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Soundcheck / November 28, 2007

Soundcheck

Wednesday, November 28, 2007
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  • Graduale Aboense, hymn book of Turku, Finland. 14th-15th century.
    Graduale Aboense, hymn book of Turku, Finland. 14th-15th century.

    Is Gregorian Chant Alive and Well?

    The pope says he's dissatisfied with modern sacred music in the Catholic Church, and is looking to force a return to traditional sacred music such as Gregorian Chant. Today, we find out if the days of folk-inspired worship songs are numbered. Also: Singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins hails from the quaint seaside town of Neptune City, NJ. She also sings about the Garden State on her new album, fittingly titled, "Neptune City." She performs live in the studio.

And the Chant Goes On

Pope Benedict XVI is considering a dramatic overhaul of the Vatican in order to force a return to Gregorian Chant, the medieval music that served the Catholic Church for centuries. Today, two Vatican watchers discuss what this might be more for more modern forms of music. Joining us is Damian Thompson, a leader writer for London's Daily Telegraph and editor-in-chief of The Catholic Herald; and William Berger, a librettist and author of several books including "Wagner without Fear" and "Verdi with a Vengeance."

Damian Thompson's Web site

Thou shalt turn it up to 11

Most of us know about the Ten Commandments – the bans against coveting and stealing and adultery. But the Bible also includes its share of advice on music. A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible explains.

A.J. Jacobs' web site

Nicole Atkins Live

Named one of Rolling Stone's "Top 10 Artists to Watch," singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins and her band, The Sea, perform songs from their Columbia Records debut "Neptune City," named in honor of her New Jersey home town.

Nicole Atkins's MySpace page
Nicole Atkins in an American Express ad

Introducing our Video Contest

Soundcheck

John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.

In Studio: Los Amigos Invisibles

Soundcheck

The Venezuelan funk-rock band "Los Amigos Invisibles" was discovered by David Byrne in a Manhattan record shop. They perform live on Soundcheck.

In Studio: Angel Deradoorian

Soundcheck

The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.

Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico

Soundcheck

Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.

The Decemberists

In Studio: The Decemberists

The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.

headphone

Sound Off

Soundcheck

Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.