Along with my John Arlott record, this was one that provoked raised eyebrows and open ridicule at university. Dave Taylor briefly took to calling me "Gregory [snigger]" on the strength of it. As with Sister Feelings Call, it came from Our Price on Bridge Street for £2.99 — possibly in the same month, or even on the same day.
I remain unrepentant. It's all part of the wider project of charting the music that connects to human beings' desires, aspirations and experiences. Where culture (art) meets culture (anthropology).
My record collection is reflection not of who I am, but of who I want to become.
Why Gregorian chants, particularly? Jeremy was a fan of them at school. And I've always been a sucker for singers who come on all mystic or ascetic, and these monks do both! I think we were ahead of the game. Back in 1984, these records were fairly rare: who knows where and when this was recorded (the sleeve notes don't specify), but the Californian record label does advertise that it has been "electronically re-recorded to simulate stereo". Nowadays you can hear Gregorian chants frequently on Radio 3's chill out zone, Late Junction.
As you can see from the Amazon widget below, a whole boxed set of this stuff was later released on CD.
Discogs entry for this album Wikipedia entry for this album |
Have you obtained any Perotin yet?
I think you might like the Organum Novum and the School of Notre Dame, and he is the best example.
Posted by: Saint Mym | 04 March 2011 at 05:23 PM
No, I haven't. Glad of the recommendation, though. Would this album http://www.emusic.com/album/Hilliard-Ensemble-Perotin-and-the-Ars-Antiqua-MP3-Download/11019943.html be a good place to start, do you think?
Posted by: David | 04 March 2011 at 05:37 PM