Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

What's not to like? This is a well-compiled collection of thought-provoking pieces that would aid those who like to use music while meditating and is also a splendid compilation in its own right. Actually, it is two compilations collected together, disc one being choral and disc two orchestral. I have classified it as choral as this disc will be of more interest to readers of Cross Rhythms as all are clearly Christian. We open with a section titled "Pools Of Sacred Calm" which is a brief introduction to contemporary choral classics, featuring Samuel Barber, Arvo Part, and Sir John Tavener. If you have any interest in 20th century choral music you will have much of this in your collection and will enjoy hearing all of them again. Tavener's "Song For Athene", for example, still moves me as does Barber's haunting "Agnus Dei", a vocal arrangement of his popular "Adagio For Strings". Frankly, there are better recordings of some of these pieces available elsewhere but what is on offer here is never less than adequate and the Naxos budget price means we get real value for money. However what comes next, "Pure Stillness" is absolutely top drawer, with three pieces by Thomas Tallis all sung by Jeremy Summerly's Oxford Camerata. The closing "Salve Intemerata" is worth the price of admission on its own. CD two is instrumental and is linked by the use of natural sounds, particularly birdsong. We open with two favourites, "On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring" by Frederick Delius followed by Ralph Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending". Chances are that if you have an interest in classical music you have these already and, equally, the chances are you won't have what follows: "On The Wing" features "In The Wood" by Arthur Bliss and "Cantus Articus" sub-titled "Concerto for Birds and Orchestra" by Einojuhani Rautavaara. Both pieces are lovely, by the way. Then we conclude with "Soulscapes", starting off with some splendid didgeridoo playing on Peter Scunthorpe's "Earth Cry", followed by Alla Pavlova's "For A New Millennium" and concluding with an unfamiliar piece from a familiar name: Edward Elgar's "Sospiri". This is a lovely compilation and will send me on a hunt to track down some of the classical pieces to add to my collection to join the more familiar choral ones. Whether you have any or all (which I very much doubt) this is recommended.

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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