Music of Vatican City

Vatican City, as the home of the Papacy, has been very important for Christian music. For many years, special songs called Gregorian chants have been sung there, along with newer styles of music called polyphonic. The papal choir, which has existed for over four hundred years, is very famous.

Originally, the singers in the choir came mostly from northern Europe, but later many came from Spain and Italy. In the 16th century, church leaders worried that the words of their songs were hard to hear because of the music. A composer named Giovanni Palestrina helped change the way these chants were sung, and his changes are still used today. A common instrument in Vatican music is the pipe organ.

Even after the Papal States ended, the Popes kept supporting music. Important popes like Pope Pius XII wrote about music, and modern composers like John Harbison and Gilbert Levine have worked with the Vatican.

For many years, the Vatican also held a special Christmas concert with famous musicians like José Feliciano, Thelma Houston, and B. B. King. However, these concerts stopped in 2006.