This episode of New Sounds looks at more unusual, off-the-beaten-path treatments of spiritual texts. Featured is the New York based singer/composer Christine Baczewska, whose 2001 CD The X Factor is utterly personal and yet grounded in timeless mythology. Jose Maceda is a specialist in both Indonesian and Filipino music and has created a hypnotic, large-scale mass, Pagsamba, for gongs, voices and bamboos. And the Italian progressive rock superstar Franco Battiato is represented by one of his most compelling achievements, the Missa Archaica for voices, piano, chamber ensemble, and orchestra, a work which resembles music by Arvo Part and Brian Eno.

PROGRAM #1999, unusual treatments of sacred texts (First aired on Thurs, 1/24/02)

ARTIST(S)	RECORDING	CUT(S)	SOURCE
Jose Maceda	Gongs and Bamboo	Pagsamba: Agnus Dei [3:30], Gloria [5:30], Sanctus [2:30]	Tzadik #7067** www.tzadik.com
Christine Baczewksa	The X Factor	See How She Sorrows [19:30]	Pariah Music Project, available from www.harvestworks.org or www.wigged.net
Franco Battiato	Shadow, Light	Messa Arcaica: Kyrie [14:00] Gloria, excerpt [2:00]	EMI/Hemisphere #37234. Amazon.com* has "limited availability";

*,** Find the recordings you've heard - go to the New Sounds Recordings Information page