Vatican City, Oct 19, 2009 / 09:58 am
After listening to a piano concert on Saturday evening, Pope Benedict offered his reflections on “great music,” saying that it can become prayer.
The concert was held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International Piano Academy and featured the Chinese pianist Jin Ju.
Ju took his audience on a musical journey through different historical periods, playing pieces by Bach, Scarlatti, Mozart, Czerny, Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Liszt.
At the end of the concert the Pope expressed his thanks to the academy and to the pianist, who "enabled us to savor ... the emotional impact of the music she played."