The music of the Pontifical Hymn was composed by Gounod for the anniversary of the incoronation
of Pope Pius IX.
The Pontifical March was performed for the first time on the afternoon of 11 April 1869 during celebrations marking the Pope’s jubilee of priestly ordination. On that day in St. Peter’s Square a large crowd had gathered for a special concert following the morning’s liturgical celebrations in the Basilica.
The concert brought together seven pontifical bands with members belonging to seven different papal corps and regiments in Rome (Papal Gendarmes conducted by maestro Roland, Reggimenti di Linea conducted by maestro Baffo, Cacciatori conducted by Pezzina, Zuavi conducted by maestro Willimburg, Carabinieri stationed outside Italy, Legione Romana conducted by maestro Angelini, Reggimento Dragoni). They were accompanied by a chorus made up of over one thousand soldiers.
The Pontifical March of Gounod was widely applauded and played numerous times, as the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reported the following day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2jUKmkVMaQ
The Pontifical March was performed for the first time on the afternoon of 11 April 1869 during celebrations marking the Pope’s jubilee of priestly ordination. On that day in St. Peter’s Square a large crowd had gathered for a special concert following the morning’s liturgical celebrations in the Basilica.
The concert brought together seven pontifical bands with members belonging to seven different papal corps and regiments in Rome (Papal Gendarmes conducted by maestro Roland, Reggimenti di Linea conducted by maestro Baffo, Cacciatori conducted by Pezzina, Zuavi conducted by maestro Willimburg, Carabinieri stationed outside Italy, Legione Romana conducted by maestro Angelini, Reggimento Dragoni). They were accompanied by a chorus made up of over one thousand soldiers.
The Pontifical March of Gounod was widely applauded and played numerous times, as the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reported the following day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2jUKmkVMaQ
