the inspired direction of Maestro Direttore Massimo Palombella, the choir, composed of 20 permanent adult singers and about 35 boy singers called the Pueri Cantores, delivers performances of breathtaking purity and spiritual depth. This recording makes abundantly clear why Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) earned the title "Saviour of Church Music" during the Counter-Reformation. Hearing his sacred works performed in their intended sacred space by the Vatican's resident choir creates an unparalleled listening experience that transports you directly into the heart of Renaissance sacred music tradition.

Product Features

• Format: Audio CD
• Total Runtime: 60 minutes 29 seconds
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon (A Universal Music Company)
• Recording Type: Studio Recording
• Recording Location: Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
• Release Year: 2016
• Genre: Sacred Classical, Renaissance Choral Music, Polyphonic Mass
• Composer: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525-1594)
• Choir: Sistine Chapel Choir (Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina)
• Conductor: Massimo Palombella (Maestro Direttore - Chief Chorus Master)
• Special Features: Three world premiere recordings, including the original 1567 edition of Missa Papae Marcelli
• Catalog Number: 00289 479 6131
• Manufacturing: Made in the EU
• Copyright: © 2016 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Stralauer Allee 1, 10245 Berlin
• Photography: Governatorato SCV-Direzione dei Musei/Musei e Gallerie Pontificie, Musei Vaticani, Vatican City/Mondadori Portfolio/Bridgeman Images
• Associated Media: Radio Vaticana

Interesting Facts

The Missa Papae Marcelli was composed in honor of Pope Marcellus II, who reigned for only three weeks in 1555. Recent scholarship suggests the most likely date of composition is 1562, when it was copied into a manuscript at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Palestrina is occasionally considered the "saviour of polyphony" because of his Pope Marcellus Mass, written during the time of the Counter-Reformation. Legend has it that this mass helped save polyphonic music from being banned by the Catholic Church, which was concerned about the clarity of sacred texts in complex musical settings.

The Sistine Chapel Choir consists of 20 professional singers from around the world, as well as a treble section made up of 35 boys, aged 9-13. With a 1,500-year history, the Sistine Chapel Choir is believed to be the oldest active choir in the world. This recording represents a historic first, capturing the world's oldest choral ensemble at home in the Vatican, resulting in a rich and incandescent performance of sacred compositions.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina spent much of his career in service to the Catholic Church in Rome, including positions at the Sistine Chapel. His compositional style became the gold standard for sacred polyphonic music during the Renaissance and influenced generations of composers. The clarity of text setting in his works—particularly evident in the Missa Papae Marcelli—demonstrated that complex polyphony could serve liturgical purposes without obscuring the sacred words.

This 2016 recording is particularly significant because it presents the original 1567 edition of the mass, which had been largely inaccessible to modern audiences. The decision to record in the Sistine Chapel itself adds an authenticity and spiritual resonance that cannot be replicated in a standard concert hall or recording studio. The acoustic properties of the chapel, combined with the choir's centuries-old tradition of performing this repertoire, create a listening experience of profound historical and spiritual significance.

Maestro Massimo Palombella, who served as the Sistine Chapel Choir's director during this period, brought deep expertise in Renaissance polyphony to these performances. His leadership helped preserve and reinvigorate the choir's ancient traditions while making them accessible to contemporary audiences worldwide.

Track Listing

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525-1594)

1-5. Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass)

1. Tu es pastor ovium
2. O bone Iesu
3. Confitemini Domino
4. Ad te levavi oculos meos
5. Benedixisti, Domine
6. Veritas mea et misericordia mea
7. Iubilate Deo
8. Confirma hoc, Deus
9. Ave Maria

Publishers

Deutsche Grammophon GmbH - Founded in 1898, Deutsche Grammophon stands as one of the world's most prestigious classical music labels. This 2016 recording represents a collaboration between the label and the Vatican, bringing together centuries of musical tradition with modern recording technology. By capturing the Sistine Chapel Choir in their home environment, Deutsche Grammophon has created a document of immense historical and spiritual value that preserves Renaissance sacred music in its most authentic context.

Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina (Radio Vaticana) - As the official choir of the Vatican and the Pope's personal ensemble, the Sistine Chapel Choir maintains one of the world's oldest and most revered choral traditions. Their participation in this recording ensures historical accuracy and spiritual authenticity in every performance.

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