Chant

Amazon.com
Thanks to good marketing, good cover art, and good luck, this disc probably has sold more copies than most other recordings of Gregorian chant put together. It's often quipped that most of those discs have been listened to exactly once and put away--to the puzzlement of many musicians and critics, who point out that there are more beautiful, more varied performances by professional singers available. Yet the singing of these Spanish Benedictines has a special quality that probably explains this disc's popularity--a reverent serenity that no doubt stems from the fact that the monks are actually praying, not just performing. Granted, Chant can become a bit monotonous with repeated listening, but it really gives you the sense of devotion that has always been the purpose of "Gregorian" chant. If this recording (ahem) enchants you at first, wonderful. If you get bored with it later, don't give up--there has been an extraordinary variety of styles and sounds over the 1,500-year history of plainchant, so go exploring with Anonymous 4, Ensemble Gilles Binchois, Sequentia, or Ensemble Organum. You won't be sorry. --Matthew Westphal

I own it Not rated Your rating Don't like it < > I love it! Save your rating    ? 1 2 3 4 5

38 Reviews 5 star:  (28) 4 star:  (6) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:  (2) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review (38 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   21 of 21 people found the following review helpful: A Standard Bearer for the Genre! Calm, Peaceful, Beautiful!, August 18, 2005 By  Frederick Baptist (Singapore) - See all my reviews          I have to admit that when I got this disc, it was more out of curiousity as it had done very well commercially and although I had read about Gregorian Chants, I had no idea what they were and thought that this would be a good way to find out. Well, the sound quality of the recording was quite decently done and what struck me was the calm, serene vibes I was getting from listening to the tracks. And then it struck me that there were no musical accompanyments and it was just these guys with their voices! So simple and yet so beautiful were the sounds coming out of the disc. A great stress reliever and to think that this kind of music has been around for millenia! Highly recommended!   15 of 16 people found the following review helpful: Cloistered Calm, July 24, 2000 By  Daniel G. Berk (West Bloomfield, Michigan) - See all my reviews That the calm and the serenity conveyed by these chants, which have survived for approximately 1,500 years, is still relevant today, can be readily appreciated by the fact this recording stayed at the top of the best seller list an inordinately long period of time upon its release. In addition, if one has a sense of history, listening to this music is like peering through a window into the distance past. The intervening hundreds of years seem to melt away.   13 of 14 people found the following review helpful: Extremely beautiful, December 23, 2004 By  isala "Isabel and Lars" (Fairbanks, Alaska,, US) - See all my reviews    These guys started a trend. Of course, gregorian chant records had been around before, but they had not sold so well. This CD took everyone by surprise. It actually is very nice! The singing is so beautiful, so spiritual, so calming. I think that since these guys are monks, the praising and praying does actually mean something to them, and therefore it sounds so true. Share your thoughts with other customers:  › See all 38 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews Not your usual Kyrie CHANT arrived in good condition ahead of the promised delivery date and for a bargain price. The singing is well done. Published 2 months ago by Melba Vickery Benedictine Chant This CD is very pretty. A nice CD to play around Easter time, which I did. The voices blend beautifully making it great for a meditation practice, massage, or even for yoga during... Published 8 months ago by C. A. Dzubak Chant Great CD, best music to study with, sleep with, or just relax. And it's Holy too! Great gift, very classic. Published 12 months ago by Eric Williams Chant The CD was received on time and in excellent condition. I use the CD in the evenings to slow me down and get me in a relaxed mood. Published 18 months ago by Walter M. Ziemba Chant It is a true to life portrail of the medieval prayer form. Some things are ageless. Published 21 months ago by Norman Mahoney PEACE FROM WITHIN I can't understand most of the latin words in these chants but the spirituality, harmony and the "music" in the monks' voices are refreshing to the soul. Published 23 months ago by Ysaac J. Chabo One of the WORST chant recordings EVER ! Let me state that I am a big fan of religious chant..Many fine choirs have,over the years,contributed to this repetoire,and it is a very soothing and often spiritually up-lifting... Published on December 6, 2006 by Charles H. Levenson Gregorian Chant I purchased this item because one of my children has been going through the Tomatis method of auditory integration training to correct some auditory processing issues that affect... Published on August 13, 2006 by Angel Max The Benedictine Monks changed my life!!! Upon first hearing this compact disc, I was struck by its purity and unfathomabilty. Such brilliance! Such peace, the likes of which has never entered my soul! Published on May 31, 2006 by Benedictine RELAXING EXCELLENT FOR RELAXING, MEDITATION, OR INTROSPECTION. WHEN I HAVE HAD A BAD DAY, I POP THIS IN ON MY WAY HOME FOR RELAXATION. Published on March 23, 2006 by Kevin A. Pendleton Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 38 customer reviews...

• Classical > Chamber Music > General
• Classical > General
• Classical > Historical Periods > Classical (c.1770-1830) > Forms & Genres > Chamber Music
• Classical > Historical Periods > Early Music > Sacred & Religious
• Classical > Opera & Vocal > General
• Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Chants
• Music Deals > All Music Deals
• Music Deals > More Titles at Least 25% Off

Advanced Search  |  Browse Styles  |  Classical  |  Top Sellers  |  New & Future Releases
Music You Should Hear  |  Blowout Music  |  Used Music  |  Free Downloads