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The title of
this CD might infer that it will only appeal to the
religious amongst you. Nothing could be further from
the truth. The sole criteria for whether or not you
like the music on this CD, might simply be whether
you enjoy beautiful piano music lovingly played by
an excellent pianist.
That pianist is
none other than Michael Gettel, on loan from Narada
Productions at the time of this 1997 release.
Michael brings his own unique touch to these
recordings of popular Christian favourites. All
fifteen tracks are Michael's takes on established
classics in the genre from talented worship
composers including Eddie Espinosa, Brian Doerksen,
Terry and Randy Butler, Scott Underwood, Jude Del
Hierro, Michael Christ (seriously!), John Wimber,
Craig Musseau, Kelly Carpenter, John Barnett and
Marc Nelson.
Michael's
interpretation of these recordings differs
significantly from their original vocal form. This
change is definitely for the better. Indeed, in some
cases, the original is beyond recognition. He seems
to tease out the melodies, develop them, and add his
trademark signature-style to each piece.
There are many
favourites on this CD, but I enjoy every piece-
which is quite an achievement! 15 out of 15 tracks
rating as definite "Hits" is an unheard of ratio.
Track 6, "It's Your Blood," is a beautiful piece
with a fairly slow tempo. The melody is lovely.
"Faithful One", the ninth track is extremely
melodic, right from the opening chords. It's a
simple enough piece, but a joy to listen to. This
was a strong contender for my favourite track, but
just edging out in front is the album's penultimate
track, "I Believe in Jesus". This has the sort of
melody that you'll be humming for days on end.
The piano
playing on this CD is top-notch. Recording quality
is slightly below par; something that you'll only
notice, however, when listening at high volume.
Overall,
"Change My Heart, Oh Lord: Piano" is a delightful CD
for piano-music lovers everywhere who appreciate
highly melodic music played by one of the masters of
the genre. At 63 minutes in length, this CD comes
very highly recommended!
S.C. |
