Friday, March 6, 2020

Gregorian - Masters of Chant - The Platinum Collection (2017) | Analysis. Fun Facts & Trivia

Gregorian - Masters of Chant - The Platinum Collection (2017) album front cover

Gregorian - Masters of Chant - The Platinum Collection (2017)
Album front and back image covers

Gregorian – Masters of Chant – The Platinum Collection (2017)

Artist: Gregorian
Album: Masters of Chant – The Platinum Collection
Released: 2017
Label: Edel Records
Genre: Gregorian chant, Classical crossover, New Age
Producer: Frank Peterson

Overview

Masters of Chant – The Platinum Collection is a compilation album released in 2017 that celebrates Gregorian’s most iconic tracks from the Masters of Chant series.

The album collects highlights from Chapters I through X, featuring fan-favorite reinterpretations of rock, pop, and alternative hits in Gregorian’s signature male chant style. This collection serves as both a retrospective for longtime fans and an accessible introduction for new listeners, offering the most celebrated tracks in a single release.

Album Credits

Core Team

Frank Peterson – producer, arranger, concept
Jan-Eric Kohrs – co-producer, engineer
Gregorian Choir – male vocal ensemble

Production

Produced in Germany
Released via Edel Records
Orchestration, programming, and mixing handled by Peterson’s production team

Tracklist (Highlights)

Nothing Else Matters (Metallica cover)
Bring Me to Life (Evanescence cover)
Hurt (Nine Inch Nails / Johnny Cash cover)
Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day cover)
Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin cover)
Angels (Robbie Williams cover)
Fix You (Coldplay cover)
In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins cover)
My Immortal (Evanescence cover)
Time to Say Goodbye (Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli-inspired arrangement)
One (U2 cover)
Engel (Rammstein cover)
Run to the Hills (Iron Maiden cover)
The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel cover)

Exact tracklists may vary depending on edition or region.

Musical Style & Sound

Deep male Gregorian-style choir harmonies
Epic, cinematic orchestration and ambient textures
Slow-to-mid-tempo reinterpretations of rock, pop, and alternative classics
Combines nostalgia for longtime fans with polished production for new listeners

This compilation emphasizes Gregorian’s most theatrical and emotionally resonant tracks, showcasing the hallmark sound of the Masters of Chant series.

Key Highlights

🎵 Nothing Else Matters

Iconic Metallica ballad with cathedral-style harmonies and epic orchestration.

🎵 Bring Me to Life

Evanescence’s gothic-rock hit reimagined with dramatic choral arrangements.

🎵 Time to Say Goodbye

Emotional, cinematic close with soaring choir and orchestral textures.

🎵 Stairway to Heaven

A solemn reinterpretation of Led Zeppelin’s legendary anthem, a recurring highlight throughout the series.

Fun Facts & Trivia

The Platinum Collection was released to celebrate the legacy of the Masters of Chant series and highlight its most popular tracks.
Many of the included songs are updated or remastered versions, giving them a fresh, polished sound.
This compilation is often considered the definitive introduction to Gregorian’s pop/rock reinterpretations.
Fans appreciate the album as a complete, curated overview of the two-decade-long series.

Did You Know?

Gregorian’s albums often simulate cathedral acoustics through multi-layered choir recordings, which is especially noticeable in this compilation.
The Platinum Collection allows listeners to hear the evolution of Gregorian’s arrangements from Chapter I through Chapter X.
Tracks like Engel and Run to the Hills showcase Gregorian’s versatility in adapting even heavier rock songs.

Commercial Performance

Charted in Germany and other parts of Central Europe
Strong sales due to its comprehensive selection of fan favorites
Reinforced Gregorian’s status as a leading classical crossover act

Critical Reception

Praised for:

Excellent selection of iconic tracks
Remastered and polished production
Represents the highlights of a long-running and successful series

Criticism:

No new material, primarily a compilation
Some critics felt it lacked surprises for longtime collectors

Legacy

Masters of Chant – The Platinum Collection serves as a definitive summary of Gregorian’s flagship series, highlighting the most beloved tracks from Chapters I–X. It is ideal for both newcomers and fans who want a comprehensive, polished collection of Gregorian’s cinematic choral interpretations of rock and pop hits.