Ennio Morricone on Faith, the Latin Mass and Liturgical Music

[TheKnightVigilant]

Thought this might be interesting for any other Ennio Morricone fans out there...

http://edwardpentin.co.uk/from-the-archive-interview-with-filmscore-composer-ennio-morricone/

What is your opinion of Pope Benedict XVI, a Pope who is also very musical?

I have a very good opinion of Pope Benedict XVI. He seems to me to be a very high minded Pope who has a great culture and also great strength. He has a great wish to correct [liturgical] errors that have existed and continue to exist, and he tried to fix them just a few days after being elected. Today the Church has made a big mistake, turning the clock back 500 years with guitars and popular songs.  I don't like it at all. Gregorian Chant is a vital and important tradition of the Church and to waste this by having guys mix religious words with profane, Western songs is hugely grave, hugely grave. The same thing happened before the Council of Trent when singers sang profane songs with sacred melodies and sacred words. He [the Pope] is doing well to correct it. He should correct it with much more firmness. Some churches have taken heed [of his corrections], but others haven't.


Do you prefer the Mass in Latin?

I understand that Mass in Italian and in a national language is very useful and very important because people can follow it very well. But I also understand the tradition of the Church to set aside a language like Latin which is so important and serious for the Church itself. This was also a decision of the Second Vatican Council. So I support either Mass in Latin or in a country's national language, but I don't agree with, and feel very strongly about, mixing profane, secular music with religious words in Church, or mixing religious music with a profane and secular text. After the Second Vatican Council I was asked to be a consulter to the Vicariate for two pieces of sung Church music and I refused.  The Church and Christians have Gregorian chant and they said we had to now have this other music, so I refused. All the musicians in Rome also refused to work with it. All those who know Gregorian chant understand that it's something very high brow.

http://www.saintanthonyofpadua.net/messaggero/pagina_stampa.asp?R=Interview&ID=360

How would you define God?

That's not an easy question. The mystery of God's presence is something which lies outside the bounds of our understanding. God is a Superior Entity, the Creator of the universe. We know that His Son came to earth to redeem us, and we look to Him when we are in trouble, or even when we are not. I believe that faith in Him is extremely important because, without faith, one has no interior compass by which to guide one's existence.

How do you feel when you go into a church?

I have always had a spiritual relationship with God. For some years now, I have been more attentive towards my spiritual life. I don't know why, but it feels right. I pray and take Communion every day. I go to church at seven in the morning, but I don't often go to Confession because I don't tend to do too many bad things. I go to church because I feel I owe my devotion to the Divine Presence Who is particularly present in that place.


Statistically speaking, Saint Anthony is the world's best-loved Saint. Does he represent something for you?

I remember how devoted my grandmother and mother were to him when I was a boy. They used to get the Messenger from Padua, and read to me about Saint Anthony's miracles. It is difficult for me to believe in all the miracles mentioned, although I have to say that I was always very attentive, and some of their devotion rubbed off on me.


What do you think of the music which is played in church these days?

Some days ago, I went to Santa Maria degli Angeli, a church designed by Michelangelo. Some young people were livening up the Mass, playing the guitar and singing rather well; but their songs were pretty hopeless. It was incredible, as though we had returned to times before the Council of Trent when people used to put the words of hymns to popular tunes, and put rude and unpleasant words to hymnal music. It seems we've gone back to this stage, and nothing is being done to improve the situation. With Vatican II, the Catholic Church abolished Gregorian chants, which was of an extraordinary historical value in musical terms. I can't understand why, and it anguishes and irritates me. I can understand why Mass is said in various languages, but I will never understand the abolition of Latin hymns and Gregorian music.

[clau clau]

Ennio Morricone.

The amount of memorable tunes written by him I can remember from my past is staggering.  I just looked some of them up on YouTube.

It goes all the the way back to the tape of "Big Western Movie Themes" we used to listen to when we were kids.

RIP Ennio Morricone.

Gabriel's Oboe - from "The Mission"

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJhax7Jmxs[/yt]

see also: here