Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Just a reminder
First Vespers for the Solemnity of St Peter and Paul have be said, and therefore today is 60th Anniversary of the ordination to the priesthood of Pope Benedict XVI.
The wonderful, "Tu es Petrus" by James MacMillan, for me was one of the highpoints of last years visit. There is something about those crashing chords and the weight of the brass that says something very poignant about the Petrine Office resting on the shoulders of this gentle old man. There is a sense of burden and yet there is something which soars upwards. Somehow this music conveys both the weight of the Church built on the rock and also it shining grace filled majesty. It is triumphalistic, it is a fanfare and yet there is also, something profoundly prayerful about it. It is both modern and yet there is rootedness in an earlier tradition.
It would be fun to write an essay on the theology of James MacMillan's music.
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6 comments:
Yes MacMillan's music is growing on me. I attended the re-opening Mass at St Patrick's in London on May 3lst which saw the first performance of his Magnificat. I thought the oriental style beginning was magnificent and very mystical. If I am not mistaken I think the composer was present and gave one of the readings.
I am not (very) ashamed to say I cried when I watched the screen as "Tu es Petrus" rang out in the Cathedral. I could almost imagine the shades of Cardinals Heenan, Wiseman and Manning watching the marbled halls being put to the use they so hoped for. Amazing that McM wrote that plus a Mass setting in double quick time, and with blocking from certain members of the McCaffia whose noses were put out of joint.
God bless our beloved Holy Father on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of his Ordination to the priesthood. Ad multos annos!
Father, I looked on the parish website to see if there is an evening Mass at St. Mary Magdalen today, but it's showing last week's newsletter.
I see there is Wednesday Exposition. Is there a Mass beforehand?
btw, I couldn't agree more about the MacMillan piece; a real spine-tingler. God bless and protect the Pope.
Gergem,
There is Mass at 7pm, and 8 or 8.30pm in Polish
such a magnificent,spine-tingling piece of music,wonderfully sang by the choir,Macmillan deserves an award for composing it-but then The Holy Father is the succesor to Peter an thus,naturally should be given this fanfare,oh and the choir could give the vatican 1 a run for its money!!!!
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