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Chant

4 Extra Debut. Richard Coles explores a musical phenomenon, when a recording of monks singing Gregorian Chant became a global hit. From 2014.

Richard Coles delves into the 1990's when a recording of Benedictine monks singing became so popular it sold in the millions around the world.

If an album of classical music sold anywhere near one million copies at that time, it was considered unusual. For one to sell more than that was unprecedented. Adding further to this phenomenon was the fact that this was unfamiliar music at the time, Gregorian Chant, performed not by celebrity artists who might attract a large following, but by monks from a remote corner of Northern Spain. EMI marketed this album Canto Gregoriano, or Chant as it was named in Amercia, as a unique antidote to stress.

Richard Coles with former EMI employees Kick Klimbie and Jane McCann, retrace EMI's marketing tactics in the promotion of Canto Gregoriano. Professor Adrian North will also be providing insights throughout the programme into the psychology of marketing, exploring what drives people to buy certain things, and how music can impact upon us physically and emotionally.

Richard Coles also takes a trip to the Isle of Wight, where Gregorian Chant is still an important aspect of life at both St Cecilia's Abbey and Quarr Abbey, and questions whether such music is still capable of having any meaning or impact upon our lives in the twenty-first century.

Producer: Luke Whitlock.

First broadcast on 成人快手 Radio 4 in October 2014.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Sat 18 Jan 2020 01:30

Music Played

  • Anderson, B

    Voulez-Vous

    Composer: Ulvaeus, B. Performer: Erasure.
    • Abba-Esque Ep.
    • Mute.
    • 144.
  • Trad

    Puer natus est nobis

    Performer: San Domingo de Silos Monastery Choir.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi.
    • 5652172.
  • trad

    Genuit Puerpera Regem

    Performer: Ismael Fern谩ndez de la Cuesta. Performer: Monks of Abbey of Santo Domingo De Silos.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi.
    • 5652172.
  • Trad

    Os iusti

    Performer: Monks From Silos Monastery.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi Classics.
    • CMS 5652172.
  • Trad

    Ave Mundi Spes Maria

    Composer: Francisco Javier Lara Lara. Composer: Ismael Fernandez De Cuesta Gonzalez. Performer: San Domingo de Silos Monastery Choir.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi.
    • 5652172.
  • Trad

    Media vita in morte sumus

    Music Arranger: Ismael Fernandez De Cuesta Gonzalez. Performer: St Domingo de Silos Monastery Choir.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi.
    • 5652172.
  • Jan Garbarek

    If You Go Far Enough

    Performer: Jan Garbarek.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • ECM.
    • ECM-1880.
  • Trad

    Offertory Ubi caritas

    Performer: Benedictine Nuns of St Cecilia's Abbey.
    • Corpus Christi St Cecilia's Abbey.
    • Regent.
    • REGCD226.
  • Jan Garbarek

    If You Go Far Enough

    Performer: Jan Garbarek.
    • Jan Garbarek In Praise of Dreams.
    • ECM.
    • ECM-1880.
  • Jan Garbarek

    Parce mihi domine

    Performer: The Hilliard Ensemble.
    • Officium.
    • Ecm Records.
    • 445-369-2.
  • Morales

    Officium defunctorum

    Performer: Jan Garbarek. Performer: The Hilliard Ensemble.
    • Officium.
    • Ecm Records.
    • 445-369-2.
  • Steve Kipner

    Physical

    Composer: Terry Shaddick. Performer: Olivia Newton鈥怞ohn.
    • The Definitive Collection.
    • Universal.
    • 58427-92.
  • Trad

    Oculi Omnium

    Music Arranger: Francisco Javier Lara Lara. Music Arranger: Ismael Fernandez De Cuesta Gonzalez. Performer: St Domingo de Silos Monastery Choir.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi.
    • 5652172.
  • St Domingo De Silos Monastery Choir

    Nos Autem

    Music Arranger: (Trad). Music Arranger: Ismael Fernandez De Cuesta Gonzalez.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi.
    • 5652172.
  • Jan Garbarek

    Beata Viscera

    Performer: Jan Garbarek. Performer: The Hilliard Ensemble.
    • Officium.
    • Ecm Records.
    • 1525 445-369-2.
  • Curly M.C.

    Principles Of Lust

    Performer: Enigma.
    • The Limited Edition.
    • Virgin.
    • CDVIR 10.
  • Trad

    Oculi Omnium

    Music Arranger: Francisco Javier Lara Lara. Music Arranger: Ismael Fernandez De Cuesta Gonzalez. Performer: St Domingo De Silos Monastery Choir.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi.
    • 5652172.
  • Trad

    Spiritus Domini

    Composer: Francisco Javier Lara Lara. Composer: Ismael Fernandez De Cuesta Gonzalez. Performer: St Domingo De Silos Monastery Choir.
    • Canto Gregoriano.
    • Emi.
    • 5652172.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 21 Oct 2014 11:30
  • Sat 25 Oct 2014 15:30
  • Fri 17 Jan 2020 06:30
  • Fri 17 Jan 2020 13:30
  • Fri 17 Jan 2020 20:30
  • Sat 18 Jan 2020 01:30