inel

Those of you who have had the pleasure and privilege of enjoying the Choristers of St. George’s Chapel singing Miserere mei, Deus on Ash Wednesday during Evensong might be amused to hear how the importance of this very special piece is discussed in the U.S., with a surprising reference to Bruce Springsteen singing ‘Born to Run’!

On the NPR website, look for the Listen Now symbol on this page:

Choral Music for Palm Sunday: Miserere Mei Deus

The commentator talks about Psalm 51 in terms of David’s prayer to God. However, the real power of the lyrics set to music by Gregorio Allegri, imho, is only invoked if you do not remain a spectator or auditor: Miserere mei, Deus requires a first-person involvement for full effect. This is undeniably a beautiful piece of music, but without that personal spiritual connection with God, no description from a third-person perspective can do justice to the uplifting participative experience of Miserere mei, Deus.