It seems like it was only a very short while ago that news broke on these Austrian Monks getting a recording contract, and now their first album, Chant; Music for Paradise, will be released on May 19.
As you can hear in the video, they have an unusually pure sound - their voices seem to blend effortlessly and seamlessly.
Gregorian Chant seems to be making a genuine comeback; thanks to the videogame Halo, kids are developing an ear and an appreciation for it; I think that can lead to very good things, even surprising things. Mother Benedict Nuss, foundress of the Abbey of Regina Laudis insisted that her nuns continue with Latin chant even when other monasteries were moving toward the vernacular. She said, “I had an intuitive conviction that the Chant had the power to communicate the life of God as no other music does.”
Anyway, this is pretty cool. Meanwhile Margaret Cabaniss has a very brief snippet of song from those three brother-priests in Ireland who just signed a recording contract. A bit Irish-tenory for me, but it’s such a brief clip, perhaps it’s not fair to judge.
In any case, I don’t think introducing a bit of Chant and such to the pop culture can hurt it any! May do some good!
UPDATE: Brian Saint-Paul has more on the the “Halo” connection which is nothing at all like The Rainbow Connection, but now I’ll have that song in my head all day!
I just love chants and it always helps me as I listen to them, to be a little calmer. I must say though, I prefer monk chants over the nun chants. I don’t know why that is. For me, the men’s voices seems to be a lot more comforting and calming.
I liked the three brothers as well. You are right though, the clip was so short that it was hard to really tell much.
Viola I too prefer the monks to nuns - can’t say why. The nuns doing chant, such as those at the Abbey of Regina Laudis or the Abbey of St. Cecelia, are wonderful, but I do find myself listening more to male voices doing chant. Very calming.
I never made the connection between Halo and the new interest in chant, but I think there’s something to it. Those games have become cultural touchstones for this generation, and that’s the soundtrack throughout.
Consider visiting the web site Choraltreasure.org for on-line listening and sampling of a variety of (professional and religious) artists - including The Tallis Scholars, Chanticleer, Anonymous 4 (4 women), the Monks of Solesme - singing polyphony and chant. The site includes Amazon links to purchase down-loads or CD’s.
Anchoress, that video looks like a fabulous vocations ad! Its wonderfully done. I can see that with Die Grosse Stille out last Lent the monks in general are coming to be seen by many more common folk. I recommended it to the highly pierced young human behind the counter at my local video store. She was rather intrigued with the concept of seeing into a thousand year old monastery. Of course, its not the East so there is no oohing and ahing over anything pagan, but, perhaps with all this artist and high tech exposure, the Western Christian mysticism will make quite a comeback. BTW, I agree with you, male voices this sonorous are far more soothing than female. I listen while I’m at work and the day melts by. Peace.
April 28th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I just love chants and it always helps me as I listen to them, to be a little calmer. I must say though, I prefer monk chants over the nun chants. I don’t know why that is. For me, the men’s voices seems to be a lot more comforting and calming.
I liked the three brothers as well. You are right though, the clip was so short that it was hard to really tell much.
April 28th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Viola I too prefer the monks to nuns - can’t say why. The nuns doing chant, such as those at the Abbey of Regina Laudis or the Abbey of St. Cecelia, are wonderful, but I do find myself listening more to male voices doing chant. Very calming.
April 28th, 2008 at 10:40 am
I never made the connection between Halo and the new interest in chant, but I think there’s something to it. Those games have become cultural touchstones for this generation, and that’s the soundtrack throughout.
April 28th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Consider visiting the web site Choraltreasure.org for on-line listening and sampling of a variety of (professional and religious) artists - including The Tallis Scholars, Chanticleer, Anonymous 4 (4 women), the Monks of Solesme - singing polyphony and chant. The site includes Amazon links to purchase down-loads or CD’s.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Anchoress, that video looks like a fabulous vocations ad! Its wonderfully done. I can see that with Die Grosse Stille out last Lent the monks in general are coming to be seen by many more common folk. I recommended it to the highly pierced young human behind the counter at my local video store. She was rather intrigued with the concept of seeing into a thousand year old monastery. Of course, its not the East so there is no oohing and ahing over anything pagan, but, perhaps with all this artist and high tech exposure, the Western Christian mysticism will make quite a comeback. BTW, I agree with you, male voices this sonorous are far more soothing than female. I listen while I’m at work and the day melts by. Peace.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:40 am
The release date you mentioned for the CD is for England. Any idea when it will be available here?
May 4th, 2008 at 12:20 am
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