Title: "Hymns Of The Ages" (w/ Prague Symphony Orchestra)
Description: Greater Vision
Chadley - March 4, 2008 08:48 PM (GMT)
Group Name: Greater Vision
Website: www.greatervisionmusic.com
Album Title: “Hymns Of The Ages (with members of the Prague Symphony Orchestra)”
Song Titles:
1. All Creatures Of Our God And King (“O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing” and “O
Worship The King”)
2. Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
3. Tell Me The Story Of Jesus
4. The Lily Of The Valley
5. The Stranger Of Galilee
6. The Wondrous Cross Medley (“When I Survey The Wondrous Cross”, “The Healer”,
and “The Old Rugged Cross”)
7. Christ The Lord Is Risen Today
8. Redeemed Medley (“Since I Have Been Redeemed”, “Redeemed How I Love To
Proclaim It”, and “I’m Redeemed”)
9. I Know He Heard My Prayer
10. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
11. Jesus Is Coming Again Medley (“In Times Like These”, “The Solid Rock” and “Jesus
Is Coming Again”)
In 1990, Gerald Wolfe formed Greater Vision, which is considered one of the top trios in Southern Gospel music today. In an industry where personnel changes have become quite common, the group’s lineup has been stable for a number of years now. Founder and lead singer Gerald Wolfe has won the award for “Favorite Male Vocalist” 6 times, tenor singer Jason Waldroup has been the recipient for “Favorite Young Artist” and “Favorite Tenor” awards, and baritone Rodney Griffin is an 8-time recipient of the “Songwriter Of The Year” award.
On the heels of September’s release of the album “Everyday People”, Greater Vision is getting ready to release another new album entitled “Hymns Of The Ages” This album will be in stores on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, and it was recorded with members of the Prague Symphony Orchestra. The album is just what the title implies: a collection of hymns and hymn medleys.
Now, let’s take a look at each of the songs on the album.
The album starts with a medley called “All Creatures Of Our God And King” It features the songs “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing” and “O Worship The King”. A couple of these songs are done at one point to the tune of “All Creatures Of Our God And King”. I have to say that I think the group was overshadowed by their background singers on this one- in volume, not in quality of sound. It sounded as though they were competing with the background singers. The second song is the classic Christmas tune “Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus”. Jason Waldroup’s tenor vocals are prominent throughout this song as he sings the lead vocals, but the overall blend is good. The guys then go into a softer, medium-tempo rendition of “Tell Me The Story Of Jesus”. Their blend is tight here, and the song is a joy to listen to.
The fourth song is one that I had never heard before. “The Stranger Of Galilee” is a slower, ballad-style hymn that is truly a beautiful song. I thoroughly enjoyed the group’s rendition of it. Song #5 is one of my personal favorite hymns, “The Lily Of The Valley”. This up-tempo offering gives us more of the classic Greater Vision sound that we’re used to hearing. The next song is another medley called “The Wondrous Cross Medley”. It’s a slower medley consisting of “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross”, “The Healer”, and “The Old Rugged Cross”. “The Healer” is another song that I had not heard before now.
Song #7 is the classic Easter hymn “Christ The Lord Is Risen Today”. They open up with a line or two from “Up From The Grave He Arose”, and the entire song is done a cappella. Good a cappella work is hard to find, and Greater Vision has obviously worked to put a polish on the blend found in their a cappella offerings. The harmonies are complex at times and pleasant to the ear. This is followed by another up-tempo medley called “Redeemed Medley”. Here we get to listen to such songs as “Since I Have Been Redeemed”, “Redeemed How I Love To Proclaim It”, and “I’m Redeemed”. This is another song that gives us more of a classic Greater Vision sound. The ninth song is yet another one that I had not heard before. “I Know He Heard My Prayer” is a medium-tempo song that showcases the blend of the group’s vocals.
Song #10 is a medium-tempo arrangement of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”. This is a very well-done song, in my opinion. The album ends with another medley. The “Jesus Is Coming Again Medley” is a slower arrangement that features such songs as “In Times Like These”, “The Solid Rock” and “Jesus Is Coming Again”.
I must say that I liked the hymns and hymn medleys backed up by an orchestra. In my opinion, this is a great way to do an album entirely composed of great hymns of the faith. However, I think that the group sounded like a choir rather than a trio in many places throughout the course of the album. I think that some of the best arrangements were those in which you could definitively tell that it was a trio doing the singing. Fans of Greater Vision will immediately notice that the overall sound of the group is that which they have grown to love over the years. In closing, I would give this album a rating of 8 ½ out of a possible 10 microphones!