Handel's Messiah, recorded by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, has been given an X certificate by Apple Computer's online iTunes Music Store.
That puts German born George Frideric Handel, who became a naturalisedEnglishman in 1727, in the same category as rapper Eminem whose music has alsobeen slapped with an "explicit" warning.
The baroque composer's 1742 masterpiece, The Messiah, was performed for the first time in Dublin on April 13th, 1742.
The piece was marked by iTunes Music Store with the redwarning that indicates the content might not be appropriate for young childrenor others with sensitive tastes.
It is on a recording by the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by JohnAlldis.
The warning was a technical mix-up, though The Messiah does touch on love,violence and death - in a more profound way than, say, most music produced 260years later.
"Obviously, there's been some sort of error," said Lara Vacante, an Applespokeswoman.
AP