Historic First: Pope’s Choir To Sing With Anglican Church Choir
- Posted on June 28, 2012 at 11:25am by
Mike Opelka
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VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Sistine Chapel Choir, whose boys and men sing for the pope at all his Masses, is about to get some illustrious company.
The Westminster Abbey Choir, the world-renowned chorus that last year performed at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, will join the Sistine singers at a special papal Mass on Friday in St. Peter’s Basilica, a historic event seen as a perfect symbol of Christian harmony after centuries of discord.
It’s the first time in its 500-plus year history that the pope’s personal choir will sing as a single chorus with another choir, let alone one from the breakaway Anglican church.
And this isn’t any ordinary chorus: The Westminster Abbey Choir represents some of the finest of the Anglican church’s liturgical music traditions.
As a result, the symbolism of the choirs from the two churches uniting into one is enormous, particularly given Pope Benedict XVI’s stated aim of trying to unite all Christians.
The Mass marks the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul and is the day in which newly appointed Catholic archbishops receive a woolen stole, known as the pallium, as a sign of their communion with the pope.
“It’s the big Mass for underlining our links to the Holy Father, and to ask at that occasion for a non-Catholic choir to take part is deeply significant,” said Monsignor Mark Langham, the Vatican official responsible for relations with Anglicans.
Anglicans split from Rome in 1534 after English King Henry VIII was refused a marriage annulment. A half-millennium later, the two churches remain divided on a host of issues, especially female bishops and openly gay priests.
The differences prompted the Vatican in 2009 to make it easier for Anglicans uneasy with the liberal bent of their church to convert, throwing another wrench in ecumenical dialogue.
Organizers of the historic performance have tried to downplay the differences or at least acknowledge that while deep theological problems remain, culturally the two churches can come together.
“In diversity you can find points of unity,” said Monsignor Massimo Palombella, the choirmaster of the Sistine Chapel Choir. “And I dare say, it’s not just that you can find it, you must find points of unity. To do this, we use culture.”
That said, the uniting isn’t going to be easy. The two choirs are vastly different in style and come to liturgical music from very different backgrounds. And to many ears, Westminster is simply better.
“It is a splendid choir,” said the Rev. Jerome Weber, a Roman Catholic priest who reviews sacred music for Fanfare, the respected classical music magazine. Known for its precision, attention to detail and tonality, the Westminster choir is recorded twice a year by Hyperion, the British classical music label.
The Sistine choir, on the other hand, is simply of a lesser quality: warm as the Roman vocal tradition requires, but often loud with a “harsh, bombastic tone,” he said.
Colin Mawby, the English composer, recently wrote a glowing review of the Sistine choir’s May concert at the Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral, saying the pope’s singers had unfairly suffered from a bad reputation when in fact they were “a superb and expressive group.”
“One tends to listen to the Sistine Chapel Choir with English ears and then foolishly compare it with our own, with their fussy attention to technical detail, detail that is often achieved at the expense of musicality,” Mawby wrote in a review for the cathedral‘s magazine that was reprinted in the Vatican newspaper and is now featured prominently on the Sistine choir’s website. “However the Sistine Choir isn’t an English choir. It’s Italian and reflects the Italian vocal tradition.”
How the two will blend remains to be heard.
“I think it will be a challenge to sing with them,” acknowledged Hugh Rowlands, a 13-year-old Westminster chorister who will be performing on Friday, and a day earlier at a private concert with the Sistine singers for Vatican officials in the Sistine Chapel itself.
He noted that the choir often sings with other English choirs, which are similar in style. Performing with foreign choirs is another matter. “It might be challenging but if we have our wits about us it will go well,” he said.
Rowlands spoke at a reception Tuesday for the Westminster crew at the American Academy in Rome, designed to give the boys a relaxing start to a busy few days of concerts and services, the highlight of which will be Friday’s Mass. The 19 boys played ping pong and bocce in the academy gardens, crawled down to an ancient Roman aqueduct on the academy grounds and inhaled plates of pasta with meatballs.
