Customer Reviews

Lost in Meditation: Meditative Gregorian Chants

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not very knowledgeable about music, but I know what I like, and I like this cd very much. These are lovely Gregorian chants that will enhance anyone's spiritual life. I found them great for prayer or meditation.

One thing I do know, is the art (and it is an art) of translation. An earlier reviewer commented that she (or he) found the liner notes objectionable because they referred to Catholic faith as a "cult." The original liner notes are in German, and the person who translated them into English was probably not a native English speaker. As a result, the language is somewhat stilted in places and some words, like "kultischen" have been mistranslated. The translator used the word "cult" when he should have used the a word closer to "worship". The translator had no intention of insulting The Faith and would probably be distressed to hear of this mistake.
A native English speaker would have translated these liner notes very differently.

So, by all means, if you are considering buying this album, go right ahead. It is a refreshing and lovely album, a great bargain, will give years of listening enjoyment. The liner notes are not meant to offend, they are merely awkwardly translated.

Peace Be With You.

This CD is so wonderful! I had listened to many different recordings of gregorian chants before, but none had that unique quality that assured me that the person who wrote the chants was expressing their love for a higher power. But this one most certainly does. When I listen to it, I am taken back many centuries to a time when life was hard and people looked to God to heal the world. It is truely inspirational, and I would most certainly recommend this CD to anyone!

I am a fan of many styles of music, but ordering a CD of gregorian chant was a stretch for me. This is my first album of the genre, but I'm certainly not disappointed! Lost In Meditation: Meditative Gregorian Chants Volume One is everything you'd expect it to be. With gregorian chant music, there never seems to be too much diversity in the songs. This is because you shouldn't buy the music as if it were your favorite band -- it is completely atmospheric music. Whether used for meditation, background music to everyday activities, or a soundtrack to a much needed relaxation session in your solitude, gregorian chant is a peaceful and almost heavenly way to enjoy some time off in another world (often in a world where you can't help but imagine monks shifting through the humble rooms of a monastery). This particular selection of chants is perfect for the genre as far as I'm concerned. It is an all men choir, and the vocals are in perfect harmony. The recording quality is excellent, with just the right amount of reverb to bring the singing to life. For any fan of gregorian chant, or for anyone newly interested in it, this is a great CD to satisfy your chanting needs. And with a price like this for 21 tracks, you can't go wrong!

This CD is the first of the two. The recording is high quality, and the singing is superb (for plainsong). At less than seven dollars, this CD is one you must add to your library - if only for the 'Miserere' and the 'Pange lingua'!

This CD is great for creating a calm, focused environment. It can be used for meditation, relaxation,or as a sleep-aide. I have not stayed awake past the 3rd track when I listen with headphones after laying down to bed. The only complaint may be that all the tracks sound similar to me. The quality of the recording and singing is excellent. If you speak and understand Latin, you should derive even more from listening to this CD.

For two years this was the only chants-type CD i was able to afford, so I've listened to it a lot. Still haven't got tired of it. Excellent background music. Recommended for washing cars, programming c, baking cookies and killing stress.

VERY SPIRITUALLY UPLIFTING AND RELAXING FOR THE SOUL.
LISTENING TO IT YOU CAN PICTURE IN YOUR MIND MONKS WALKING ALONG
MONASTERY CORRIDORS CHANTING THEIR PRAYERS AND IN A WAY YOUR
SOUL SEEMS TO FOLLOW THEM INTO A MAGICAL AND SPIRITUAL MEDIDATION.IN THIS DAY AND AGE WE ALL CAN DO WITH THIS KIND OF MUSIC.
THANK YOU FOR STOCKING SUCH MUSIC.
REGARDS CHRIS.

The chanting is excellently done. However, the order is a bit unusual. The chants begin with Lent/Passiontide, then progress into Easter, Advent and Christmas. That's a little odd. If you're using this to focus on the life of Our Blessed Lord (like the 15 mysteries of the Rosary), the order is off kilter. But I guess you could just program your CD player with whatever order you want.
The Latin is pronounced well on this CD. (Sometimes you can get a chant CD on which the chanters have French accents.)
Note to the reviewer who was mad about the word "cult": Forgive the translator who used that word. It sounds like a false cognate error to me. The ones who are hardest for me to forgive are those who discontinued Gregorian chant's primacy of place in the liturgy; the ones I can never understand are those who go to Novus Ordo masses. Lex orandi, lex credendi.

This is the best CD of Gregorian chants that I have ever heard. All of them are in Latin, but if you know a few words you can get the meaning of the entire song. The back of the CD even tells you when the songs are for. The twenty-one songs that are on it are:

1. Introitus: Nos autem Passion (16)
2. Graduale: Miserere Passion (2)
3. Antiphon: Immutemur Passion (4)
4. Ruf: Ecce lignum Passion (21)
5. Communio: Qui meditabitur Passion (7)
6. Hymnus: Pange lingua Passion (20)
7. Improperia: Popule meus Passion (23)
8. Halleluja: Veni Sancte Spiritus Ostern (21)
9. Graduale: Haec dies Ostern (4)
10. Offertorium: Terra tremuit Ostern (7)
11. Sequenz: Veni Sancte Spiritus Ostern (22)
12. Communio: Factus est repente Ostern (24)
13. Graduale: Benedicta es tu Advent (4)
14. Halleluja: Tota pulchra es Advent (5)
15. Offertorium: Ave Maria Advent (6)
16. Introitus: Populus Sion Advent (9)
17. Antiphon: O Sapientia Advent (20)
18. Introitus: Lux fulgebit Weihn. (4)
19. Communio: Viderunt omnes Weihn. (13)
20. Halleluja: Vidimus stellam Weihn. (19)
21. Hymnus: Asolis ortus cardine Weihn. (1)

I really love this CD- if you just need to relax or if you want to have nice music playing in the background during Christmas or a party or something, this is a perfect CD to have.

I love this cd. This is exactly what I've been looking for: 1) all male voices, 2) no talking, and 3) no extra music or instruments. This provides the perfect background for meditation, powerful prayer, or just comfort before or after a stressful event.