Pope sings for Christmas charity album

Fundraising | 12 Aug 2009

Christmastime radio is often filled with echoes of sleigh bells ringing, tree tops glistening, children listening and the like.

This year, however, Latin may become more prevalent on the airwaves for Pope Benedict XVI has cut a Christmas album to help educate underprivileged children about music.

The Vatican plans to donate money raised from the sale of the album to charities around the world working in music education for disadvantaged kids.

‘Alma Mater’ will be comprised of eight tracks in Portuguese, Italian, French, German and Latin. Seven will be spoken tracks, but one will feature the German in full song. Unfortunately for English speakers, the leader of the Catholic Church will not be speaking – or singing – in that language.

The pontiff was recorded in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, but has scored a credible collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra laying some beats at Abbey Road studios to accompany his “enchanting blend of Lauretan Litanies and Marian popular chants”.

The project was developed by Vatican Radio and Multimedia San Paolo, who pitched it to Geffen Records, a Universal brand.

But while Colin Barlow, president of the record label Geffen, said the Pope’s record was a “beautiful piece of music”, the Geffen website features limited reference to the pontiff’s upcoming ensemble.

A spokesman for the project told Charity News Alert that discussions are under way as to which charity or charities will receive the proceeds of the album.

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