{"id":625,"date":"2011-05-13T11:44:26","date_gmt":"2011-05-13T18:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billchapin.net\/allthecitylights\/?p=625"},"modified":"2015-01-12T09:36:46","modified_gmt":"2015-01-12T17:36:46","slug":"amazon-mp3-store-begs-the-question-how-much-gregorian-chant-is-too-much","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/billchapin.net\/allthecitylights\/2011\/05\/amazon-mp3-store-begs-the-question-how-much-gregorian-chant-is-too-much\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon MP3 Store begs the question: How much Gregorian chant is too much?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Uh ... your cross is glowing. Is it supposed to do that? (via Amazon.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I’ve been a big fan of the Amazon MP3 Store<\/a> ever since I figured out that it consistently undercuts iTunes’ prices. I drop in every morning to see what the MP3 Daily Deal is. At least once a month, it’s some album I’ve been lusting after that’s been given a ridiculously deep discount. (Yes, I know there are ways to get these albums for free months before they’re available from retailers like Amazon, but exchanging money for goods helps convince me that I’m a productive member of society.) Just last week I got Okkervil River<\/a>‘s new album, I Am Very Far,<\/em> for just $3.99.<\/p>\n

Today’s daily deal, however, is a bit of a head-scratcher. Amazon is offering The 99 Most Essential Gregorian Chants<\/em> for $1.99.<\/p>\n

I’ve seen this “99 Most Essential” series on the site before. It’s an extremely economical way to massively expand your classical music collection. I was tempted when they offered The 99 Darkest Pieces of Classical Music<\/em> for a similarly low, low price, because I’m a sucker for dark classical music. It would have given me everything from Prokofiev’s “Montagues And Capulets” from Romeo and Juliet<\/em> to Bach’s “Toccata And Fugue In D Minor” at an average of about 2 cents each, which would have made up for the fact that they were no doubt recordings by second- or third-rate orchestras.<\/p>\n

But Gregorian chant? Ninety-nine <\/em>Gregorian chants??\u00a0Ninety-nine essential<\/em> Gregorian chants???\u00a0I would argue that the number of Gregorian chants any music collection requires is one at most. Any more than that is inessential<\/em>. It’s been 16 years since the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos<\/a> mysteriously became pop stars<\/a>. Even if there\u00a0are still New Age fans out there who bought the line about chant being a relaxing escape from the stresses of the modern world, do they need to escape for almost 13 hours?<\/p>\n

Whatever. I’m saving my pennies for The 99 Most Essential Didgeridoo Solos.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\"Share\"<\/a>\n