Music of Vatican City a result, reformers like Palestrina revised the rules behind Gregorian chanting, which were printed by the Medici Press in Rome; these reforms continued to be followed to the present day. A traditional musical instrument was the pipe organ. After the end of the Papal States the Popes' ability to sponsor composers and musicians waned. However it did not end entirely nor did interest in the subject. Pope Pius X and Pope Pius XII both wrote on the subject. In modern times John Harbison and Gilbert Levine have composed or conducted for the Vatican. Although not of the Vatican a Christmas
The Party's Over (Smoking Popes album) The Party's Over (Smoking Popes album) The Party's Over is the fourth album by pop rock group the Smoking Popes. It is a collection of ten cover tunes that was recorded in 1998 as a perfunctory effort to fulfill the Popes' part of their recording contract with Capitol Records. The album was rejected by the label, and the band was released from their contract as they had hoped. The album was released five years later (in 2003) by Double Zero Records. The album received a lukewarm review by Tim DiGravina on AllMusic. Gravina posed the question of whether the album