On this remarkably haunting and beautiful 1999 release, Lebanese contralto Fadia El-Hage offers creative revivals of the early Christian women's chants of the Middle East, enhanced by modern electronic settings and processing. Drawing upon the ancient music of denominations such as the Maronitic and Melchitic churches, 'the origins of these chants are traced to 4th and 5th century Lebanon and Syria, modified by later cross-pollination between Christian, Islamic and Jewish cultures... That these chants survived at all is remarkable. Despite following a period when women played a prominent role in the rituals of the early church, after the late 4th century there was an ecclesiastical ban on female singing in the liturgy.' Unusual, reverent, and recommended!

Vox