The project aimed to combine the sacred world of Gregorian chant with the secular piano, carefully avoiding the "plainchant police" who insist on unaccompanied performance.
Cultural Impact
Plainchant has experienced a boom among young people, especially since the 1980s film adaptation of Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" with a Gregorian soundtrack.
Album & Artwork
This album, "Meditations - Chant & Piano," is the result of an unusual collaboration between a Dominican monk and a pianist, bringing a new look to Gregorian chant.
Performer Biography
Father Robert, whose civilian name is Robert Mehlhart, is the director of music at St. Cajetan's Church in Munich and earned his doctorate in Vienna in 2011 with a thesis on "Understanding Old Sounds."
Interpretation
The ensemble Cantatorium, led by Father Robert, consists of a handful of professional singers who are experienced in this repertory and can "read" plainchant.
Historical Context
According to legend, plainchant melodies were "twittered" to Pope Gregory the Great (AD 540-604) by the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove.
Compositional Technique
Gregorian chants, some over a thousand years old, are traditionally sung in unison and a cappella, without accompaniment, as monophonic prayers.
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