It was a welcome break from the daily grind for the choristers, who from the age of seven or eight are selected to attend the prestigious London choir school, where they live away from their families and carry a full load of academics while performing eight services a week, plus touring and concerts.
“There are some times when you can get very tired and you just wish you could sleep until noon when you wake up from a concert,” said 12-year-old Benjamin MacLean. “But it is very fun and the experiences you get on tours like visiting the pope or meeting the president, it’s amazing.”
The 19 Westminster boys came to Rome along with 12 lay vicars, the adult men in the choir. They may well be overwhelmed by the 35 boys and 22 men in the Sistine choir.
James O’Donnell, the music director of the Westminster choir, said both sides would have to make some adjustments for the performance but that the music chosen – Palestrina, the 16th century Roman composer who represents the best of Renaissance polyphony – is common to the repertoires of both.
“We are different, but we have a lot of things in common despite the many differences,” he said. “We don‘t want to turn into the Sistine Chapel Choir and they certainly don’t want to turn into the choir of Westminster Abbey. But what we want to do is make music together.”
Benedict himself was behind the decision to invite Westminster to Rome, so awed by the quality of the choirboys when they sang for him at Westminster Abbey during his September 2010 visit. He specifically asked that the choirs be united as one, rather than alternate during the performance as is commonly done, said the Very Rev. John Hall, dean of Westminster Abbey.
Palombella, the Sistine choirmaster, jumped at the chance, eager to open up his choir to outside influences and shed the Sistine’s reputation as a historical relic closed to innovation.
“These meetings are good for both Sistine and Westminster,” he said in an interview. “Because it makes us learn the precision and detail of the English choirs, and it makes the English learn the warmth and intensity that the Italian choir has.”
O’Donnell, his counterpart in London, concurred.
“They are a very important, unique musical institution,” he said. “And if they open themselves up to working with us and to other influences that they are open to at the moment, which will broaden their range and help them explore new avenues, then that can only be encouraged, as it must be for any musical ensemble.”
The Westminster Abbey Choir’s vocal precision is on display in this video.
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januscatinhat
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 11:28pmEveryone as such passion for their feelings for or against their personal religious beliefs, find it a bit hard to believe everybody–Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists, Pentecostals, Mormons, Church of Christs, Church of God, Lutherans, Tibetans, Laotians, Hispanics, Philippians, Koreans, those from Hong Kong, the AMC, cannot begin to name the many here–will just sit down and say, “okay, we’ll go along with One World Church, no matter what it is or what that means from now on.” Just don’t see that happening. How can everybody suddenly get brainwashed all at the same time? Don’t want to think about that one. Let’s just be free to use our free will. Time for all good women to step up to the plate. Way past time. Good men have messed up a bit, shall we say. Gang of good women can get some common sense going on here.
Report Post »januscatinhat
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 11:08pmTotally agree. Why not use your God-given free will to tell the truth! Must add that any government run One World Church that comes into the town where I live will run into the problem of rounding up believers from all over the world since this is the second port of entry and lots of diverse people like it and stay, then if the mosque or temple isn’t here yet, they just build it. These government people will need counselors themselves, headache pills, no telling what else to even consider such a thing. Not saying the dummies won’t try to exert control here, too, but good luck trying. Heck, this place even produces more Bibles, and related books, materials than almost anywhere else. There is plenty of porn and opposite-polarity going on as well here, but many of those folks show up in churches, too. Everybody here will object to an imposed increased tithe, not to mention everything else imposed. Folks here use their free will pretty freely, thank goodness. Fiction is made of such attempts as this would be. Just seems too far-fetched now. Plus everywhere it is taught that all paths lead to the same place. Really what’s the point? E
Report Post »wornoutoldfart
Posted on June 29, 2012 at 2:15amThe Pope has been meeting with Protestant, and Evangelical leaders, and muslims for some reason unknown, but his meetings with the other churches is an attempt to draw or coax them back into the mother church, and indeed this is the beginning of the One World Church. Read the phrophecy of St. Malachi, he predicts and names all 112 Popes from beginning to the last, using codes, number 111 was to be “The Glory of the Olive”, and sure enough the new pope chose the name St. Benedict, who began the Benedictine Order, and whose symbol is the Olive. Number 112 will be Peter the Roman. I am sure glad I belong to the only true church, the Church of God through his Son Jesus, all others are created by man and are lies, blasphemous in the eyes of God.
