julies

We'll be visiting Rome soon (not our first trip), and one of our favorite things to do in cities like Rome is to attend musical performances or masses that offer exceptional music. Last time we were there was during the Epiphany period, and we found a church that was having an evening musical celebration.

We arrive on a Sunday afternoon, so a Sunday morning mass is out. I've checked the standard large hall opera and classical music venues already. What I am looking for is a website that lists the types of things I am looking for--churches, smaller venues etc. Or, if you have any suggestions of places you know, I'd love to hear about them. Thanks.

Elisabeth54

Hi Julies, my husband and I also love classical music and we use a website called Classictic to check out classical concerts in the foreign cities we visit. Other than that the usual 'what goes on in...." via the internet or try the local tourist offices. It depends on the city itself whether or not this information is posted and regularly renewed.

bvlenci

How long will you be in Rome?

Unfortunately, choral music (sacred or otherwise) isn't big in Italy. I've lived here for almost 20 years, and one of my big disappointments is that in the land of Palestrina and Monteverdi, choral music has almost vanished.

Even some of the major basilicas have choirs that couldn't hold a candle to many parish choirs in northern European countries, or in the US. Many don't have a choir at all, but make do with a cantor, usually a loud soprano, at mass. Most of the sacred music choirs I know of can be heard only at seasonal concerts or at Sunday masses.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has an excellent choir, although I was disappointed at a mass to find that it was pretty much invisible and not optimally audible, either. I don't know if this is standard. It was a Tridentine mass chanted in Latin.

The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri also has a good choir that sings at the noon mass, and also an excellent organ. The Vatican has a good choir, but I've heard many better ones in the UK.

The Accademia di Santa Cecilia has a concert series, and choral music features in some of it.

http://www.santacecilia.it/en/concer...tti/index.html

There are two Anglican/Episcopal churches in Rome. The Church of San Paolo dentro le Mura has an excellent choir and does concerts. I wonder if that's the one you heard during the Epiphany season. (My daughter used to sing there.) All Saints also has a decent choir, but I've only heard them in the summer, when they were short-handed. Both of these churches are used by various semi-professional music groups who put on performances (mostly opera) heavily promoted to tourists. The quality of the music is supposed to be very good, although I've never attended one of these, so I can't judge from experience.

St. Paul's also has a classical concert series; you can see the upcoming performances for 2017 here:

http://www.stpaulsrome.it/music/concerts-at-st-pauls/

All Saints has a classical Anglican Choral Evensong on the last Thursday of each month.

http://www.allsaintsrome.org/Music.aspx


I hope this helps.

Elisabeth54

Wow, grazie mille bvlenchi! Even though this was not my thread I most certainly will save the information you posted.

bvlenci

Classictics has almost all the classical music going on in Rome, but a lot of it consists of the semi-professional groups I mentioned above that are aimed at a tourist audience. As I said, I've heard they're pretty good, but if you're accustomed to professional classical opera, you may be disappointed, because it's not fully staged, and a church isn't really the best venue for an opera.

asps

I second the idea of S. Maria Maggiore. The best choir master in Rome is Msgr, Miserachs working there. Most of the other choirs in main basilicas are in a sorry state.

julies

Thanks for all of the great information. I have followed up on it and found several possibilities listed on Classictics during our visit.

bvlenci--You incredibly detailed info was extremely helpful. Sad to hear that choral music is not too evident or too great in Rome.

If other are following along on this thread, I learned that the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri mass with choir and organ in on Sunday at noon (so won't work for us unfortunately). I think from what I could figure out S. Maria Maggiore's choir must sing in the Latin mass that is at 10:00 on Sundays.

I found a performance at the Capuchin's Crypt of Gregorian chant as well as Renaissance polyphony (genres that appeal to me), but I am wondering if this is just tourist hokey since it starts at 5:30 and is only 60 minutes total and includes a tour of the museum with an art historian. And, I also found a Bernini's Rome (Baroque instruments and music) concert at Sant’Agnese in Agone Church. this one is 65 minutes long, starting at 6:30 (so tourists can also do the optional dinner) and also includes info on the art and architecture of the church.

The most "normal" concert (standard orchestral repertoire with a 8:30 start time) I can find seems to be at St. Paul's where the Symphony Orchestra 'Opera in Rome' performs under the baton of Americo Caretti (whoever that is).

5alive

This is a great thread and I will be copying the information into a word doc. I have more questions for bvlenci and asps but will ask them separately.

I did hear Gregorian chant in Rome, but that location no longer offers it. There was a monastery that still performs Gregorian chant, but have not been myself: Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino.

Bvlenci or Asps, it still going, do you know? It was well thought of in the past.

The concert Julie found might be part of this cultural tourism site. It could still be good music though. I would probably be a sucker to hear baroque or Renaissance era musical instruments again.

http://www.romaoperaomnia.com/

julies

I adore Gregorian chant so am very happy to get this recommendation and will try to make their Vespers service. Thanks.

The music and art treasures website does list the performances I found.

bvlenci

I think any monastery would chant the hours. Sant'Anselmo is associated with a school or seminary, so I would expect better than average chanting there. (I've been to monasteries where the chanting was done by a few tone-deaf elderly monks.)

Here is their schedule, but it doesn't say which services are open to all.

http://www.anselmianum.com/badia/orario-santa-messa/

I think Vespers would be your best option.They have "solemn Vespers" on Sundays, which should add a little lagniappe to the service.