https://www.discogs.com/Benedictine-Monks-Of-Clervaux-Salve-Festa-Dies/release/13323405
Salva festa dies is the big hit of the year 609. It went on to be sung at Easter every year since then. Sung by monks that is. It is maybe the best known Gregorian chant in the world, so why not make it the title?
I don’t know in what year this was recorded, or at least the label itself does not show it. Discogs to the rescue. This one is from 1980, it says, but it is a rerelease. There is another version of the same recording, where it does state on the label the recording is from 1960. That makes sense, from what I can hear.
It is a good recording, with good performers (sounds a bit weird if you’re talking about monks). It really takes me back to the Middle Ages (read: before the second Vatican Council). The tiny municipality of Clervaux lies in the north of Luxemburg. It’s abbey, called St. Maurice & St. Maur had a big influence on Gregorian chant, but has existed only since the late nineteenth century.