Opera magazine
2016-04-04
Music of the spheres: tradition and history of sacred music in the Florence Cathedral
When you think about the Florence Cathedral you think about architecture, statues, frescoes. But the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore enshrines a huge heritage of music as well.
When you think about the Florence Cathedral you think about architecture, statues, frescoes.
But the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore enshrines a huge heritage of music as well.
Music in the Florence Cathedral: the comeback
The decision to revive the Cappella Musicale, or Chapel Choir of Florence Cathedral is quite recent and it aligns the Florence Cathedral with some of the most important cathedrals in the world.
“O flos colende” is the events series which epitomises that comeback, which allows the Florence people and tourists to enjoy sacred music within the cathedral and which revives a centuries - old tradition.
In 2016 O flos colende reaches its 20th edition, the series of concerts spanning between April and September.
“O flos colende” (Latin) means “Oh revered flower”: they are the starting words - the incipit - of the gregorian antiphon for Saint Zanobi (Zenobious bishop of Florence and Saint).
The concerts are an occasion to create interest about the beauty and the historical value of the sacred music, and the relevance of the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore’s Music Archive.
Music in the Cathedral: O flos colende 2016
The O flos colende 2016 opening sees the Winchester Cathedral Choir performing in the Duomo.
The British choir performance is for the occasion a “mix” of English polyphonic church music and a hommage to the Florentine sacred music tradition, such as Gaudent in coelis (Rejoice in Heavens) by Filippo Vitali (1591-1654), Maestro di Cappella del Duomo (Chapel Master of the Cathedral) between 1651 and his death, author of three books of Madrigals.
Eight events for the 2016 edition: seven concerts - from Thomas Tallis to Gustav Holst, from Anton Bruckner (Ave Maria) to Sergej Rachmaninov and Francis Poulenc (Salve Regina) and a Catholic sung Mass held by the Florence Archbishop Cardinal Giuseppe Betori.