Chant: Music For The Soul

The Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz (Artist), Chant (Composer), Cistercian Monks (Conductor)

Product Details

• Conductor: Cistercian Monks
• Composer: Chant
• Audio CD (July 1, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0019D3DAQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,093 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Early Music > Vocal & Song
  #1 in	Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Early Music > Sacred & Religious
  #2 in	Music > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Chants

Editorial Reviews

Billboard
"It's a pretty safe bet that very few of Universal Music's recent signings count Pope Benedict XVI among their fans. But the pontiff is a definite admirer of the latest boys in the hood(s) to sign globally to Universal Classics"

Product Description
Chant, is the most peaceful music imaginable. Chant: Music for the Soul, is the ultimate in relaxation and stress relief - the perfect antidote to our fast-moving modern world. Chant has proven to heal, calm and also give strength; its power is timeless and universal. Previous albums of chant have sold in the tens of millions. Further fueling the huge general demand is Chant's use in the smash-hit computer game Halo - this is chant for a new computer-gaming generation.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars solid effort, July 1, 2008

By	J. Anderson (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Kudos to the engineers for a beautifully resonant recording in the Stift Heiligenkreuz. The abbey, visited by Benedict XVI who has praised publicly the beauty of its liturgical chant, has created a consummately attractive collection of Gregorian melody that's become a hot international item. The singing itself, compared with Solesmes, is thicker and less spontaneous; the divine interior pulse of Gregorian chant seems often lost by over-consideration. The natural freedom of the singing at Solesmes is a benchmark, and often a spoiler when listening to other recordings; Solesmes' chant, as a musical art, exhibits a spiritual perfection. Chant from the Abbeys of En Calcat, St Maurice and St Maur and others, in its own way bears this kindred spiritual freedom rooted in Solesmes. The devotion of the monks of Heiligenkreuz is apparent, pure and strong, and naturally recommends this disc; musically, which is to say, spiritually, a stream different from Solesmes runs here. Differences between the two Orders although branches of the same tree of Benedict, and inevitable national traditions also figure. It's disappointing the Italian pronunciation of ecclesiastical Latin is transgressed at Heiligenkreuz, where a mixed classical pronunciation is used to chant the liturgical texts. A comparison of the Heiligenkreuz Compline with the Vespers and Compline recording from Solesmes is instructive musically and spiritually, and worth pursuing for those interested. This disc remains a solid effort that truthfully introduces a unique sacred music to countless people who know nothing of it, and will mostly please those who appreciate Gregorian chant. Get it with confidence. And check out as well the discs of chant from Solesmes.

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime, August 3, 2008

By	C. URDAHL (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been interested in Gregorian chant for at least 35 years. Over the years, I have recordings of the chant on cassette & a couple on CD, but this is by far the best. I purchased it on the the strength of an article in the New York Times in late June/early July about the monastery and the recording of some of their daily chant that they had agreed to do; I almost never purchase things on the strength of the recommendation in an article/review. Clearly, the article was persuasive. This the most supple, sublime performance of Gregorian chant I have ever heard. I am not Catholic, but rather a Lutheran, while at the same time being a student of yoga. This recording speaks to the need to die to oneself in the praise of the Divine as recommended in Protestant Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions. I would recommend this to anyone interested in an auditory representation of humanity's desire to connect with the Divine, especially someone looking for something that would aid devotion or meditation. This recording is utterly beautiful and conducive to facilitating an individual's pursuit of the Divine, notwithstanding my own less than perfect understanding of the Latin used in the chant.

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never heard anything like this before, July 1, 2008

By	Jeri Nevermind "loves to read" (Idaho) - See all my reviews

This is amazingly beautiful. Imagine walking into Chartres cathedral on a rainy day. The sheer beauty and of the place overwhelms you with the feeling that you are in the presence of God. Then, from somewhere, music begins. It is lovely and otherworldly. The voices rise and fall, bringing goosebumps to your skin. It is something beyond time and beyond human knowledge.

That's the experience of this music.

Worth every penny and more.