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The Interior
Castle |
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They've been
singing together for as long as they can remember. In Catholic
grade school, they would write down the words to their favorite
songs in Music Class, so they could sing them at home while drying
the dishes. This was the beginning of the Mazzei Family singing
group (later to be known as The Interior Castle.)
In high school, they set
their sights and hearts on becoming pop singers - composing their own songs,
trying to emulate the radio hits. They set up a recording studio in their home
so that they could arrange and produce the tapes themselves. The many
opportunities from their efforts never fully materialized. Criticisms from
record companies were always the same- too much harmony, too angelic sounding,
not 'hip' enough, etc., etc. Discouraged, but undaunted, they pursued other
musical areas. A major label company almost signed them to a contract, but
turned them down at the last minute. Country Music didn't work out, either.
While they were trying to
gain this foothold in secular music, they were asked by a priest, the late Fr.
Mario Del Signore, to sing at his Christmas Day Mass. Thus began their debut
into the realm of religious music. No longer were there restrictions on their
sound and harmonies. They finally felt at home.
The various, musical
backgrounds of their past are now applied to their own Contemporary Christian
Music compositions. Some examples are the pop feel to the songs Father Forgive
Them, This Heart Is Closed, What Kind of Love is This, and I Am With You Always,
the 'country' flavor of You, and the contemporary style of In Principio and
Sanctus. Even old favorites such as Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art have
been given a new identity. Their arrangement of the Italian folk song to the
Blessed Virgin Mary, Nome Dolcissimo, (given to them by Fr. Mario), is done in
their own style; likewise, the classic Pachelbel's Canon in D.
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