Customer Reviews

Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After criticizing Windham Hill in the past for often recycling the same songs over and over in various collections, I have to hand it to them with the new "Prayer" CD. It's a fine set of all-new acoustic versions of hymns or spiritual songs, plus a good number of original compositions. Producer Dawn Atkinson has done an excellent job of lining up a bunch of top-drawer people for "Prayer," and in working with the artists on the song selection.

Things get started with Tim Story's lovely piano rendition of the "Sanctus" from Faure's Requiem. The quiet and reflective tone of that piece carries throughout the CD. Other highlights include Paul McCandless's moving "Lord's Prayer" version and Steve Erquiaga's "Ave Maria." "Prayer" is a perfect disc for background listening if you're engaged in some activity that needs harmonious yet unobtrusive accompaniment.

Track 3, Be Thou My Vision, was a surprise as the song was the final song played at my father's funeral. It set the closing mood most fittingly. While Be Thou My Vision is my favorite the entire collection is wonderfully mellow. I recommend it for for the mellow moods.

This is a delightful collection of music appropriate to meditative prayer. It is often my prayer companion, and I like the style and performance found on this CD. I highly recommend it to people who enjoy deeper reflection with a wordless musical background.

After I read some of the reviews about this disc, I can calmly say that the reviews before mine are absolutely correct: this is a phenomenal disc. This is one of those rare finds that is difficult not to shout from the rooftops about how great a c.d. this is. But, it is.

Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection is 12-track c.d. of light, instrumental music: there are no vocals. Piano, flute, acoustic guitar, harp are some of the instruments that resonate on many of the tracks.

There are c.d.'s where certain tracks standout and you wait for their moments, but this album is one continuous stream of serenity. I have the disc playing continuously and it fills my room with peace. No exaggeration. I feel my heartbeat lower and I'm able to read, pray/chant, think without having to block out extraneous noises in the environment or even lower the volume of the current disc.

It goes well with any mood, except if you're in the mood for some high-energy activity. But, if you treasure a placid, serene, and peaceful atmosphere, Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection will help you to create it.

Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection (CD)
by Michael Manring
If you're a high-strung person like me, I recommend this beautiful, gentle, instrumental music that is both soothing and emotionally engaging, yet never maudlin. It has been a "God-send" while driving in heavy morning rush-hour traffic. Despite all the aggravations caused by socially-challenged drivers who don't know how to share the road, I find that I still arrive at work calm and centered thanks to the beneficial effects of this masterful Windham Hill CD. After weeks of listening to it every single morning, it's still not boring. I strongly recommend it for Type A personalities!

Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection

Deeply moving and comforting. Unusual arrangements that breathe new life into the compositions.

Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection
This cd is beautiful. As a massage therapist, it is perfect for my sessions, but I am cautious for whom I play it, as some of the tracks are undeniably a familiar religious tune. Because of the various artists, it keeps the cd interesting, rather than with one artist that can produce more of a monotony.

This is a very tranquil CD. It's a nice background to reading the paper on a lazy morning. It fits the typical Windham Hill fashion - I was turned on to this CD after purchasing Kevin Keller's Gathering Leaves.

Very beautiful peaceful music. Listen to it every morning during my prayer and reflecion time, before I leave for work. It calms the restless soul.

I bought this cd so I could sing with one of the songs but I quickly discovered that the entire cd is just wonderful and I listen to it often. I highly recommend it. All the music on this cd has a very calming, relaxing sound.