Thursday 26 June: Concert in Trastevere

I’m nearing the end of my stay in Italy. As I was visiting some of my favorite spots for the last time, I saw an advertisement for a concert in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. This is “my” church, not sixty seconds from my door. I thought it would be a great way to end my stay, so I went to the concert at 6 pm.

Performing was a visiting group from Germany, the Dresdner Kapellknaben, the Boys Choir of Dresden Cathedral. There were probably three dozen boys in the group. The youngest couldn’t have been more than 6 or 7, and the oldest bass maybe 16. I was excited to hear them sing in Santa Maria in Trastevere. This is an ancient church, one of the oldest in the world. It’s built on the site of a second or third century titulus or house church, from when Christianity was still an illegal sect. The original basilica was built in the fourth and fifth centuries, and was the first church in Rome, maybe in the world, to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was largely remodeled in the 1200s, when the amazing mosaics with scenes from the life of Mary were installed. There are later frescos and chapels as well, including some beautiful Renaissance and Baroque art. The nave is lined with columns re-used from ancient Roman temples and palaces. I love how they are of different sizes and materials, and have re-used, non-matching capitals and bases as well. This was the perfect setting for the choir.

The boys sang incredibly well. Their voices were clear and focused, but light and flexible at the same time. The choir would rise from a tiny, quiet pianissimo and to a thunder of contrapuntal voices that filled the church and echoed off the mosaic and marble of the walls. They also had outstanding intonation, which is quite an accomplishment for their age. The program covered sacred music from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance and Baroque, and up to the twentieth century. Some of my favorite composers were represented, as well as a couple I was less familiar with. The choir sang works by Lassus, Gabrieli, Palestrina, Schütz, Scarlatti, Trexler, Bruckner, Mendelssohn, and Grieg. As I heard those pure, clear voices singing such great music in the ancient basilica, I forgot about the heat outside, and the packing I had to do, and the goodbyes to say. I’ve heard a lot of music while I’ve been in Italy, but I think this was my favorite. I couldn’t have asked for a better parting gift from Trastevere.