Beauty and breadth of Latin vocal music
  • tdunbar
    Posts: 120
    In a recent thread, there was a discussion of what one CD to give to someone
    to introduce them to Gregorian Chant. That prompts me to ask a somewhat
    related question:

    Suppose in a college Latin class, the matter of the beauty and breadth of the Latin vocal
    repertoire arises. What CDs would you recommend as a sampler?

    I'm too ignorant to make suggestion, but I'll not let that stop me:

    1) Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz: Chant Music for Paradise
    2) Jacob Obrecht: Missa de Sancto Donatiano
    3) Stile Antico: Song of Songs
    4) Victoria: O Magnum Mysterium; Ascendens Christus in altum
    5) Cantores in Ecclesia: O Lux Beatissima
    6) Tallis Scholars: The Essential Tallis Scholars
    7) Monteverdi: Vespers 1610

    i'll stop there as my "sampler" is already too extensive, i guess
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    I'm too ignorant to make suggestion, but I'll not let that stop me

    Ooh! You could join your local liturgical planning committee.


    Sorry, I couldn't stop myself from making that joke.

    Likewise, I can't stop myself from posting this very enjoyable recording of some of the most badly-pronounced (but amazingly consistent) Latin singing.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g5sMHGFmOA&f
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    It is partly the local accent, but even worse:

    It is in the wrong key for their voices. They may enjoy the guttural quality of the key they are in, but it should lie much higher in their voices.

    Possibly they are reading it out of a modern pulp catholic hymnal, which would explain the key. This is a very good example of the folly of lowering keys to make them singable.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    It's actually a remarkably famous recording- one of only three singles in Latin to hit number 1 on the UK charts (the other two being two different performances of Lloyd Webber's Pie Jesu).
    It showed up on my "Stile Antico" Pandora station awhile ago and I couldn't get it out of my head.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Infamous.

    I'm familiar with the group.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Pie Jesu may be latin but sure is not suited to the liturgy....can you say Look and see who the girl is singing the real high loud note. in Latin?

    Here it is in Japanese...見て、人の女の子が本物の高大声で注意して歌っている参照してください。
    and it means the same thing.

    まだ典礼に適しています。
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    Oh, I totally agree on Pie Jesu.

    Well anyway... I'm sorry I derailed the thread with humor.
    Back to tdunbar's question:

    Recordings that showcase the beauty of the Latin language?
  • SamuelDorlaque
    Posts: 318
    Just about anything from James O'Donnell or Martin Baker at Westminster Cathedral or
    Westminster Abbey.
  • JamJam
    Posts: 636
    え？　日本語しってる、カエル男さん？ because that second sentence you gave actually says that Pie Jesu IS suited to the liturgy?? (適しています being a present tense, 適さない a negative formulation--"NOT befitting")

    I would echo #5 above--the Cantores in Ecclesia, O Lux Beatissima. Any reputable schola ought to know most, if not all, of what's on that CD. It's pretty basic repertoire it seems to me.





    　
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Meant to say

    まだ典礼に適しています。

    す being the operative word.
  • tdunbar
    Posts: 120
    speaking of Cantores in Ecclesia, their "Cantores in Ecclesia - In Rome" is another excellent compilation
  • BachLover2BachLover2
    Posts: 330
    the fssp cd's are also very good
  • Maureen
    Posts: 679
    Re: the original request --

    I notice you don't have any secular Latin vocal music listed.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    MusicaSecula would seem to have its own site....
  • tdunbar
    Posts: 120
    I heard polyphony was the secular outgrowth to the Gregorian chant of the church and monastery. Have I been misinformed :)
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Yes, polphony, singing of melodies against melodies, was an outgrowth of chant, but it, like chant, could be sacred of secular based on the text.
  • tdunbar
    Posts: 120
    secular has a variety of meanings: Not bound by monastic restrictions, especially not belonging to a religious order.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    sacred does too...so?

    sacred |ˈsākrid|
    adjective
    connected with God (or the gods) or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration : sacred rites | the site at Eleusis is sacred to Demeter. See note at divine .
    • religious rather than secular : sacred music.
    • (of writing or text) embodying the laws or doctrines of a religion : a sacred Hindu text.
    • regarded with great respect and reverence by a particular religion, group, or individual : an animal sacred to Mexican culture.
    • sacrosanct : to a police officer nothing is sacred.
    DERIVATIVES
    sacredly adverb
    sacredness noun
    ORIGIN late Middle English : past participle of archaic sacre [consecrate,] from Old French sacrer, from Latin sacrare, from sacer, sacr- ‘holy.’

    If you cannot tell the difference between music that sounds sacred and music that sounds secular...this may not be a real comfortable group to be in!
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