The annual Lenten Concert organised by Fr Romeo Monteiro, along with music lovers, is an exercise of meditation using Catholic sacred music. This concert gives the audience an occasion to reflect on the sacred mysteries of the faith using the treasury of Sacred Music in the Catholic Church. In addition, this year, the choir and musical ensemble intend to pay homage to one of the great luminaries in the field of Monteiro, who is also the director of Kala Academy and the Chancellor of the Archdiocese. Catholic sacred music, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Two concerts will be performed on March 19 at 6 pm at Holy Cross Church, Cavelossim, and March 22 at 6.30 pm at Santa Monica Church, Old Goa. “Palestrina was born in 1525, and so this concert will be a tribute to this legend, who was gifted by God to us 500 years ago. He learnt music in Rome and came under the influence of the northern European style of polyphony, which owed its dominance in Italy primarily to influential composers like Guillaume du Fay and Josquim des Prez,” says Fr Romeo Palestrina rose to fame during the period of the celebration of the Council of Trent (1545 – 1563), which was convened to give the Church clarity of doctrine and curb the abuses that had crept in the Church. Protestantism had left the Catholic Church wounded.
Even the Liturgy was to be reformed. Here comes Palestrina’s role, with regard to Sacred Music. “In the name of polyphony, abuses had entered the music and singing in the Church. God through this art of music. His music is considered the pinnacle of Renaissance sacred music, with his style influencing composers such as Bach, Mozart and Wagner. sent Palestrina to give the Church a revival of polyphony. He showed how polyphony could also be meditative and be used to render the sacred texts with sublimity. Palestrina music is focused on clarity of sound, pleasant harmonies and unique lyrical settings. He is responsible for many innovations in polyphony, a musical setting that uses multiple melody lines playing simultaneously,” says Fr Romeo. He composed the ‘Missa Papae Marcelli’ and convinced the council fathers that the words of the liturgy could be rendered prayerfully and intelligibly The group consists of 60 singers and musicians who will perform Sanctus from missa de Angelis, Missa Papae Marcelli by Palestrina Papa de Marcello, Crucifixus by Bach, Devmondiracho porddo pinzlo (Konkani motet), Te Deum by Mozart, Make me a channel of your peace and the Jubilee hymn. “I enjoy singing Catholic sacred music, when it is beautifully done. God has given me the gift of music and I seek to use it for His Glory and for my own spiritual growth and also the sanctification of others. We also have a group of children joining us for a few pieces; they will be singing ‘Sanctus’, ‘Make Me a Channel’, and the Jubilee hymn with us. I truly enjoy singing in Fr Romeo’s group and have been associated with him since his time as the conductor of the Santa Cecilia Choir in Rachol. I began singing with him in 2008,” says Preeti Coutinho, a soprano singer in the choir.
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The ensemble includes six violins (first and second), two violas, three cellists, and two double bass players along with two clarinets, one flute, and two trumpets. The cellists include Tr Teresa, Jenny, and Rhian. The two double bass players includes Vozlar Pereira and Fr Jesus Rodriguez. “I will be playing the double bass during the orchestral sections. Fr Romeo often changes the music, even if we have performed a piece earlier. We performed Utsovache Geet last year, but this time it has been rearranged, he never keeps the same music,” says Vozlar Pereira. “Fr Romeo is my teacher, so I’m all the more excited, especially since the concert is happening in my parish, Holy Cross Church, Cavelossim. This has been pending for a long time. It makes the occasion even more special,” adds Vozlar.
