Sistine Chapel Choir releases second disc

There was a press conference held this morning at the Vatican to present a new CD entitled Missa Papae Marcelli - Motets which were recorded by the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir.

Presenters at this morning's press conference included: His Excellency, Georg Gänswein, Prefect of the Papal Household; Monsignor Massimo Palombella, Director of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir; Doctor Dickon Stainer, President and CEO of Global Classics Universal Music Group International; Doctor Clemens Trautmann, President of Deutche Grammophon; and Doctor Mirko Gratton, Director of the Classical division of Universal Italia.

Following Cantate Domino, an album of music by the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir which was published by Deutche Grammophon, this second recording is dedicated to one of the most famous and finest composers of sacred music: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestina (1528-1594).



The new CD contains 14 tracks, of which, this is the first time ever that three have been recorded: the famous Missa Papae Marcelli which was first performed in 1567, and two unpublished Motets: Veritas mea et misericordia mea and Iubilate Deo.

The recording of Missa Papae Marcelli - Motets was done entirely within the Sistine Chapel under the direction of Massimo Palombella, Director of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir.

Presentation by His Excellency, Georg Gänswein

Prefect of the Papal Household

After one year of work, the Papal Choir has a second CD published by the prestigious record label Deutsche Grammophon dedicated entirely to music Pierluigi da Palestrina: the famous Missa Papae Marcelli and some motets that depict mercy, chosen not at random to emphasize that we are given, even musically, this year of grace to live the Jubilee of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis.

Last year, at the presentation of the first CD of the Sistine Chapel Choir,  the intent was to raise awareness of the centuries-old history of this ancient institution of the Holy See: its artistic and cultural function, and above all its spiritual significance and the special bond the choir has with the Pope . The feelings that accompany such a presentation were characterized by a certain trepidation that the initiative might have failed. These feelings were quickly turned into deep satisfaction as we witnessed the great success of the CD Cantate Domino: The Sistine Chapel and the music of the Popes which was confirmed by the reception of the Echo Klassik award. All this attention served as an inspiration for the Cappella Musicale Pontificia and for its Choir Master/Director, Monsignor Massimo Palombella to continue their efforts to make available to a wider audience the rich heritage that was born in the heart of the Catholic Church as praise to God in the most solemn moment of worship which is the celebration of the liturgy, especially the Eucharist. The possibility for greater outreach of the Deutsche Grammophon label allows the music of the Sistine Chapel Choir to reach many people, even those who are distant from the Christian tradition.  In this way, they too can come into contact with this unique heritage of this work, and for this collaboration, we can only be grateful.

Listening to this CD and reading the booklet that accompanies it, you realize immediately the spiritual reasons for music that is so sublime and refined, but also the commitment of the teacher and the Sistine Chapel Choir to seizing and communicating the original inspiration. With this Mass the prince of Roman polyphony (Palestrina) tried, and succeeded, to respond to what the Council of Trent asked of liturgical music, that is, the intelligibility of the text combined with the quality of the music. Pope Marcellus II, never listened to the Mass dedicated to him because he died after only 22 days of his pontificate, but the hope expressed by him, who was a Cardinal when he participated in the sessions of the Council of Trent was that liturgical music would serve both as a vehicle of beauty to elevate the soul in the context of liturgical prayer and as a source of self-reflection would be embraced by Palestrina.  This challenge remains relevant even today and sees the Cappella Musicale Pontificia engaged in placing liturgical relevance in the great musical heritage of the Church, acknowledging intelligently scientific studies of ancient music and experimenting with new ways of effectively executing great music in the context of liturgical reform of Vatican II.

The purpose of this recording also goes beyond this scope because the Choir wants to help communicate the essence of the mission of the Catholic Church which is to evangelize, that is, to proclaim the good news through beauty which is the path to God, and to invite all people to search for God, the querere Deum that is the purpose of art and sacred music.

Everything wants to express the Church's mission which Pope Francis speaks about, the work of a church that is not afraid to speak the language of man and his needs: music is loud and universal expression of this reality. Outside such a framework, an institution like the Sistine Chapel Choir would make no sense.  Rather, its work would be understood as performing just a little good music and this would never be enough to justify its existence, much less its being inserted fully into that ancient institution that is the Domus pontificalis, the Papal household. This evangelizing goal, which necessarily involves making the human more human, is also the deeper reason for the professional commitment of this ancient institution which has a long and venerated history and a future full of expectations.