If you look at the Sistine Chapel, naturally one's attention is drawn the work of Michelangelo, in particular the fresco of the Last Judgement. From there, we gaze upward at the ceiling frescoes, we observe the high altar and the balustrade and the cosmatesque pavement. If you're attentive though, you'll no doubt have also noticed other features, most especially the small balcony which juts out from the liturgically southern wall near the balustrade. This, of course, is the "cantoria" where the Sistine Chapel choristers would gather to perform their art for the papal liturgical services of the chapel.
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| The cantoria, seen on the lower right hand side |
This fact is evident enough by anyone with even a passing familiarity with Catholic liturgical practice as one can see the lectern from whence the choir would place the books of music from which to sing. But for the sake of the curious, while there isn't really a great deal to show here, I thought we would take you behind the scenes to give you a few views of the cantoria to satiate your curiosity -- if, like me, you are curious about these things.
First off, you might wonder how the choristers actually get up to this space of the chapel. There is a hidden door located just to the other side of the balustrade which leads into a small corridor from which there is then a short stair case that leads up to the cantoria. You can see this arrangement here in this architectural diagram of the Sistine chapel. 
As one proceeds up the stairs, one sees the very small gallery level space. It is approximately 12 feet by 8 geet in size and is adorned with a coffered ceiling, as well as an old Renaissance, Venetian glass styled window which, during the daylight hours, allows in natural light from the outside -- evidently of practical use to the choristers.
The cantoria is original to the Sistine Chapel's construction, and was originally intended to host the choristers, or "cantori" who usually were twelve in number for the papal liturgical ceremonies which took place here.
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| The hidden door to the cantoria. One can see here the opened door behind which is the entrance to the stairwell leading up to the gallery level. |
As one proceeds up the stairs, one sees the very small gallery level space. It is approximately 12 feet by 8 geet in size and is adorned with a coffered ceiling, as well as an old Renaissance, Venetian glass styled window which, during the daylight hours, allows in natural light from the outside -- evidently of practical use to the choristers.
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| A view from the gallery, looking out on the chapel |
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| A view of the lectern and some of the ornamental work that accompanies the balustrade |
The walls of this gallery space contain a set of frescoes, which were uncovered in restorations in the 1990's. These frescoes date from the pontificate of Pope Sixtus IV (1471-1484) which in turn led to another interesting discovery. Namely, the Sistine choir had, quite literally, left their mark on this space, inscribing their names, as well as Latin sayings, musical notation and drawings, as graffiti onto the walls of the cantoria. This graffiti dates from the fifteenth through eighteenth centuries. (Those who are interested in this topic may wish to consult the research of Klaus Pietschmann on this matter).
One of the 'graffitist's' (or 'signatories' if you prefer) is none other than the composer Josquin des Prez, whose tenure within the papal choir lasted from 1489-1495 under popes Innocent VIII and Alexander VI.
The frescoes include images of the papal seal as well as paintings that emulate red and gold Renaissance era drapery as well as other generally Roman, neoclassical motifs. Regrettably, many of these red-gold textile like details have faded, but we'll take a look at here at what we can.
Here is a detail which best shows some of the obscured red and gold etailing that adorned the walls, which include floriated and vegetal elements, as well as images of cherubs.
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