Kiko Argüello
About the composer
Francisco José Gómez de Argüello Wirtz was born on November 9th, 1939 in León, Spain. He studied at the San Fernando Art Academy in Madrid and in 1959 received the National Prize of Painting. An existential crisis brought about a serious conversion, which lead him to dedicate his life to Christ and the Church and to researching and creating religious art.
Convinced that Christ is present in the suffering of the innocent and the lost of the earth, in 1964 he took up residence among the poor in the barracks of Palomeras Altas, on the outskirts of Madrid. There he created a new way of preaching and developed the Neocatechumenal Way, a way to arrive at the Roman Catholic faith. As a painter he realised works all over the world. As an architect, he developed a new parish and seminary model, with stained glass windows.
Argüello has composed more than 300 songs for the Neocatechumenal Communities all over the world, also Marian songs, including a Stabat Mater, translated into many different languages where this Catholic movement is present.
In 2010, Argüello formed the Symphony Orchestra of the Neocatechumenal Way and composed the symphony The Suffering of the Innocents, depicting the pain of the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross. His oeuvre has been performed in the Vatican, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Madrid, Paris, Tokyo, New York, Chicago, Boston, Düsseldorf, Berlin and Auschwitz.
About the Stabat Mater
| Date: | 1992 |
| Performers: | Orchestra, Choir and Tenor |
| Length: | 7.13 minutes |
| Particulars: | After the first stanza Stabat Mater dolorosa the same text is sung by the choir. Stanza 2 and 3 are sung in Spanish by the soloist and followed by the choir repeating the first stanza. Stanza 5 and 7 are sung in Spanish by the soloist followed by the choir singing again the first stanza. After the Spanish stanzas 8 and 20 (sung by the tenor), they all sing Amen six times. |
| Textual variations: | The text of stanzas 20 is a variation, in Spanish: O Cristo, cuando yo deba morir, por tu bendita madre hazme conseguir la palma de la victoria (Oh Christ, when I must die, for your blessed mother make me get the palm of victory). |
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Information about the recording
| CD: | Paloma Incorrupta Maria Pequena Maria. Label: 8422142008683 |
| More info: | The CD is titled Paloma Incorrupta undamaged dove, reference to a hymn by Saint Romano el Meloda, a fourth century Syrian theologian, poet and composer, and one of the Church Fathers). The set of songs was initially released in 1992 by San Paolo Italia under the title Maria, piccola Maria (Mary, little Mary) and contains the Italian version of some of the songs of the later Spanish production.
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| Orchestra: | The interpretation is performed by a large group of musicians from all over Spain , members of the Neocatechumenal Way. |
| Choir: | The interpretation is performed by a large group of singers from all over Spain , members of the Neocatechumenal Way. |
| Conductor: | Daniel García |
| Soloists: | Kiko Argüello |
| Other works: | 11 Marian songs: Undamaged dove - Mary, Little Mary - A great sign - Shlom-leg Mariam - Alone for alone - Mary, Mother of the Fiery Path - Mary, House of Blessing - Blessed are you, Mary - Hail Mary (II) - Mary , Mother of the Church - Stabat mater Dolorosa. |
| Code: | ARG 01 |
