Recent Recordings of Plainchant

Extract

An effort to catch up on missing discs to be included in the Second Edition of my discography has resulted in an unusually long list this year. ‘Christus Rex’ (1997, no. 2) proved to be the first disc in a series featuring Hervé Lamy, a soloist with the Chœur Grégorien de Paris. It has been followed by ‘Spiritus Domini’ (no. 1 in the list below) and ‘Pater Noster’ (no. 3) to form a Trinitarian programme of chants related to each of the Three Divine Persons. In a similar vein, ‘Le Livre d’Heures de Charlemagne' (no. 2) offers groups of chants that focus on the Carolingian chant reform and other aspects of the king's life. Most of the chants belong to a soloist, Lamy's superb professional tenor a perfect vehicle for interpretations that are faithful to current standards yet inspired by a sensitive interpreter. Credo IV, leading off no. 1, is not a good choice for a solo, but it is sung with great panache. The Ambrosian Gloria and the Te Deum on the same disc are better alternating with the men's schola. For the rest, the Exsultet (on no. 3), lamentations, lessons from Office and Mass, and offertories with verses are ideal selections. An original touch also in no. 3 is a passage of St Matthew's gospel that leads into the communion chant Pater si non potest. The Laudes Regiae, heard on the earlier disc already, are sung again for Charlemagne, Pope Leo and Archbishop Hincmar. These are magnificent examples of recorded chant.