Art Saves Art
“Art Saves Art”
By: Bénédicte Cedergren
The Fondazione Pro Musica e Arte Sacra’s performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B minor at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major was a remarkable celebration of Baroque mastery.
Composed in 1749, Bach’s Mass in B minor is renowned for its intricate choral and orchestral passages, blending profound spirituality with musical brilliance. It remains one of his most iconic works.
Under the direction of Prof. Eberhard Metternich, the Orchestra Concerto Köln and Vokalensemble Köln Dom brought the work to life in the historic setting of Rome’s greatest Marian basilica.
The foundation's motto, "Art Saves Art," further reflects its deeper mission: to use the transformative beauty of sacred music as a vehicle for restoring the timeless beauty of Rome's basilicas and churches.
Through these concerts, which showcase the most renowned sacred and liturgical repertoire of the 18th and 19th centuries, the foundation not only celebrates the beauty of music but also helps fund the restoration of sacred spaces, ensuring that these are preserved for future generations.
The Founder and General President of Fondazione Pro Musica e Arte Sacra Hans-Albert Courtial noted, “This is a very important topic. The slogan ‘art saves art’ reflects the idea of using sacred music as a means to bring people in, allowing them to experience the music while also making economic contributions—not by buying tickets or paying fees as is often misunderstood, but by donating to support restoration projects that we present. For example, we have carried out numerous restoration projects in the Papal Basilicas, especially in St. Peter’s Basilica.”
In recent years, the foundation's restoration efforts have included significant projects such as the restoration of cupolas, chapels, and altars in all the papal basilicas—some of the most important churches of Christendom.
“We have restored the two cupolas on the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica,” Courtial detailed. “In St. John Lateran, we have restored the monumental organ by Luca Blasi, and the altar of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul Outside the Walls. We have also restored the papal altar at the tomb of St. Paul, the basilicas’ chapels and mosaics depicting the popes, including Pope Benedict and Pope Francis. In St. Mary Major, we have restored the Sistine Chapel. We've done a lot of work like this.”
These efforts have helped to preserve and enhance the sacred beauty of these iconic spaces, which in themselves also serve a higher purpose for the faithful and visiting pilgrims.
Similarly to sacred music, churches and holy places adorned with beauty and grandeur help to elevate the soul and direct hearts toward God, by pointing to something transcendent and fostering an atmosphere conducive to prayer and worship.
Speaking about those who attend the concerts, Courtial said, “When they are there, they are truly filled with emotion. Think about it: when you hear a Coronation Mass in a papal basilica or a beautiful church, where the art and the sacred space come together, and people close their eyes, listen to the music, and then open their eyes to see this beauty, they are very close to the true beauty that Pope Paul VI spoke of.”
Adapted by Jacob Stein
