Daniel Mullaney’s is perhaps one voice which could outshine that of St Mary Cathedral’s Dodd Organ, painstakingly restored in 2009.
Both voices, well-known to Cathedral parishioners and Archdiocesan personnel alike, can be heard on the CD Daniel sings at St Mary’s Cathedral launched last Christmas.
A recording of St Mary’s former cantor was never in doubt, receiving strong backing from Cathedral Dean Monsignor Michael Keating.
The CD features a number of favourites, including Panis Angelicus, Ave Maria and Tota Pulchra Ses Maria made famous by Dom Moreno, a Benedictine monk from New Norcia in the 1950s.
“The CD can be thought of as a tribute to Our Lady,” Cathedral music director Jacinta Jakovcevic, who accompanied Mr Mullaney, said.
Although many of the hymns offer adulation to Our Lady, Mr Mullaney and Ms Jakovcevic also perform hymns honouring his saving son, including Divine Redeemer, and pieces from Messiah and Les Rameaux.
“Les Rameaux is French for ‘the palms,” Ms Jakovcevic said.
“It’s a hymn about Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. It was also the first hymn to be sung at the blessing of the Dodd Organ in 1910.”
The CD is special for another reason too. Mr Mullaney joined St Mary’s Cathedral choir in 2002 as a treble chorister and, in 2008, became its principal cantor, a position he held till the end of 2012.
Mr Mullaney has travelled to England to continue his studies in music.
“The CD is a way of remembering Daniel’s voice,” Ms Jakocevic said. “It is capturing a part of him and we thought it was a good idea to have a collection of pieces to share with everyone.”
The CD costs $15 and is available at the Cathedral.