To God Be The Glory by Various

Reviewed by Doug Holland

This is a single-boxed, 14-track CD and DVD collection, with 64 minutes of instrumental hymn music. The majority of tracks are orchestrated, but there are also some simpler piano/keyboard based arrangements and one guitar-led and one accordion-led piece. Included are stirring and moving renditions of "To God Be The Glory", "Be Still My Soul" and "On A Hill Faraway", and interesting and slightly unusual versions of "Amazing Grace" and "Blessed Assurance". The Eden Symphony Orchestra performs the majority of tracks (six) and the David Shelley Ensemble is the other major contributor with three. Wonder who they are? The DVD included contains filmed images of God's creation themed to match the music accompanying it. The footage appears to be shot exclusively in North America, with vast plains, log cabins, snow-capped mountain ranges and expansive rivers meandering majestically through huge gorges in abundance. There is an option on the DVD to have the song words shown, and these are included both as a separate chapter of the DVD and in the accompanying booklet. The DVD is a reasonably good example of the genre, and the CD stands alone as a good listen for those who go for instrumental hymns.