Interview Frank Peterson - producer

What inspired you for this project?
Then years ago I was in Spain in a monastery called "El Astorial" and that was the first time I've ever seen monks, real living ones and I've also heard their music, live! And that left a insistently lasting impression on me. Then I went to Ibiza, where I lived, and made my album named "Enigma". And that had a huge impact to approximately 20 million people, who buyed the first single, the first LP. Such a great success was it...
And now, 10 years later, I thought that it would be time again to do something comparable. But now with a different concept. In those days we took traditional gregorian chants and composed music. This time we took a choir, which already existed and told them to perform our composition in their style.

How did you become aquainted with the singers?
I produced a lot in England during the last 3, 4 years, choirs in churches and so on. I worked for example with the Monty Weddy Choir. And thus i had the idea, that there were solis and choirleaders with whom I could become aquainted. We got along well with each other. Some of them were vey frankly to other kinds of music, although they mainly sang classical or mediaeval airs. There were also people who had interests in popmusic. So we gathered a few, tried out and thus remained 10 persons, who ultimately did it, the album. Everyone of them performs professionally in big British choirs, Westmen Selby Choir, Oxford College Choir. Actually people who do not do anything else than being occupied with traditional choirmusic or sacred music. A part of them had sessions for Star Wars. They are also booked for LP-takes.

What was the recording like?
We tried in a studio, in an old church, which we converted into a studio. Afterwards we furnished this studio with candles. That means we created a very pathetic atmosphere. Our choice was this studio because we needed an ambience which fullfilled the claim concerning sounds as well as vibes, with the aim that people might think to be in a sacred location.

What are the origins of Gregorian chant?
The genesis of Gregorian music is a dogma, which was not performed in two voices. Two-voiced-performances were sentenced to death, a very grave sacrilege. I mean, that such a music emerged from a dogma, that's great. It leaves such an impression if you listen to pure Gregoric.

What other projects have you produced before?
Eleven years ago I developed the project "Enigma" with Michael Cretu. After this album, a huge hit, we dissolved our co-operation. I returned to Hamburg and worked with Andrea Bocceli and Sarah Brightman. Furthermore I had a project with the Backstreet Boys. I had acts like Marky Mark feat. Prince Ital Joe together with Alex Christensen, which was very successful especially in Germany. I produced Princessa, Erol Brown from Hot Chocolate. Moreover I also produced the last LP of Ofra Haza. And recently, Gregorians, Masters of Chant.

<<< Back