Saturday, March 07, 2009

Pope's Two Choirs



The Vatican Website has for Lent music by two Vatican choirs.
MUSICAL CHORUS OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL are singing some sentimental sounding Italian hymns, obviously a deliberate pastoral strategy, demonstrated through the choice of repertoire and quality of performance, to give encouragement to struggling Italian parish choirs. At least they are in tune - mostly; not always the case with Italian church music which in my limited experience can be appalling.
PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE OF SACRED MUSIC
Some of the music here is truly beautiful, and the performance is precise and exciting, it is a good example of what a choir should aspire to.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think our parish choir is better than the Sistine Choir.
Another cross to be carried by the poor Pope.

Adulio said...

I think the term "Sistine Screamers" is appropriate (even if uncharitable). I remember when Fr. Sean uploaded all those youtube videos of John XXIII's coronation - poor Roncalli is all I can say.

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