Christe Redemptor by Benedictine Nuns of St Cecilia's Abbey

We associate Christmas with carols, soundtrack of 'Love Actually', and for boomers, 'Last Christmas' by Wham. But listen to 'Christe Redemptor' (Christ the Saviour) from the 1983 album by the Benedictine Nuns of St Cecilia's Abbey, Isle of Wight, England. This sublime piece of Gregorian chant transports listeners to a realm of utter tranquility.

The hymn, with its hauntingly beautiful melody and ethereal harmonies, captures the essence of divine reverence and contemplation. The vocal performance by the nuns-Gregorian chants being unaccompanied sacred songs where the voice alone is a divine instrument-uplifts.

The purity of the voices shines through like crispness in the December air. The minimalist musical arrangement is profound. The hymn's Latin lyrics resonate with palpable sacredness even for those who don't follow the language. One of the wonders of 'Christe Redemptor' is its ability to evoke a rousing sense of peace. The slow, deliberate pacing of the chant invites a meditative experience, no matter your faith, atheism included. Devotion is the essence. Not just to something spiritual, but to something intensely emotional like sound.