Harmony [B&N Exclusive Version] The Priests

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CD - Exclusive Bonus Track

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( 21 customer ratings )

  • Release Date: 11/23/2009
  • Sales Rank: 26,810
  • Label: RCA
  • UPC: 886976184728
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  • Overview
  • Tracks
  • Editorial Reviews
  • Customer Reviews
  • Details & Credits

Overview -

Harmony [B&N Exclusive Version]

Track List
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Harmony [B&N Exclusive Version]

1LISTENHow Great Thou Art 3:25
2LISTENTe Deum 3:23
3LISTENA Gaelic Blessing 2:49
4LISTENAmazing Grace 3:45
5LISTENBist du Bei Mir (When Thou Art Near) 2:36
6LISTENBenedictus 3:10
7LISTENStabat Mater 3:19
8LISTENLaudamus Te 2:29
9LISTENAve Verum Corpus 2:23
10LISTENKing of Kings 3:20
11LISTENLift Thine Eyes 2:04
12LISTENSilent Night 3:49
13LISTENThe Lord's Prayer 1:40
14LISTENBí Íosa Im Chroíse 2:48
15LISTENYou'll Never Walk Alone 2:28
16LISTENAstro Del Ciel (Silent Night) Bonus Track 3:51

About this Artist

Editorial Reviews

The Priests' 2008 eponymous debut received a quick sequel in 2009's Harmony, an album designed to continue upon the surprise success of its predecessor instead of build upon it. By most respects, Harmony is a replication of The Priests, offering the same blend of religious and classical standards, punctuated by the odd Christmas carol, all given clean, warm, spacious arrangements designed to showcase the honeyed harmonies of these three Irish priests. This is a case where more of the same isn't a bad thing, since Harmony is executed as well as the debut, which is all that the group's fans want., All Music Guide All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

A strongly classical repertoire delights on "Harmony"by Veggiechiliqueen

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September 27, 2010: On The Priests' sophomore CD, Fathers Martin and Eugene O'Hagan and Father David Delargy tackle another round of soul-stirring hymns and religious music, including How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, the Lord's Prayer and Silent Night. The Lord's Prayer deserves special mention for the powerful a capella rendition; it's the only track not backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, thereby evoking the power and grace of early plainchant. The English-language version of Silent Night opens and closes with a tin whistle and is more traditionally paced than the uptempo version of "O Holy Night" from their debut. This Barnes and Noble exclusive features the bonus track "Astro del Ciel," or "Silent Night" in Italian. The fathers composed the music for "King of Kings" themselves. Nods to their Irish Catholic heritage come in the form of Gaelic Blessing by John Rutter and the lovely Irish Gaelic hymn Bi Iosa Im Chroise (Christ Be In My Heart).

The strongest tracks are those from the Baroque / Classical / Romantic repertoire, including Stozel (Bist du Bei Mir, frequently misattributed to Bach), Pergolesi (Stabat Mater), Vivaldi (Laudamus Te), Mozart (Ave Verum Corpus), Haydn's Te Deum and Mendelssohn (Lift Thine Eyes). This version of Pergolesi's divine Stabat Mater is a bit more uptempo than some of the other versions I own by Andreas Scholl, Cecilia Bartoli and Sara Mingardo, but no less haunting. Much as on their debut, the orchestral backing complements the priests' rich voices without overwhelming, allowing the vocals to shine.

Overall, "Harmony" has much more of a uniform feel than their debut; most noticeably, there are fewer foreign-language songs ("Priests" had two Spanish songs in addition to Latin and Irish Gaelic tracks) and only one Christmas song. The sixteen tracks really shine in the hands of producer Mike Hedges, Fathers Martin and Eugene O'Hagan and Father David Delargy, the Royal Philharmonic, the Brompton Oratory School and Coro. In Father Eugene's words, `I think, because over the last year we have been singing together so much, our voices blend better and our sound has matured. There's an even greater sense of synergy with the voices, and we're more confident too. Even as a professional singer, you never stop fine-tuning the instrument.' "Harmony" is a pure delight and a wonderful gift for those seeking a moment of peace and contemplation in their hectic lives.

Perfect Christmas Gift - Voices from Heaven!by Fanofthepriests

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September 27, 2010: They have outdone themselves! I loved their debut album, The Priests, so much last year that I gave them to everyone on my Christmas list. The feedback I received including my college age neices and nephews were so overwhelmingly positive that I'll be giving everyone this new album for Christmas this year, all 36 of them.

One doesn't have to be a Christian to feel the joy and peace coming from these rich voices of angels.

I Also Recommend: The Essential Yo-Yo Ma, The Priests, The Priests, The Priests, The Priests.


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