Editing Sistine Chapel (section)

== Music ==
Since the chapel's inception, the Sistine Chapel Choir has sung without the accompaniment of musical instruments as instruments were not permitted to be played inside the chapel.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Garretson|first=Robert|title=Choral Music History, Style, and Performance Practice|publisher=Prentice Hall|year=1993|isbn=0131371916|pages=23}}</ref> This was problematic as there was no way of giving the musical starting pitch to the choir. Instead of allowing an instrument to give the starting pitch, the solution was to allow the individual singing first to choose the starting pitch. This instruction was given after an apostolic visitation of the choir in 1630:

''Quando si ha da cominciare a cantare ciascuno lasci cominciare il più vecchio, quale se non intonata bene dovere essere puntato con rigore.''<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kreitner|first=Kenneth|title=Renaissance Music|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year=2017|isbn=978-1351551465}}</ref>

On 19 February 2014, Canadian violinist [[Rosemary Siemens]] became the first solo instrumentalist to perform at the Sistine Chapel.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Butz|first=Melissa|date=December 1, 2019|title=First violinist to play in Sistine Chapel hopes to one day play for the pope|work=Rome Reports|url=https://www.romereports.com/en/2019/12/01/first-violinist-to-play-in-sistine-chapel-hopes-to-one-day-play-for-the-pope/|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=21 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921163743/https://www.romereports.com/en/2019/12/01/first-violinist-to-play-in-sistine-chapel-hopes-to-one-day-play-for-the-pope/|url-status=live}}</ref> The historic performance was for an event entitled Spiritual Elevation as part of the [[:de:Fondazione Pro Musica e Arte Sacra|Fondazione Pro Musical e Arte Sacra]] where Siemens was a featured guest soloist alongside vocalist [[Mary Zilba]] and harpist Mark Edward Spencer.<ref>{{Cite news|last=McLellan|first=Wendy|date=May 4, 2016|title=Vancouver violinist edges out U2 guitarist to play the Sistine Chapel|work=The Province|url=https://theprovince.com/entertainment/music/vancouver-violinist-edges-out-u2-guitarist-to-play-the-sistine-chapel|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723203317/https://theprovince.com/entertainment/music/vancouver-violinist-edges-out-u2-guitarist-to-play-the-sistine-chapel|url-status=live}}</ref> Siemens, Zilba, and Spencer performed a medley that included the hymns "[[Amazing Grace]]" and "[[Be Thou My Vision]]".<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 20, 2014|title=Sistine Chapel-1st Violinist EVER allowed to play since 1473 Amazing Grace, Rosemary Siemens, violin|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRe8WeSrXt0|website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/CRe8WeSrXt0 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160626110419/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRe8WeSrXt0 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}.</ref> The historic performance took place in concert with the Continuo Arts Symphonic Chorus, led by conductor Candace Wicke.<ref>{{Cite news|date=January 20, 2014|title=Continuo Arts Chorus to perform at the Sistine Chapel|work=NJ.com|url=https://www.nj.com/independentpress/2014/01/continuo_arts_chorus_to_perfor.html|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723203315/https://www.nj.com/independentpress/2014/01/continuo_arts_chorus_to_perfor.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Siemens also joined the Continuo Arts Symphonic Chorus for a Requiem entitled "Requiem For My Mother", composed by Stephen Edwards.

On 29 April 2016, [[The Edge]] ([[U2]]) became the first rock artist to stage a contemporary music concert at the chapel as part of a conference on regenerative medicines entitled Cellular Horizons.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Denham|first=Jess|date=May 3, 2016|title=The Edge becomes first rock star to play the Sistine Chapel|work=Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/the-edge-becomes-first-rock-star-to-play-the-sistine-chapel-a7011056.html|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=18 June 2022|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/the-edge-becomes-first-rock-star-to-play-the-sistine-chapel-a7011056.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Edge performed "[[Walk On (U2 song)|Walk On]]", "[[Yahweh (song)|Yahweh]]", "[[Ordinary Love (U2 song)|Ordinary Love]]", by U2 as well as a [[Leonard Cohen]] cover of "If It Be Your Will" backed by an Irish choir.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Kreps|first=Daniel|date=May 2, 2016|title=Watch U2's the Edge Perform Sistine Chapel Concert|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-u2s-the-edge-perform-sistine-chapel-concert-55542/|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723203315/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-u2s-the-edge-perform-sistine-chapel-concert-55542/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, [[Cecilia Bartoli]] became the first woman to perform alongside the all-male Sistine Chapel Choir. Bartoli performed Beata Viscera by medieval composer [[Pérotin]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Giuffrida|first=Angela|date=November 19, 2017|title=Sistine Chapel breaks 500-year gender taboo to welcome soprano into the choir|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/19/first-woman-in-sistine-chapel-choir-cecilia-bartoli|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723203315/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/19/first-woman-in-sistine-chapel-choir-cecilia-bartoli|url-status=live}}</ref>

The first live-streamed concert at the chapel took place on 22 April 2018, featuring a performance of Scottish composer [[James MacMillan|James MacMillian]]'s version of the [[Stabat Mater]] by the British choir group The Sixteen and chamber orchestra ensemble Britten Sinfonia.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Carrier|first=Fanny|date=April 23, 2018|title=Vatican streams first live concert from Sistine Chapel|work=The Local|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20180423/vatican-streams-first-live-concert-from-sistine-chapel/|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723203315/https://www.thelocal.it/20180423/vatican-streams-first-live-concert-from-sistine-chapel/|url-status=live}}</ref> The concert was attended live by over three hundred people and streamed live over the website of [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]].