medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Taste in Gregorian Chant is just that...we just don't know much about
how it "sounded"...so I'll offer in my own tastes: I much prefer monks'
chanting, be in Solesmes or some tougher German choirs. I think it's
because for all their imperfections in performance they sound like they
mean it, like they are praying. The professional choirs are surely more
faithful to the medieval notation etc. but there is a detachment, a
coolness, about them that I really dislike.
My least favorite approach is the various early chant albums by the
Ensemble Organum; I've read Peres's arguments about the Greek influence
on early Roman and Ambrosian chant, but it still sounds to me like the
Ottomans had already landed.
Best,
John W.
John B. Wickstrom
Department of History
Kalamazoo College
> -----Original Message-----
> From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious
culture
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of George FERZOCO
> Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 2:01 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [M-R] misericords and singing the Office
>
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
culture
>
> Weeeeeellllllllllll, Christopher ...
>
> People have queued to gain access to our living room in order to:
> a) gasp in amazement at the quantity of vinyl we keep on display
> (even though our turntable is kaput)
> b) mock our ancient ways
> c) both of the above.
>
> To them all, I have steadfastly said nothing, except that some day
> these records will satisfy the auditory and scholarly needs of some
> folk.
>
> And so it is. Christopher, you are thinking of:
>
> Gregorian Chants
> Grand Prix du Disc - Volume II
> Trappist Monks' Choir Of Cistercian Abbey
> Everest Records 3402
>
> The notes on the back of the LP state: 'This collection was
> unanimously awarded the Grand Prix du Disque in 1949.' Unfortunately,
> there is no mention of *which* abbey(s) served as recording locale(s).
>
> One can find the album's contents listed at:
> http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/cds/prd569.htm
> (where the album is listed as 'Volume I', not 'II')
>
> One can buy a CD that includes the nuns' chants from this album at:
> http://mw.mcmaster.ca/scriptorium/mother.html
>
> And indeed, if one acts quickly and is prepared to outbid others, one
> can actually get it on eBay; details at (get ready for the very long
> URL):
> http://cgi.ebay.com/SCARCE-LP-GREGORIAN-CHANTS-Trappist-Monks-
> Everest_W0QQitemZ320317767148QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?
> hash=item320317767148&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1
> %
> 7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
>
> The blurb at the eBay page says: 'Always longed to have your house
> sound like the soundtrack to The Omen? This is the lp for you. 15
> track playlist includes such rottweiler snarling hits as: Salve
> Regina, Libera Me, Improperia and more. Vinyl and jacket both grade
> vf/nm. No Reserve; 1st bid could be wearing hooded robes within
weeks.'
>
> Nuff said ...
>
> George
> --
> George FERZOCO
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> On 12 Nov 2008, at 13:59, Christopher Crockett wrote:
>
> > medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> > culture
> >
> >> "Sooo . . . who DOES have a good recording of chant?"
> >
> > Weelll..... back in the '50s (i.e., at the beginning of the last
> > half of the
> > last century of the last millennium) there were some chant
> > recordings issued
> > (on the "Everest" label?) which must have been among the first of
> > the genre.
> >
> > recorded live in a Belgium (i think it was) monastery, guys doing
> > Latin with a
> > rather heavy French/Waloon (who knows) accent, not at all polished
> > --rather
> > the reverse-- just a bunch of guys comming in from the fields,
> > wiping the mud
> > off their sandals (must have been a pretty clear recording) and
> > doing what was
> > then called, in the secular world of those daze, a "sing along."
> >
> > there were very nice touches, like the end (or was it the
> > beginning?) of an
> > office, with the (very simple) bell tolling in the background as
> > the singers
> > passed by the microphone as they were leaving (or entering?) the
> > church.
> >
> > i had a single vinyl recording for several years before i came
> > across the
> > boxed set, which had 4-5 disks in it, the side of one of which had
> > a quite
> > *spectacular* nuns' choir, doing the (so called) "Ceremony of the
> > Taking of
> > the Veil."
> >
> > about the loveliest vocal music i've ever heard.
> >
> > 15 years ago or so i was overjoyed to find what i thought was the
> > complete set
> > on CD (a newish technology of that era) --three-four disks at a
> > budget price
> > (under $10).
> >
> > i was chagrinned all out when i discovered that some bastard editor
> > had
> > *deleted* the nuns' stuff and --worser-- replaced it with some
> > professional
> > men's choir from somewhere.
> >
> > if anyone happens to know whether or not that nuns' recording has
> > ever been
> > digitalized, i'd appreciate hearing of it.
> >
> > c
> >
> >
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