Report Post »wornoutoldfart
Posted on June 29, 2012 at 2:08amAll you Catholic folks had better get used to it, your Il Papa has been meeting with Protestant and Evangelical leaders,,( as well as Muslims for whatever reason) in an attempt to coax them to return to the Mother church, looks like it is going to be the first step in organizing the One World Religion, but whether or not you believe that, read the writings and prophecy of St. Malachi, he named 112 Popes from the first to the last, so far he has named them all in code, number 111 was called “the Glory of the Olive”, and of course the Cardinal when elected Pope took the name St Bendedict, who began the Benedictine order, whose symbol was the Olive. The last or number 112 will be called “Peter the Roman”. . Before number 112 is elected, which won’t be long since the current Pope was like 72 when he was elected, but before 112, all protestant and evangelicals will be a part of the Roman Catholic church and will sing in your choirs whether or not you like it. LOL Glad I don’t have to obey or worship the Pope, I belong to the only true church, Gods Church through his Son Jesus, all others are the creation of mankind, a lie and blasphemy in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.
Report Post »Patriot Mommy
Posted on June 29, 2012 at 12:08amWow Dianne! I could not have said it any better than that. Kudos to your integrity.
Report Post »Guerrino_P
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 8:55pmAn absolute disgrace. Catholicism is the one and only Christian faith. We sing alone. Every one else goes to hell.
Report Post »CatholicConservative
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 9:57pmWhat is the matter with you?
Report Post »januscatinhat
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 10:30pmOuch!!! I know I’m not the only Protestant that has attended Catholic churches and honest — you won’t find me saying that about you!! I agree. What really is the matter with you? It’s okay. You can tell. We have all been there one way or another, really.
Report Post »The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 5:49pmMedieval choirs were much the same way, mixing tenors with sopranos. The melody was the same for all singers though, but you could appreciate the richness of each singers voice.
Report Post »blair152
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 3:02pmVery nice.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 2:41pmBeautiful music!
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 1:53pmThe road to the one world religion is well on track as well as the one world governement. The false Prophet and the Anti-Christ will be proud.
Report Post »givemelibertyorgivemedeath
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 7:45pmYes we are on our way to the one world religion and the one world government. It is amazing how these people do not realize what is going on.
God have mercy on us! Christ hear us! Christ graciously hear us!
Report Post »ltemp
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 1:26pmAhhh, looks real cozy
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 11:41amWho cares….the supreme morons just said my government can do whatever it wants to me and my family……
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 12:52pmYou are wrong. You are failing to see your advantages of this “tax.” The U.S. Supreme Court knows what it is doing. There are many ways to look at this. They were given a bag of crap to work with and are merely picking out what is constitutional in the thing. It will all work together for the good of those who love the Lord. Quit worrying about things that are not in your own hands to decide, especially when they do not go your way. At least we have a U.S. Supreme Court. Things will work out.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 1:51pmThe U.S. Supreme Court just said that Congress has the power to tax if for any reason they want. For ANY reason they want. You have NO redress. You are at the mercy of your government.
Report Post »Dianne
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 4:19pmSIR, you hit the nail on the head. Notice that BLACKYB refers to this as a “tax”. His punctuation, which indicates that this is not the real meaning of the assessments that everyone will pay –even Obama called it insurance, which is illegal. To get around the illegality of the feds mandating insurance, they do like the Roosevelt admin did to their Supreme Court, LIE. CALL IT SOMETHING IT IS NOT.
BLACKYB, YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE UNAWARE OF THIS LACK OF VERBAL INTEGRITY FROM OUR CHIEF JUSTICE: DO NOT BRUSH IT OFF ONTO THE LORD. HE GAVE YOU A MOUTH; USE IT FOR THE TRUTH.
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