Monday, October 5, 2015

Wonders of music reveals heaven in the visit of Pope Francis to US

Music discovering during PopeinDC

During Pope's Francis visit to Washington, I discovered some music composed for Junípero Serra's Canonization Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Sept. 23, 2015, in Washington. Thankfully, the event was
broadcast live on tv... #PopeinDC.


Before Junípero Serra's Mass. PopeinDC. Source: usatoday


The music that called my attention is the one of the Psalm 96, that was composed especially for the Mass by Tony Alonso, who at only 35 is considered one of the most prominent American composers of liturgical music... as praytellblog reports... "My father is from Cuba, to be composing something for the first Latin American pope — who, ironically, will be visiting Cuba before he makes his first visit to the United States, where he will be celebrating a mass in Spanish — touches me on an especially personal level... No pope has celebrated mass before in the U.S. in Spanish".


Junípero Serra's Mass. PopeinDC. Source:
video

Five groups performed, including a gospel choir, the Catholic University Chamber Choir and a “Papal Mass Choir” of 90 participants selected from more than 300 people who auditioned in the D.C. area (washingtonpost). The choral leading voice was carried out by a smiling wonderful opera singer, Colleen Daly, another amazing discovering.


Orquestra and choirs. Mass PopeinDC.
Source: video

Actually, I fell in love with the wonderful music for the Psalm 96. This music has a trombone beginning reminding of some jazz song... all the music is like a wonderful film soundtrack whose notes of joy get to elevate the spirit, waking it up to the most musical soul.


Opera singer Collen Daly. Mass PopeinDC.
Source: video

Note: Psalm 96 seems to correspond to Salmo 95 in Spanish. Mass program and lyrics sources: popeindc.cua and usccb

Watch and listen Psalm 96 music: VIDEO

Responsorial Psalm 96 - Lyrics

Cuenten las maravillas del Señor a todas naciones,
Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations,
Cuenten las maravillas.


Canten al Señor un cántico nuevo,
Canten al Señor, toda la tierra;
Canten al Señor, bendigan su nombre.

Chorus

Proclaim his salvation day by day,
tell among the nations his glory,
and his wonders among all the peoples.

Chorus

Familias de los pueblos, aclamen al Señor,
aclamen la gloria y el poder del Señor,
aclamen la gloria del nombre del Señor.

Chorus

Worship the Lord in holy splendor.
O tremble before him all the earth.
Say to the nations, “The Lord is King.”
He will judge the peoples in fairness.

Chorus

Some music during PopeinNYC

United Nations:
Another wonderful performance, during Pope Francis's visit to US, was the one at the end of his speech in the UN. A chorus of men and women wearing typical world dresses sang a popular Argentinian lullaby (romereports), "Duerme negrito" (Sleep little black boy), with an impeccable southern America black sound.
Pope Francis' full visit with speech to the United Nations: VIDEO (hopefully, the song should be at the end of the video. Not checked)


Rainbow angel... j
ust before arrival of PopeinMSG, NYC via twitter

Madison Square Garden: During the Papal Mass in the MSG in NYC there were also musical performances... Full Mass: VIDEO (not checked)
Picture: Harry Connick Jr singing at MSG before the Papal Mass in NYC pic via twitter

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