This last Sunday of the liturgical year is the Solemnity of Christ the King, and a blessed and grace-filled on may it be for all our readers. The feast was originally celebrated onĀ Ā the last Sunday of October (where it remains in theĀ usus antiquior) but was transferred to this more eschatological place in the calendar in the liturgical revisions of 1969.
Here is a short work, Iesu, Rex Admirabilis, by the great master, Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina (+1594). He was a master of counterpoint polyphony, of the ars perfecta, the ‘perfect art’ of music. His spiritual director was Saint Philip Neri (+1595), who encouraged him in his musical talents, and we are all better for it. The great composer left 32 volumes of his work (!), each of the highest quality.
The sections here all in beautiful polyphonic counterpoint, an image of the cosmos our Great King created:
