|
 |
|
|
Reviews |
|
|
| Prom Praise |
| PGDH |
| Published 17 January 2006 |
| |
Beating Time
PROM PRAISE
Moved By Compassion
All Souls Orchestra (No‘l Tredinnick)
If you've ever been to and enjoyed a Prom Praise (or if you're wondering whether you would enjoy such an outing) this is the CD for you! I've been to a couple of such events in the provinces, but this is a 5,000-strong extravaganza at the Royal Albert Hall itself. As extravaganzas go, this is a biggie!
The All Souls Orchestra, under the baton of the ever-bouncy No‘l Tredinnick, is joined by vocal soloists Sarah Stroh and Doug Walker, organist Gerard Brooks, and the Prom Praise Chorus.
Stroh has a lovely, classically trained voice, while Walker's contemporary style is very listenable, but very different. I'm just not sure they mix that well.
The opening track is a lively, yet somewhat over-the-top arrangement of ‘Jesus Is The Name We Honour’. A couple of tracks later ‘Blessing and Honour’ and then ‘Jesus, God's Righteousness Revealed’ get similar treatment. My first impression was of the LSO's Classic Rock album.
Classically honed musicians often have difficulty arranging and playing in a contemporary style. I guess it can be hard to exercise restraint when you have a full symphony orchestra at your disposal. Tredinnick seems to smudge the groove — the bass and drums feel more ornamental than foundational. Sadly there are times when the words get completely lost in the general mush.
However, there is plenty of variety to enjoy: big congregational hymns, dynamic contemporary songs, and orchestral highlights such as Elgar's Nimrod and Bizet's Carmen Prelude. I'd just like to have heard a little more of those 5,000 promenaders.
In a word: spiffing.
PGDH
|
| |
© Evangelicals Now
This column is used with permission. |
|
|
|
|
|
