Reviewed by Doug Holland

Compositions spanning more than 70 years are included in this collection of meditative instrumental tunes; total CD playing time is around 76 minutes, comprising 12 tracks by 10 composers. The sleevenotes to the recording provide a detailed historical account of the tracks themselves and also of the role of meditative music within the repertoire of The Salvation Army, and there are technical explanations about the development of this genre within the Army band. The music is simply delightful, with wonderful melodies, interesting, woven arrangements and great variety across the recording. It also manages to represent to the listener the tension, the apparent contradiction and the fine balance between the awesome power and yet gentle grace of God, and it does this by juxtaposing subtle and delicate arrangements with the latent power of the Band. The lyrics are not included, which is slightly disappointing, particularly given the importance placed by The Salvation Army Band on the text on which its music is based. All said, however, this is a pleasant, helpful and rewarding listen.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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