Rating : - An Album of inutterable beauty, grandeur, bathos and charm
We all snicker about 19th century sentimentality, but there's no way to patronize this amazing collection of songs, especially in these grandly serious and respectful performances. There's tremendous variety here, but on the whole, listening to these songs is like gazing into a majestic post-Hudson River School landscape of breathtaking grandeur and detail. The Harmoneion Singers are sensational as usual, displaying the tenderest attention to every nuance of emotion. The songs range from charming miniatures like "We are Happy Now Dear Mother," to rousing, marchlike hymns, such as "You Must Be a Lover of the Lord." My favorite is "Shall we Know Each Other?" which triggers celestial visions, and is darned catchy to boot. Ladies and gentlemen, THIS is the 19th century.