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Sacred Oratorios

(Including liner notes by Marco Frisina)

MARIA, ORATORIO FOR SOLO,
CHORUS & ORCHESTRA
YEAR: 1988
PUBLISHER: Rugginenti Editore
BUY: 

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THEME: SACRED ORATORIO - MARY

This Oratorio presents in six paintings the whole life of the Virgin, giving it a contemplative vision. It is a spiritual itinerary of the life of Mary through the fundamental mysteries of the life of Jesus. After a prologue, which contemplates Mary rising on the world as the dawn of salvation, the first picture is that of the Annunciation. In an atmosphere full of mystery and wonder, Mary abandons herself to the will of God, realizing the mystery of the Incarnation to which the angels assist astonished contemplating "the Word who became flesh". In the framework of the Visitation we contemplate the joyous journey of Mary towards the house of Elizabeth on the wings of charity and driven by the desire to announce the salvation that comes. Together with Mary they sing the Magnificat. Christmas is a mystery of the Mother and the Son, the mystery of the mysterious motherhood of Mary and of the joyous revelation of the Messiah to men.

GIOVANNI, IL PROFETA
YEAR: 1991
PUBLISHER: Rugginenti Edittore
BUY: 

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THEME: SACRED ORATORIO - ST. JOHN

Sacred Oratorio for Narrator, Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra

CHARITATIS HOSTIA (CHARITY VICTIM) and
IL TESORO E LA SPOSA
(THE TREASURE AND THE BRIDE)
YEAR: 2006
PUBLISHER: Heristal Entertainment
BUY: iTunes (US), Amazon (US), Heristal Store (IT)

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THEME: SACRED ORATORIOS – ST. PADRE PIO & ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

PASSIO CAECILIAE (THE PASSION OF CECILIA)
YEAR: 2013
PUBLISHER: Brilliant Classics
BUY: Amazon (US), Brilliant Classics
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THEME: SACRED CANTATA – ST. CECILIA

The Passio Caeciliae describes the martyrdom of Cecilia, a maiden of noble descent in the 2nd century, a creature of light, love, faith and innocence, who is put to death in her own home. The Passio is a tableau of nine scenes from her life, from her conversion to Christianity to her ultimate love song for Christ, before dying as a martyr.

 

Characteristics of Frisina's work can be found in the lush harmonization of the choral movement "Psalm 45," which is undoubtedly a highlight of the recording.

PARADISO, PARADISO – LA VITA IN MUSICA DI S. FILIPPO NERI (PARADISE, PARADISE – THE LIFE IN MUSIC OF ST. PHILIP NERI)
YEAR: 2013
PUBLISHER: Heristal Entertainment
BUY: iTunes (US), Amazon (US)
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THEME: ORATORIO– ST. PHILIP NERI

Each story is counterpointed by a piece of music in which the protagonists are the joy and smile, in which you feel strongly the smell and atmosphere of Rome, its people and noble soul, light-hearted and poetic: the city that Neri adopted with much love, and that turned his smile making it "sing" with his faith and his love of light. I wanted to use a musical language extremely simple and transparent, trying to express the "naive" soul of Philip, and also the listener to draw a smile today, so jaded and "adult," raising a bit of sadness that sometimes obscures our horizon. There is a word that recurs in this composition: Paradise. I think it is good to repeat it, even for a non-believer, even for those who think they live their own private "hell," even for those who believe that there cannot be such a place, but also for those who want it, for those who would find the child lost in the depths of his heart. For one night we smile and look toward the sky, Filippo.

IL CANTICO DELLA MISERICORDIA
YEAR: 1989
PUBLISHER: Rugginenti Edittore
BUY: 

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THEME: SACRED ORATORIO - DIVINE MERCY

What is mercy? A benevolent gesture towards a poor person, a good deed? A way to lighten one's conscience feeling at least for once a little more good? This oratory gives us a different vision of mercy, far from the image a bit "stereotyped" that we all carry within. Mercy is not "commiseration" but is sublime "sharing for love," bending without shame on the misery of men not to judge them, even through a "good deed," but loving them to the end, taking charge of each of them, feeling in some co-responsible way of the poverty that crushes them. Men today as yesterday are slaves of a thousand poverty, are pilgrims, naked, sick, prisoners, hungry, thirsty. Jesus wanted to reveal to us the meaning of all this, he wanted to unveil the true face of this suffering and poor humanity, the true face is his.

CONFIDO IN TE (100th anniversary of birth of St. Faustina Kowalska)
YEAR: 2003
PUBLISHER: Laus
BUY: iTUnes (US), Amazon (US)

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THEME: SACRED ORATORIO - DIVINE MERCY

Address of the Holy Father John Paul II to the first performance of the Confido in Te Oratory:

"We have followed with emotion the Oratory composed by the dear Master Marco Frisina, inspired by the human story and the message of holiness of Sister Faustina Kowalska, privileged witness of Divine Mercy. The love of Christ heals the wounds of the human heart and communicates to the person, through grace, the very life of God. Already in the title of the suggestive musical composition is proposed the invocation now known throughout the world: Jesus, I trust in You ! This act of trust and abandonment to the love of God is simple but profound. It constitutes a fundamental point of strength for man, because he is capable of transforming life."

APOSTOLO DELLE GENTI (APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES)
YEAR: 2008
PUBLISHER: Paoline Editoriale Audiovisivi
BUY: iTunes (US)

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THEME: SACRED ORATORIO - ST. PAUL

St. Paul is undoubtedly the greatest missionary of all times. He did not know Jesus Christ personally, but after his dazzling call on the road to Damascus, he became the greatest disciple, pleading the cause of Gentile converts. He was the Apostle of the Gentiles. The Oratorio is divided into several parts, and opens with the stoning of the first martyr Stephen whom Saul, then proud supporter of the traditions of the fathers, persecutor of Christians, although present was not directly involved. The vision of a Christian who dies like Christ, forgiving his persecutors, touches him deeply, throwing a seed in his soul that will sprout up to ripen slowly in Paul's consciousness that Christians are the Risen Jesus.

 

Continuing his persecution on the road to Damascus, the Lord is revealed. A light from the sky envelops him and a voice says to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? [... ] I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you must do." From that moment he comes Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles. He retreats into the wilderness to meditate on the gift received , spending three years in the most absolute concentration, after which he begins to preach the Gospel message in the Mediterranean world at the time, stating that "he is no longer alive, but Christ living in him ". The discovery that Christ is alive in the Church as in Stephen's and other Christians urges him to give his life for him. With his words he spreads the Gospel among the nations. His writings, retraced in recent pictures of the Oratorio , introduce us into the mystery of Christ, ultimately until the death on the cross for the salvation of man, speaking to us of his love, "caritas ", which can do everything, which is the largest and the end of all the virtues . Paul, therefore conforms to his Lord, and then follows him to martyrdom, to identify with him. The Oratorio ends with a march that seems to mark the footsteps of the Apostle to his final union with Christ. In this march, which ends with the triumphant tone of a hymn of praise, we hear his words, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Neither the persecution ... nor the sword ...nor death! ."

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