Grunt: Pigorian Chant from Snouto Domoinko de Silo [Hardcover]

Sandra Boynton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 1996

A delightfully silly, good-natured parody of the recording phenomenon Chant and other works that put Gregorian music on the charts, Grunt is a book and CD set that combines Sandra Boynton's inimitable way with farm animals and a satirical sense that comes deliciously out of left barn.

In a far-off valley live the obeisant Domoinkan Pigs of Snouto Domoinko de Silo. Here, twelve times a day, these simple swine grunt the unadorned, ethereal music of Pigorian Chant (translation included). For occasions from the first mealtime (Op-slay ime-tay. Et's lay eat-ay. Um yay, um-yay.) to Nox Animaliae, when they're joined by all the animals in a harmony that dates back before the time of Caesar Hogustus, the pigs chant.

Listen, look at Sandra Boynton's delicious illustrations, and laugh. It's what to play whenever you're feeling disgruntled.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Tempus porco nihil est," or, "Time to a pig means zilch," according to Grunt: Pigorian Chant from Snouto Domoinko de Silo, a very funny takeoff on the Gregorian chant craze by Sandra Boynton, the author of Chocolate: The Consuming Passion and other droll volumes. This amusing little book, complete with a well-sung 40-minute compact disc by the Ad Hog Camerata, is a note-perfect send-up of chant and the hype that surrounds it. At the same time, the book presents the musical chronicle of a day in the life of one seriously pretentious farm. Boynton's pictures--from the cover to the "illuminations"--are a delight. The cows speak for record company executives everywhere when they intone, "Non plaudite. Modo pecuniam jacite." (Don't applaud, just throw money.) This would make a perfect gift for a musical friend, and if no one gets it for you, you'd be well justified in buying it for yourself for a quick pick-me-up or chant overdose antidote.

Review

Inevitably, the craze for Gregorian Chant in the past few years had to provoke a backlash; the only question was when and in what form it would arrive. One answer is a book titled "Grunt." Its front cover has a cartoon of four pigs, holding candles, looking reverent and floating against a sky-blue background with fleecy clouds-a visual echo of the cover on a best-selling disc by the Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de Silos, who stated the craze. Inside the cover is a compact disc of "Pigorian Chant" performed by the "Ad Hog Camerata." The music sounds like authentic Gregorian chant, and the singing-under the direction of two well-credentialed directors-is quite good. Some of the texts are in authentic (though not liturgical) Latin, for example: "Ecce Macdonaldus senex, qui fundum habet" (Behold Old MacDonald, who has a farm"). Others are in pig Latin-for example, "Y-whay are-ay e-way ere-hay?" E way are-ay ere-hay o-taying-say ad nauseam." Sophomoric? Of course, but also occasionally cute. And, we might add, sui generis. -- The Washington Post

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 28 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (January 9, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761105948
• ISBN-13: 978-0761105947
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 5.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #398,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ore-snay, ore-snay!, August 23, 2001

By 

Thomas C. Nagy "Music Teacher" (Ebensburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grunt: Pigorian Chant from Snouto Domoinko de Silo (Hardcover)

I received this book/CD combo as a gift. The giver requested that I listen and read immediately. Howl! From start to finish, I laughed! The chant (grunt) is authentic, and true to Gregorian modes. The musicians are first rate, though I am not sure how they recorded this without laughing!

Basically, what Boynton and her cohorts have done, is spoof the ever-so-popular "Chant" recordings. It details the day in the lives of some barn animals. The humor is subtle, and it would almost be worth it to learn Latin all over again. After studying the Chant form for a semester in college, I am sure that I find the humor funnier than the average non-music major. Still, it is a great parody that everyone should hear at least once.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funniest thing ever!, July 15, 2005

By 

Colette (Washington State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grunt: Pigorian Chant from Snouto Domoinko de Silo (Hardcover)

My Mother first shared this with me and it is one of the most cleverly funny things I have ever experienced. I belong to a medieval reinactment group (SCA) and I really love putting it on as background at meetings and seeing if anyone catches on. It works both as normal music (if you arn't paying attention it sounds just like regular chant), and as a fabulous IN JOKE.

I think you have to have a certain kind of twisted humor to really enjoy it though... and don't buy it if you don't enjoy chant. You'll get bored otherwise... but I love it and hope to share it with many others.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality Music with quality humor, July 16, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Grunt: Pigorian Chant from Snouto Domoinko de Silo (Hardcover)

As others have noted, this book gets most of its humor value from the parody of the current trendy "Gregorian Chant for new age yuppies" albums, but the underlying concept is fun for anybody who knows a little Latin, grew up Catholic, or just likes erudite barnyard animals. And, unlike the P.D.Q. Bach works, no real knowledge of classical music is needed to appreciate much of the humor here. The real prize in this package is not the book, but the CD. This is good-quality music done by real musicians, who don't let the humorous content of the chant distract them from their skills. The text, where the pigs sing Pig Latin while the other animals sing Latin, is full of Latin translations of English idiom, and the snide comments of the chickens, delivered by angelic, ethereal female voices, win out-loud laughter from everyone for whom I've played the disc