Featuring the voice of Pope Benedict XVI, the Choir of the Philharmonic Academy of Rome and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra



[Decca Universal]



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Here it is, the successor to Pope John Paul I’s “Abba Pater.” Pope Benedict XVI is trying to reform the Catholic Church’s music, which, in many cases, has become pretty schlocky since Vatican II. For this special Christmas disc, whose Latin title means “nourishing mother,” the Vatican chose three composers and asked them to write music inspired by Gregorian chant. Stefano Mainetti is Catholic; Nour Eddine is Muslim; and the dark horse Simon Boswell (who has worked with the Sex Pistols and written music for the movie “Hackers”) is agnostic.



Mainetti’s pieces suggest traditional hymns and accompany the chant with ethereal orchestral accompaniment. Boswell, who is British, has turned out lushly harmonized melodies in the Anglican tradition—timely, considering the pope’s recent move to welcome Anglicans into the Catholic Church. The big surprise is Nour Eddine’s Arabic setting of “Advocata Nostra.” With its drums and exotic instrumentation, it sounds like medieval music.



The disc at times sounds like film music, and it will prove easy to mock. But it has texture, variety and that elusive quality, reverence. Even the nonreligious will respond to its soothing, uplifting qualities.



—Mary Kunz Goldman