Saturday, March 17, 2007

"Crux fidelis" spam but much welcome

You know Gregorian chant is making gains when you start receiving chant-promotion spam in your inbox. But truly, I'm glad this one came because it advertises a new CD from the "Consortium Vocale Oslo" directed by Alexander M. Schweitzer, with this wonderful online performance of Crux Fidelis, the strophic hymn for Good Friday.

Every parish should use this hymn on Good Friday, no exception. Here is a print edition with only three verses but there are many more verses. The lyric quality of this recording, with its idiosyncratic rhythmic styling, would be impossible with a regular schola, as beautiful as it is. But this style is not necessary: a stable punctum provides a beautiful sound too.

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