Friday, October 19, 2007

A New Musical Season Opens at the Vatican – And Here's the Program

Pope Ratzinger seems to be stepping up the tempo. The curia will have a new office with authority in the field of sacred music. And the choir of the Sistine Chapel is getting a new director

by Sandro Magister



ROMA, October 18, 2007 – In the span of just a few days, a series of events have unfolded at the Vatican which, taken all together, foretell new provisions – at the pope's behest – to foster the rebirth of great sacred music.

(more...)

2 comments:

Andrew said...

Bout time...

Anonymous said...

According to the Pope the Church's "ancient treasure" of liturgical music should not remain frozen in time , but evolve with appropriate modern-day adaptations. Sacred music and song are a "necessary and intergral part of solemn liturgy" that "stirs hearts and lifts them" to such heights that one can experience "in a manner of the life of God".

According to JP2, Sacred Music has to be "holy, veritable art, and universal" so that it may be offered by people or type of assembly.

Since SV2 affirms that the church's sacred tradition is "a treasure of inestimatable value, greater even than that of any other art", shouldn't Church authorities work hard in "wisely guiding the development of such a discriminating genre of music, not 'freezing' the treasure but seeking to insert valid modern day changes into the past heritage in order to obtain a synthesis worthy of the high mission reserved for this divine service."

Quotes taken from is talk to the staff and students from the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music.