Alma Mater (Our Mother)

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MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT THE CATHOLIC NORTHWEST PROGRESS 
NOVEMBER 26, 2009 

Pope’s ‘debut album’ a surprising pleasure

‘Alma Mater’ mixes chant, classical music and papal prayers

BY KEVIN BIRNBAUM

It’s a strange concept on paper: an album of modern classical music featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Choir of the Philharmonic Academy of Rome … and Pope Benedict XVI on lead vocals?

Things don’t get any clearer when you find out that the choir and orchestra were recorded in different countries — at St. Peter’s in Rome and Abbey Road in London, respectively; that the pope’s contributions — in Latin, Italian, Portuguese, French and German — come from prayers and speeches broadcast on Vatican Radio; that the composers of the eight tracks include an Italian Catholic, a British agnostic and a Moroccan Muslim; or that the album is being released on a label that also features Rob Zombie and Snoop Dogg.

But somehow it works. “Alma Mater – Music from the Vatican,” set to be released Nov. 30, is as eclectic as its background would suggest, both between tracks and within them. A mix of chanted Marian litany, orchestral music and spoken word, it’s almost certainly unlike anything you’ve heard before. And yet the juxtapositions are not jarring; in their interplay, the disparate elements enhance each other’s beauty.

For instance, track three, “Advocata Nostra,” begins with an upbeat “world music” section that builds in complexity for 80 seconds before suddenly giving way to a series of chanted invocations of the Virgin Mary in Latin; a minute later, it’s back to the music, which subsides just before the three-minute mark as the pope chimes in, praying in German over a cello line; soon the choir returns, followed by the strings; and the final minute of the 5:44 track returns to the opening theme.

It’s surprising, but pleasant, like the whole album.

The compositions are simple yet lovely, the orchestra and choir generally solid (though the singers leave something to be desired when they venture out of chant mode into harmony, which is rare). But the unexpected star of the show is Pope Benedict, whose verbal interjections do not seem out of place, but are always welcome and somehow comforting — his voice radiates warmth and love in any language.

The album would serve equally well as the soundtrack to a period of prayerful meditation or a festive family brunch. It deserves to be a popular Christmas gift for any Catholic or music lover.

Divine Grace

Grace is God's way of revealing Himself to each and every one us.

"God speaks in the silence of the heart. And we listen."

Grace stirred the soul of Augustine. Grace inspired the intellect of Aquinas. Grace was with Martin Luther King Jr. as he penned "I Have A Dream" and on that balcony in Memphis. Grace allowed Nelson Mandela to forgive. Grace drove the mission of Mother Teresa.

Grace is alive and well and living in all of our lives if we just open our eyes and our hearts.



U2 - Grace

Grace
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name

Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything

Grace, she's got the walk
Not on a ramp or on chalk
She's got the time to talk
She travels outside of karma
She travels outside of karma
When she goes to work
You can hear her strings
Grace finds beauty in everything

Grace, she carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips between her fingertips
She carries a pearl in perfect condition

What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things

Grace makes beauty out of ugly things

Music: U2
Lyrics: Bono