Search - Gregorian Chant, Peregrine Vocal Ensemble :: Gregorian Chant

This collection of Gregorian chants was assembled for performance at a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, with the aim of sharing the Western monastic tradition with contemplatives of another religious tradition. Through the Gregorian chant repertoire it explores the shared values of wisdom and compassion?cherished by both Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism. The chants are organized into five parts. Following the ?Opening? (tracks 1-3) is a section on ?Maria? (tracks 4-7)--a Christian icon of compassion; ?Sophia? (tracks 8-10) --the Christian embodiment of Divine Wisdom; ?Caritas? (tracks 11-13)--the selfless love that results from wisdom and compassion; and concluding chants for the peace of ?Jerusalem? (tracks 14-18)--the ancient city symbolizing the longing in our own hearts for connection as well as the difficulties in realizing that peace. The Peregrine Medieval Vocal Ensemble is an Artist-in-Residence ensemble at St. Mark?s Cathedral in Seattle, WA. The group is also affiliated with the Center for Sacred Art in Seattle. For the members of Peregrine, singing Gregorian chant is a profound spiritual experience, practiced as a meditative and collaborative community. They immerse themselves in the process of singing together, feeling their way to the truth of each chant through experimentation, dialogue, and listening. As part of cultivating spontaneity in their singing, they explore improvisation in the singing of Psalms. Using medieval church modes, they take turns rendering Psalm texts in ways that are colored with their individual understandings and energies. These experiments carry forward the great medieval musical traditions of improvisation and elaboration.