Gregorian – Masters of Chant: Chapter I (2000)
Artist: Gregorian
Album: Masters of Chant: Chapter I
Released: 2000
Label: Edel Records
Genre: Gregorian chant, New Age, Pop/rock crossover
Producer: Frank Peterson
Overview
Masters of Chant: Chapter I (2000) marks the true rebirth of Gregorian as the world came to know them — a project blending medieval Gregorian chant-style male choir vocals with modern pop and rock classics.
Created and produced by Frank Peterson (also known for his work with Enigma and Sarah Brightman), this album reinvented the Gregorian concept after the early 90s pop experiment Sadisfaction. The new direction featured a male choral ensemble performing atmospheric, chant-inspired covers of famous songs, backed by cinematic orchestration and subtle rock instrumentation.
The album became a major commercial success in Europe, launching a long-running and highly successful series.
Album Credits
Core Project Members
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Frank Peterson – producer, arranger, concept creator
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Gregorian Choir – male vocal ensemble
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Jan-Eric Kohrs – co-producer, engineer
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Additional session musicians for orchestration and instrumentation
Production
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Produced by Frank Peterson
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Recorded in Germany
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Released through Edel Records
Tracklist
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Brothers in Arms (Dire Straits cover)
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Tears in Heaven (Eric Clapton cover)
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Nothing Else Matters (Metallica cover)
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Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd cover)
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Moment of Peace
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Hymn (Ultravox cover)
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Child in Time (Deep Purple cover)
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Kyrie
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When a Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge cover)
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Still I'm Sad (Rainbow cover)
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Fade to Grey (Visage cover)
(Tracklist may vary slightly by edition and region.)
Musical Style & Sound
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Deep male Gregorian chant-inspired vocals
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Slow, atmospheric arrangements
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Cinematic orchestration
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Reimagined pop and rock songs in a medieval, sacred style
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Minimal percussion, emphasis on ambiance
The album balances spiritual mood with mainstream familiarity, making rock classics sound solemn and liturgical.
Key Highlights
🎵 Nothing Else Matters
One of the most iconic tracks on the album — Metallica’s ballad transformed into a haunting choral meditation.
🎵 Brothers in Arms
Dark and atmospheric, enhancing the emotional gravity of the original.
🎵 Tears in Heaven
Stripped-down and solemn, emphasizing the spiritual tone.
🎵 Moment of Peace
An original composition that became one of Gregorian’s signature songs.
Fun Facts & Trivia
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The album was inspired by the success of Enigma’s chant-infused style in the 1990s.
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Frank Peterson deliberately avoided making it sound like parody; the goal was reverent reinterpretation.
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“Nothing Else Matters” helped the album gain massive attention, especially among rock fans.
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The project became so successful that it launched an entire multi-chapter series (Masters of Chant II, III, IV, etc.).
Did You Know?
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Gregorian is not an actual medieval choir — it’s a modern studio project using classically trained male vocalists.
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The album achieved multi-platinum certifications in several European countries.
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Gregorian became particularly popular in Germany, France, and Eastern Europe.
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Their live performances feature monks’ robes and cathedral-style stage production.
Commercial Performance & Awards
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Achieved Platinum and Gold certifications across Europe.
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Sold millions of copies worldwide over time.
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Established Gregorian as one of the most successful classical crossover projects of the 2000s.
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Led to extensive international touring.
Critical Reception
Praised for:
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Unique concept
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High production quality
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Emotional reinterpretation of rock classics
Criticism:
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Some critics viewed it as formulaic
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Purists of traditional Gregorian chant considered it stylistically inaccurate
Despite mixed critical reviews, the album was a massive commercial success.
Legacy
Masters of Chant: Chapter I created a new sub-genre of chant-meets-rock crossover and inspired numerous similar projects. It remains the foundation of Gregorian’s long-running career, which would span over a dozen releases.
Album Rating
⭐ 8/10
A bold and highly successful reinvention. While not authentic Gregorian chant, it effectively created a new niche in classical crossover music and became the blueprint for the series.
Download Gregorian Albums from Amazon Music
More Albums:
Gregorian - Masters of Chant Chapter II (2001)
Gregorian - Masters of Chant: Chapter III (2002)
Gregorian - Masters of Chant: Chapter IV (2003)
Gregorian - The Dark Side (2004)
Gregorian - The Masterpieces (Best of CD and Live DVD) (2005)
Gregorian - Christmas Chants & Visions (2008)
