The choir deftly moves from plaintive whispers of sound to magnificent block-chords -- complete with soaring descants -- without a sense of whiplash.

This disc represents a top-notch set of inspirational hymns performed exquisitely by a well-rehearsed choir backed by a magnificent pipe organ. It is fabulous.


Sublime   January 15, 2001
 15 out of 15 found this review helpful

The organ, choir, and occasional bells blend together here in the sonorities of the Washington National Cathedral. This disc is a must-hear if you enjoy choral music at all.

The bells and subtle accompaniment in "Let all mortal flesh keep silence" is marvelous. Some of these hymns, like "Abide with me" are quiet and reflective. Others, like "Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven" have a wonderful organ intro; the first verse is sung unison, the second verse is sung in parts and the third verse is sung unison with celestial descants that are superb.

You will hear "Amazing Grace" like you have probably never heard it before. It's done acapella, and it's powerful!

There are moments of tenderness and grandeur spread liberally throughout this disc; it is one of the best discs I have ever purchased.


A must own for classic church music lovers   February 16, 2002
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I purchased this CD just based on the titles and am very glad I did. There are only two downsides to the album. First is the fact that there isn't a companion CD with 26 more hymns! Second is picky, but I do agree with another rater that the organ could have been a little louder related to the singing. Hope you enjoy listening!


Flawed but enjoyable   April 14, 2005
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

The huge size and reverberating acoustics of Washington National Cathedral make it difficult to hear any kind of live choral performance clearly, even if you're sitting in the front rows in the nave. The Cathedral Choral Society is handicapped by having to record in this acoustically mushy space, and it shows in this CD, often creating an uneven balance between the organ and the chorus as noted by other reviewers. The repertoire is well-chosen, but the quality of the arrangements is uneven. Too often, the chorus seems to be singing in unison right out of the Hymnal, like any parish church choir at an ordinary Sunday service. Certain pieces do suggest the heights which the Society is capable of attaining. But the group never achieves the splendor that the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys displays every Sunday morning. Just when the Society seems to be getting there, the conductor pulls them back. And the shrill folk arrangement of "Amazing Grace" will have you covering your ears as the sopranos shriek clumsily, confusing volume with fervor.