That's the Italian name for the Boys' choir of the Sistine Chapel. It is one of the oldest choirs in the world, dating back to around the sixth century. Still going strong today and still a boys' choir. Sometimes singing by themselves, and sometimes with adults for Tenor and Bass. There are about twenty adult singers and thirty boys.
The choir has a long history and has been directed by many famous composers. For example Domenico Mustafà.
Mustafà was a member of the Sistine Chapel Choir as a singer. He was a castrato and had a famously beautiful voice. He was noted for his performances of music by Handel. he became director of the choir in 1878. Below is a photograph of the choir from around 1904. You can see Mustafà in the back row (fifth from the right). Also in the photograph is Alessandro Moreschi, the famous castrato (centre row - fourth from the right).
Pope Pius X caused many changes in the music of the catholic church and he was very much against human castration. He introduced the Moto Proprio which dictated what kind of music could be sung at mass and who would sing it. The new director Lorenzo Perosi (not a castrato this time) wrote much music that would fit within the edicts of the Moto Proprio. A photograph below shows Perosi with the Sistine Choir. Interestingly, Moreschi is in the photograph so Castrati were still singing with the choir despite the pope's wishes!
The choir today still sings much music by former directors who composed, including Perosi. Here is a beautiful rendition of Perosi's Ave Maria sung by the boys. The older teens and younger boys blend wonderfully.
Pope Benedict is a great lover of classical music and is keen that real music be sung at mass once more. Vatican II destroyed much of that and Benedict is trying to bring some of the splendour and beauty back. He is a supporter of choirs and it must be an honour for the boys of the Sistine Chapel to sing for him.
The music in the Vatican Mass must be wonderful again. Here is the choir singing during a mass
See the Swiss Guard with his fancy uniform in the foreground!
Working hard
For that fine honed performance
