- Album list
- Singer Intro
Gregorian is a German band headed by Frank Peterson that performs Gregorian chant-inspired versions of modern pop and rock songs. The band features both vocal harmony and instrumental accompaniment. They competed in Unser Lied für Stockholm the German national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song 'Masters of Chant' they placed 5th in the first round of the public voting therefore they were not selected as the top 3 they gained 9.06% of the public vote.
Band history
Originally, Gregorian was conceived as a more pop-oriented group in the vein of Enigma. Under this concept, they recorded the 1991 album Sadisfaction, with lead vocals provided by The Sisters of Oz: Susana Espelleta (Peterson's wife at the time) and Birgit Freud. However, this was the only album in that style.
In 1998, Peterson and his team of Jan-Eric Kohrs, Michael Soltau and Carsten Heusmann re-invented the project to perform popular songs in the Gregorian style. The criteria for song selection were strict; in order to be considered, a song needed to be translatable into the 7-tone scale. For each album, songs were carefully chosen in addition to original songs written by Jan-Eric Kohrs, Amelia Brightman and Carsten Heussman. Twelve vocalists - previously acclaimed session and choir singers - were then hired to record the tracks.
Each Gregorian album is initially digitally tracked at Nemo Studios, Peterson's Hamburg studio. The vocalists then record their parts in a church atmosphere with dimmed lights and candles, in order to escape what Peterson referred to in a 2001 interview as the 'cold and technical' studio atmosphere.
The concept proved to be successful, and the group proceeded to record several more Masters of Chant albums in the same style. Their 2004 album, The Dark Side, was a slight departure from the others, featuring a darker repertoire consistent with the title.
In 2005, The Masterpieces, a compilation album with a live DVD, was released. A fifth Masters of Chant album was released on 31 March 2006. In 2006, a festive album was also released, titled Christmas Chants. A sixth Masters of Chant album was released on 28 September 2007. In 2009 a seventh Masters of Chant album followed.
On 8 September 2010 the next album, titled The Dark Side of Chant, was announced to be published on 15 October 2010.
On 14 September 2012 a new album titled Epic Chants was published with the collaboration of the Russian newcomer Eva Mali.
On 12 November 2015 the tenth album from the 'Masters Of Chant' series was released, called 'Masters of Chant X: The Final Chapter'.
Tours
Gregorian have toured parts of Europe, China, Russia and Japan. Live concert DVDs have also been released.
Band singers
The male singers of Gregorian are/were Alain Bernard, Andrew Busher, Andrew Keelan, Adrian Coverdale-Hill, Alexandre Mack, Ashley Turnell, Benjamin Clee, Brendan Matthew, Berwyn Pearce, Benoit Riou, Chris Goater, Christopher Tickner, Daniel Hoadley, Daniel Williams, David Chabert, David Porter-Thomas, David Tilley, Edward Hands, Frederic Bernard, Gauthier Fenoy, Gregory Moore, Gerard O'Beirne, Jeremy Birchall, Jonathan Clucas, John Grave, John Langly, Karim Bouzra, Loic Boissier, Lawrence White, Mark Anderson, Mark Bradbury, Michael Dore, Matthew Long, Matthew Minter, Matthew Vine, Nicolas Kern, Paul Badley, Phil Conway, Pierre Kuzor, Rhys Bowden, Richard Collier, Richard Naxton, Robert Fardell, Robert Johnston, Roger Lanford, Simon Baker, Simon Grant, Sion Lloyd, Stephen Miles, Stephen Weller, Stephane Werchowski, Thomas Barnard, Thomas Phillips, Timothy Holmes, Timothy Lacy, William King, William Purefoy and Yves Blanchrd.
The female singers of Gregorian are/were Amelia Brightman, Sarah Brightman, Anette Stangeberg, Anna-Lena Strasse, Charlotte Cracht, Eva Mali, Joana Adu, Julia Dorandt, Marjan Shaki and Stefanie Hundertmark.
Discography
Gregorian have released ten albums in their Masters of Chant series and a number of other albums, including a Christmas album. They have also released two types of video album; live concerts and music video albums featuring the singers in various surroundings.
Masters of Chant albums
1999: Masters of Chant
2001: Masters of Chant Chapter II
2002: Masters of Chant Chapter III
2003: Masters of Chant Chapter IV
2004: The Dark Side (called Masters of Chant V in Oceania but distinct from the 2006 album of that name)
2006: Masters of Chant Chapter V
2007: Masters of Chant Chapter VI
2009: Masters of Chant Chapter VII
2010: Dark Side of the Chant
2011: Masters of Chant Chapter VIII
2012: Epic Chants
2013: Masters of Chant Chapter IX
2014: Winter Chants
2015: Masters of Chant X: The Final Chapter
Other albums
1991: Sadisfaction
2005: The Masterpieces (Best of CD and Live DVD)
2006: Christmas Chants
2007: Masters of Chant (Curb Records)
2011: Best Of 1990-2010
2016: Live! Masters Of Chant - Final Chapter Tour
CD singles
1991: 'Once in a Lifetime'
1991: 'So Sad'
2000: 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'
2001: 'Moment of Peace'
2001: 'Voyage, Voyage'
2010: 'O Fortuna'
Video albums
2001: Masters of Chant in Santiago de Compostela
2001: Moments of Peace in Ireland
2002: Masters of Chant Chapter III
2003: Gold Edition
2005: The Masterpieces
2007: Masters of Chant: Live at Kreuzenstein Castle
2008: Christmas Chants & Visions
2011: Masters of Chant Chapter 8 (Gregorian Live in Europe 2011: The Dark Side Of The Chant) - Limited Edition (CD & DVD)
2012: Epic Chants 'Dark Side of the Chants Live In Zagreb' - Limited Edition (CD & DVD)
2013: Epic Chants Tour 2013 'Live In Belgrade' - Deluxe Edition (CD & DVD)
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