Sistine Chapel Choir

The Sistine Chapel Choir, as it is generally called in English, or officially the Coro della Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina in Italian, is the Pope's personal choir. It performs at papal functions in the Sistine Chapel and in any other church in Rome where the Pope is officiating, including St. Peter's Basilica. One of the oldest choirs in the world, it was constituted as the Pope's personal choir by Pope Sixtus IV (from whom both the choir and the chapel in which it performs take their names). Although it was established in the late 15th century, its roots go back to the 4th century and the reign of Pope Sylvester I.

The choir's composition and numbers have fluctuated over the centuries. However, the modern choir comprises twenty men (tenors and basses) and thirty boys (sopranos and altos). The men's choir (Cantori) is composed of professional singers. The members of the boys choir (Pueri Cantores) are not paid when performing at papal functions, but receive a free education at their own school in Rome, known as the Schola Puerorum. Since the late 20th century, in addition to its papal duties, the choir has undertaken international tours, participated in radio and television broadcasts, and recorded for Deutsche Grammophon.

Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1471

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1902 - 1924

Roles Represented in DAHR: Vocal group

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-28756 10-in. 10/19/1923 Exultate justi Sistine Chapel Choir Vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor B-29504 10-in. 2/13/1924 O salutaris hostia Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor B-29505 10-in. 2/13/1924 Adeste fideles Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor C-29506 12-in. 2/13/1924 Credo della Messa di Papa Marcello, part 1 Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor C-29507 12-in. 2/13/1924 Credo della Messa di Papa Marcello, part 2 Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor B-29509 10-in. 2/14/1924 Exultate Deo Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor B-29510 10-in. 2/14/1924 Ave Maria Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor C-29511 12-in. 2/14/1924 Dies irae, part 2 Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor C-29512 12-in. 2/13/1924 Laudate Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor C-29513 12-in. 2/13/1924 Tenebrae factae sunt Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Victor C-29514 12-in. 2/14/1924 Dies irae, part 1 Antonio Rella ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Gramophone 277i 12-in. Apr. 1904 Filiae Jerusalem Lorenzo Perosi ; Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Gramophone 293i 12-in. April 1904 Sicut cervus Cantori Romani ; Rodolfo Kanzler Male vocal chorus, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Gramophone 1759b 10-in. 4/5/1902 Ave verum Sistine Chapel Choir Male vocal chorus and vocal quartet, unaccompanied Vocal group  
Gramophone 1760b 10-in. Apr. 1902 Intonouit do Coelo Sistine Chapel Choir Vocal chorus, with piano Vocal group  
Gramophone 2193h 10-in. April 1904 Exultate justi Sistine Chapel Choir Vocal chorus Vocal group  
Gramophone 2223h 10-in. Apr. 1904 Messa di San Gregorio : Offertorio e communione Sistine Chapel Choir Vocal chorus Vocal group  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Sistine Chapel Choir," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116394.

Sistine Chapel Choir. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116394.

"Sistine Chapel Choir." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116394

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