IGNATIAN MUSICAL LISTENING
Roberto Museo, piano, Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla (transcription by J. Zunni and S. Cosentino), recording from the study afternoon L’eredità spirituale di Papa Francesco, Pontificia Università Gregoriana, 28 April 2026.
The choice of the second piece is not accidental: we will listen to Oblivion, one of Astor Piazzolla’s most intense and melancholic works. In this transcription for piano, the density of the tango becomes essential.
Pope Francis, recalling his youth in Argentina, describes this dance as a “wonderful free play between man and woman, full of charm and attraction.”
As you listen, imagine how the dancer and the dancer “court one another, experiencing closeness and distance.” Let the melody reflect the relationship with the Lord: moments of deep union and moments of silent searching.
Follow the rhythm as an expression of “attention, discipline, and dignity.” It is the courage of one who stands before the Mystery without fleeing.
Let the desire for a full life emerge within us. The Pope challenges us forcefully: “Would it not be better, then, to avoid pain, to touch one another only as in a passing dance, to enjoy one another, to play together and then part?” His answer is the heart of this listening: “Do not believe it!”
This music urges us not to settle for superficial emotions, but to glimpse what it means “to give oneself completely.” Listening thus becomes a silent conversation, “as one friend speaks to another,” in which we ask for the grace to believe in the adventure of a love that lasts a lifetime.
It is not important to analyze the piece musically, but to allow it to become the space in which to “feel and taste” inwardly the joy of the encounter. God never tires of seeking us in the rhythm of our existence, inviting us to remain in the play of love with trust and courage, so as to reach, at last, the fullness of life.
Happy listening.
The words of Pope Francis are taken from the preface to:
Francesco, prefazione a Youcat. Amore per sempre (Città del Vaticano: Fondazione YOUCAT, 2014).
The translations of the quotations from Pope Francis are by the Editorial Staff.
