Father Sandesh Manuel just dropped this fantastic rendition of “The Blessing” in late July. The tune is marked by impressive performances on both guitar and violin. This new recording of the Dublin-based band The Electrics’ 1997 song “The Blessing” may even be better than the original.
Fr. Manuel has a gentle, effortless touch on the guitar that complements his vocals well. The high ceilings of Vienna’s Franciscan Church only accentuate the soft tones with excellent reverberations. All the while, the violin’s meandering solo lines become more and more intricate with each passing verse.
In the video’s description, Fr. Manuel explains that he was introduced to the song by an Irish priest. The pair met while Fr. Manuel was still living in India and the tune stuck with him. He went on to explain why he chose to record “The Blessing”:
Fr. Sandesh’ musical production has really spiked in recent months. His YouTube channel is just brimming with Catholic music, both traditional and original. As a Catholic priest working in Austria, he records in both German and English, which gives his music a wide reach. From classical Catholic music, to hymns, and even R&B and rap, Fr. Sandesh produces Catholic music to suit just about any taste.
