RIGA - Gregorian is one of those many things that make you go hmm. Hmm, is it any good? Hmm, what's the point of it? Hmm, does the world really need this? But then, as if by magic, all that hmming becomes a lovely sort of humming, and you're off.
Gregorian is, as the name suggests, a mock medieval outfit. But beneath their habits, these men hum a mean pop tune, Gregorian-style, of course. And it just so happens that they're coming to the Baltic states 's all three of them 's where they will probably be very well received.
Gregorian is the brainchild of Frank Peterson, and a rather lucrative nipper it turned out to be. Having sold millions of album copies, Gregorian is now touring to promote its latest work, "The Dark Side," which includes songs from The Doors, The Sisters of Mercy, Aphrodite's Child, and many more.
And the key to the group's success? There is just one basic rule the producers had to stick to, explains Peterson: "Gregorian music uses only seven tones. As soon as there are semitones in a composition, we cannot use it."
That means songs like "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd (covered by the group on its second album) are no problem 's but Elton John's "Sacrifice" turns out to be hard.
"Finding the right tunes is hard, because you never know which songs are finally going to work with Gregorian arrangements 's and sometimes you're surprised," says producer Carsten Heusmann. "Take 'Blue Monday' by New Order. It was a true electronic dance tune which was transposed by us into an atmospheric guitar-driven Gregorian rock anthem."
Hmm, that's good. Gregorian is as good a reason as any to go and see a concert during these long, dark, televisually illuminated winter evenings. But if you see anyone start to pray in the middle of the concert, we advise you to leave immediately. o
