The Living Church; April 1, 2007

I have to admit to being a skeptic on this one. Handbells are an acquired taste. Experience has taught me to look hesitatingly, albeit with charity, upon our white-gloved friends. And while the organ has general appeal, those who normally receive musical compilations of brass ensembles most enthusiastically are also those who have a dusty trumpet or trombone secretly stored in their basement or closet. I am not he. That said imagine my delight in discovering something as reverent, As tasteful, and beautiful as Burnished Bright: Sacred Sounds of Brass, Organ and Bells.

This is a superior recording in every way. The most vibrant qualities of all three -- brass, organ, and bells -- stand out both in their individual roles and through their blend as an ensemble. A negative thing cannot be said about the quality of the performance or the recording. With a few exceptions, the musical selections, as one might expect, are 20th century in origin. The modern contributions are lush and lyrical -- almost romantic. Particularly sublime is the Fantasia on "Victimae paschali laudes" by Michael Bedford and the third movement ("Hymn") by David Ashley White in a work titled Triptych.