Gratia

2025 NativeDSD Album of the Year - Classical Crossover

Gratia is designed and elaborated to give life to contemporary improvisations and reinterpretations of Marian antiphons in ‘counterpoint’ or, to use Jazz language, in ‘interplay’ with the performance of Gregorian chant. It features Enzo Pietropaoli on Double Bass, Gabriele Mirabassi on Clarinet, Michele Rabbia on Percussion & Live Electronics and the Sonus Vocum Ensemble. This is Enzo Pietropaoli's 11th album at NativeDSD. ‘Gratia’ is a word that expresses the kind of feeling, both musical and spiritual, that is at the same time representative of the Marian universe; but it goes further and expresses a concept that can unite all cultures and all creeds, religious and otherwise. Enzo Pietropaoli approached this work fascinated by the simplicity of the antiphons, by that minimalist writing that encloses an immense spirituality, an extremely precious and unique contrast, ancient and very modern. ‘Gratia’ aspires to demonstrate, indeed to confirm, that even the most diverse and distant languages can meet under the sign of a boundless mysticism, of a love that can, must, go beyond individual cults.

---

Enzo Pietropaoli, Double Bass & Musical Direction Gabriele Mirabassi, Clarinet Michele Rabbia, Percussion & Live Electronics Sonus Vocum Ensemble Baltazar Zúñiga, Vocals Fabio Furnari, Vocals Roberto Rili, Vocals