Well, with remarkable speed, the Catholic Church in England and Wales, through one of her humble functionaries, has already provided pictures of the event:
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The Most Reverend Massimo Palombella, Maestro di
Cappella Sistina, is greeted by the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols,
Archbishop of Westminster
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See many more pictures here. All pictures © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk
Italy news UK reports that "Cinque minuti di applausi ininterrotti รจ il premio che il
numerosissimo pubblico ha tributato al coro del Vaticano" (The sizeable audience showed their thanks for the Vatican choir's performance by applauding for five whole minutes). The choir apparently sang a selection of Gregorian chants, and motets by Palestrina and Perosi.
And a blogger - who was present at the concert - reports:
"Mgr Massimo Palombella [present director of the Cappella Sistina] addressed those present – the Cathedral was packed and many had to stand throughout the concert. After praising Westminster Cathedral Choir and its director, Martin Baker, Mgr Palombella said that the Pope desired a greater collaboration between his choir and the choirs of Westminster Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. It seems that the Holy Father had been impressed by the music he had heard in London during the 2010 Papal visit. In fact, Palombella went on to say, through an interpreter - Richard Rouse, who organised last year’s bloggers conference at the Vatican - that the Holy Father had “pushed” the Sistine Chapel Choir to collaborate with the English choirs. He also said that the Pope had expressed a desire to see ecclesiastical music used as a means of fostering true ecumenical ventures – Benedict XVI has invited Westminster Abbey Choir to sing during the Papal Liturgies for this year's Feast of St Peter and St Paul."Will there be a video to follow?
