Chant (Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos album)
Chant | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Compilation album by Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de Silos | ||||
Released | March 15, 1994 | |||
Recorded | 1972-1982 | |||
Genre | Gregorian chant | |||
Length | 58:26 | |||
Label | Angel | |||
Producer | Maria Francisca Bonmati | |||
Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de Silos chronology | ||||
|
Chant is a
The performances were recorded perhaps as early as the 1970s, either in the province of Burgos or in Madrid, the Spanish capital.[1] The music did not sell significantly until it was re-released by Angel Records in 1994 when it was marketed as an antidote to the stress of modern life. Chant is the best-selling album of Gregorian chant ever released. It peaked at No. 3 on the
Performers
The monks of Santo Domingo de Silos have been singing Gregorian chant since the 11th century (before that, they used
Sources agree that the music on Chant had been recorded some years before it achieved worldwide fame. However, the exact dates appear to be elusive. According to the records posted on the Gregorian Association site, Chant consists of recordings made 1972-1982.[5] Blair Sanderson suggests that a seminary in the Spanish city of Logroño invited the monks to record a vinyl album of chant in order to popularize it among churchgoers, and that most of the music was recorded around 1980, while there is a greater proportion of music recorded in the 1970s in the follow-up album Chant II.[1]
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Reviewers expressed surprise at the commercial success of the album.[6] Not only had Gregorian chant been regarded as a specialist market by record companies, but also other monastic choirs, such as that of
The monks normally follow a routine based on their monastic duties. However, following the commercial success of Chant, they made publicity appearances and were interviewed on The Tonight Show and Good Morning America.
Sequel albums
In 1998, Chant was reissued as a gold-audiophile CD by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. In 2004, it was re-issued along with its follow-up, Chant II as Chant: The Anniversary Edition by Angel/EMI Classics.
The album was spoofed by members of the comedy rock band Big Daddy, performing as the Benzedrine Monks of Santa Domonica, in their album Chantmania,[10] which included Gregorian-inspired versions of notable pop songs. Sandra Boynton also produced a book and CD entitled Grunt: Pigorian Chant from Snouto Domoinko de Silo.[11]
Ravi Shankar claimed that his album of Indian chants, Chants of India (1997), was conceived when Angel were looking to repeat the commercial success of Chant.[12]
Track listing
- "ModeVII) – 3:36
- "Os Iusti": Gradual (Mode I) – 2:49
- "Christus Factus Est Pro Nobis": Gradual (Mode V) – 2:39
- "Mandatum Novum Do Vobis": Psalm132 (Mode III) – 1:41
- "Responsorio(Mode IV) – 6:11
- "Alleluia, Beatus Vir Qui Suffert": Alleluia (Mode I) – 3:10
- "Spiritus Domini": Introit (Mode VIII) – 3:46
- "Improperium": Offertorio(Mode VIII) – 2:36
- "Laetatus Sum": Gradual (Mode VII) – 2:17
- "Kyrie XI A": Kyrie (Mode I) – 1:06
- "Puer Natus In Bethlehem": Ritmo (Mode I) – 1:58
- "Jacta Cogitatum Tuum": Gradual (Mode VII) – 3:34
- "Verbum Caro Factum Est": Responsorio (Mode VII) – 4:04
- "Genuit Puerpera Regem": Antiphonal And Psalm 99 (Mode II) – 2:56
- "Occuli Omnium": Gradual (Mode VII) – 3:21
- "Ave Mundi Spes Maria": Sequenza(Mode I) – 4:18
- "Kyrie Fons Bonitatis": Trope (Mode III) – 4:00
- "Veni Sancte Spiritus": Sequenza (Mode I) – 2:42
- "Hosanna Filio David": Antiphonal (Mode VII) – 0:42
Personnel
- Jay Barbieri – art direction
- Angel Barco – original engineer
- Maria Francisca Bonmati – original producer
- Ismael Fernández de la Cuesta – music direction
- Robert LaPorta – compilation producer
- David Foil – liner notes
- Richard Price / Ted Jensen – mastering
- Francisco Lara – music direction
- Marvin Mattelson – cover design, cover art
- Aimee Gautreau – marketing
Charts
Chart (1994) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] | 11 |
US Billboard 200[14] | 3 |
Certifications and sales
‹See Tfd›‹See Tfd›Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[15] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Italy | — | 50,000[16] |
Netherlands (NVPI)[17] | 3× Platinum | 75,000^ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[18] | 4× Platinum | 500,000[19] |
Sweden (GLF)[20] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[22] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 4,000,000[2] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
- ^ Washington Post. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ Alston, George Cyprian. "Abbey of St. Solesmes". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 23 March 2015
- ^ a b Selective Chant Discography, The Gregorian Association (London, England)
- ^ Monks of S. Domingo de Silos, The Gregorian Association
- ^ Lister, David (29 March 1994). "Plainsong soars up the charts". The Independent. London. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
- ^ [1] Chant Noël at Amazon.com
- ^ [2] Chant II at Amazon.com
- ^ [3] Chant III at Amazon.com
- ^ [4] Chantmania at Amazon.com
- ^ [5] Grunt at Amazon.com
- ^ Al Weisel, "Ravi Shankar on his pal George Harrison and 'Chants of India'", Rolling Stone, 15 May 1997 (retrieved 7 August 2022).
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Monks of Santo Domingo – Gregorian Chants". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard 200: Week of May 28, 1994". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Monks – Canto Gregoriano". Music Canada. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- Billboard. p. 75. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Dutch jazz certifications – Coro de Monjs del MonasterioBenedictine Monks – Canto Gregorino" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 8 October 2022. Enter Canto Gregorino in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1994 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
- ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- Billboard. p. 54. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "British album certifications – Monks' Chorus Silos – Canto Gregoriano". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "American album certifications – Benedictine Monks – Chant". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 8 October 2022.