I got introduced to Weston Priory's music in May of 1980 when I went on a personal directed retreat at a retreat house in Connecticut with some women religious. There was a large room which housed a record player with some of the Weston Priory records. I felt in love with them and began collecting their music first as records, then tapes, and finally CDs. I think I have all of their music, but now most of it is on YouTube.
I suspect they have about only a dozen monks left. You will find much of their recent history since 2018 here on their blog
There is not a lot but their most recent five-minute drone view of their monastery with music but no narration gives you a good idea of the setting
I have several posts on one of my blogs which has embedded much of their music according to the liturgical year
Gregory is married to artist Kathryn Carrington. Her gold-leaf icon paintings hang in many churches and may be seen on her website:
See her watercolors, handmade paper, and other paintings, some inspired by the Hubble images on her website:
Gregory Norbet is a respected composer, singer and spiritual leader. His specialty is group spiritual development and renewal, using song, Scripture and the spoken word.
Thanks Jack! I am familiar with some of the music but not all of it. Many of the songs are included in the OCP music edition that our parish uses.
ReplyDeleteThe drone footage is lovely. It appears that they have a beautiful setting.
I enjoyed seeing examples of Kathryn Carrington's art. She is a very talented artist!
This past Saturday evening, I subbed on piano for our music director. The entrance song was Gregory Norbet's Hosea. I learned that song 40+ years ago, the same way we learned a lot of music in that era: by playing off guitar lead sheets, which only had the melody notes, guitar chords and lyrics. A pianist had to use his/her imagination to build a piano accompaniment from those elements. So, 40+ years ago, I came up with a flowing, arpeggiated keyboard accompaniment. And I have played it that way ever since; that's how my mental ear "hears" and "feels" that song.
ReplyDeleteYesterday (Sunday), I heard our music director play it. She "hears" it and plays it quite differently, in a more contemplative, less arpeggiated style. Different than my approach. But it sounds good when she plays it that way.
I wish I had learned to have improvise like that. I have to have the notes in front of me.
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