The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos - Chant (1994)

From the CD insert:

Timeless sounds. Amazing grace. Their voices echoing through the magical calm of their historic cloister, the monks of Stanto Domingo de Silos sing the sublime music of an assured and serene spirit - Gregorian chat.

Those that didn't weren't yet alive in 1994 might not believe that one of the hottest albums that year was made up of 1,000 year old Gregorian chants sung in Latin by a group of 36 monks who live in an eighth-century monastery in Spain. I lived through it and I'm not sure I understand the album's double-platinum(!) success. To be sure, there were plenty of "chant" CDs released in its wake. I don't think the label executives at Angel expected that level of success when it marketed this album as way to relax and relieve some of the stresses of everyday life. My father somehow obtained a copy and now that's been passed on to me.

It is indeed relaxing and beautifully performed, but this isn't the kind of music I seek out.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #3
• Billboard Classical: #1

Tracks: 19 unison a capella tracks, sung in Latin, ranging in length from 42 seconds to over 6 minutes.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I studied plenty of Gregorian chant while pursuing an undergraduate music degree so I understand what's going on. But, in spite of the inherent beauty of the works, the idea of listening to it again in 1994 didn't exactly appeal me.