Matthew Westphal wrote:

> This makes me want to put the following questions out:
> 
> "Genius": Which Ensemble Organum recordings do you think are the most
> important?   Ground-breaking, influential, etc. -- you pick (and state) the
> criteria for importance.
> 
> Which Ensemble Organum recordings do you find the most beautiful or
> pleasing?
> 
> "Mad": Which Ensemble Organum recordings do you think were  the biggest
> misses and why?
> 
> Matthew Westphal
> [log in to unmask]

Perhaps we should make mention of the liturgical nature of the music.
The chant (with other early liturgial music) and liturgical text are
theoretically inseperable. The above questions may be tantamount to
asking which prayers we find the 'most beautiful or pleasing' or
misguided, etc. While we can make judgements like this, this is simply
not what a prayer is about.
	If we assume that Peres has a thorough grounding in Roman Catholic
liturgy (as seems likely considering his position) then we must ask what
of his recordings fulfil their liturgical role the best.
	If we take the view that the sacrament of Mass is 'where heaven and
earth meet' (what a sweeping generalisation; bear with me as this isn't
really the place for expounding Christian liturgical metaphysics), then
perhaps we should expect the music to be as 'different' and special as
possible. When the modern plainsong revival started during the last
century, it was only ever heard in church. It was 'special' and
unworldly. Now plainsong is commmonly heard on the radio, and even is
'troped' with drum-tracks for popular consumption. Perhaps Peres's
making of liturgical music as strange as possible is an attempt to
return to the 'other-wordliness' that church music 'used to have'. An
attempt to prevent it from being 'ambient music'; to turn it back into
prayer. To make it appear 'unsullied' by the world if you like.
	I've made many sweeping generalisations, grounded more in the broad
opinion of many churchgoers (which is more important in this issue) than
in musicological and historical fact, but my point is clear. Is Peres
responding to artistic and commercial pressures, or more to liturgical
neccessity and religious belief? Obviously to both, but which is more
important?

	So I posit an additional question:

Which Ensemble Organum recordings/interpretations would you find most
affective/effective for real liturgy?

		Rob Howe.


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%