Katarzyna Stępień Gliwice

Cardinal Bartolucci to sacred music

Since I opened this blog, I was in the embarrassing situation, the On "Domenico Bartolucci" to orbit. This long-standing head of the Sistine Chapel is currently estimated in conservative circles and among traditionalists much because he - in his own words - never after the Second Vatican Council renewed celebrated Mass and out of its authorized rejection of the measurement design under John Paul II made no secret of ( "If the theater is over, call me ..."). But he was by the Holy See with great ingratitude and contrary to the promise of lifelong appointment almost forced to retire.

the other hand, one must look objectively the performance of the choir of the Sistine Chapel, as demonstrated by ear witnesses and photographs from that time. The quality of the Vatican's Music is not underground, first under John Paul II, truly underground, become. The problem was obvious for some time. And if a man of 80 years (when he was sent into retirement in 1997) purely physical, nor was able to direct the choir well, I would like from a rich experience with the services of some estimates, but it is tragically getting on in years colleagues but some doubt.

Sometimes it takes just a more or less subtle hint that it would be time to stop - before it is unmistakable that it is not easy ...

My subjective feelings towards Bartolucci are therefore quite ambivalent. I appreciate his interviews and his clear statements on church music, in particular very well to the theological underpinnings of spiritual music that is not art for its own sake. But the nigh, especially in traditionalist circles euphoric adulation of his life's work but I can not join without reservation.

However, I make no secret of my joy, that our Holy Father Benedict XVI. has created the veteran choral director with over 90 years still a cardinal. The former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger made after the deposition Bartoluccis no secret that he considered the dismissal to be wrong.

Man this appointment may well be a clear signal to the Pope desired "reform the reform" , Regarded as a renewed and clear rejection of the liturgical course of the last papacy, having already the Zeremoniar his late predecessor, Archbishop Piero Marini, has been pushed onto a quite insignificant Curia position.

May the restoration, or rather, Renaissance, progress of the Catholic Litugie brave!

But now a REPORT ON ZENIT.ORG , launched today to release this little article. An interesting interview with Cardinal Domenico Bartolucci, from which I quote here the following sections:

- Do you think church music can once again become what it once was?

Cardinal Domenico Bartolucci: It will take time. are the masters of the old times, it no longer, because it is no longer necessary that they exist. I do hope so. Benedict XVI has a penchant for Gregorian chant and polyphony, and will introduce the use of Latin again. He understands that without the Latin, the repertoire of the past would be destined to disappear in the archive. It is necessary to return to a liturgy, the music, the taste for beauty and the true art is sacred space.

- What do you think about the singing of the congregation in the liturgical celebrations?

Cardinal Domenico Bartolucci: Attention, please do not generalize. I am not against the people's voice, has been criticized as me. Even before the Council, I wrote popular songs for the liturgy in Italian. They were very common in the parishes. There are contexts where a "Schola Cantorum" or a choir is required to make real art. Consider, for example, requires the repertoire of Gregorian chant or the great polyphonic repertoire, the true artist, so it he sounds like he should be. In these cases, the people involved in all of its rights in the recording and listening, but it's the singer who put their professionalism and competence in the service of others. Unfortunately, many thought in these years of development, that means taking part to "do something"

this, I allow myself to point out two of my own text.
lack of style as a key principle and
? MAY THE CHOIR SING THE SANCTUS , above all considering the idea of "participatio actuosa"