A presentation of five different monastic choirs with songs about the birth of Christ. Some of them do sound a lot like Christmas, and I admit it is a bit weird to listen to it in the middle of Summer. Although I have been known to like winter food in the sweltering heat.
A long time ago I was visiting one of these abbeys for the first time. It was in the Provence, southern France, and I think I knew the place from recordings. Well, I suppose I should say I knew the sound of their singing. The abbey was in the middle of purple fields of lavender and sweet fragrances. It was quite warm that day.
I don’t think we ever went in the building itself, but we did take a look around the place. I remember I found it surprising in this day and age how religious the place still was. Of course I know that my country is the odd one here: The Netherlands is not that religious anymore. This place was though, it was noticeable in every little detail. And somehow it attracted me to it, maybe because it all felt so in the right place. It fitted.