For this 2005 release, Tim Zimmerman and
the King's Brass have collected 12 hymns arranged for brass, percussion, and organ that either have been treated in various settings by famous composers, such as J.S. Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, and Henry Purcell, among others; or derived from their works, as are the hymns adapted from Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 or Sibelius' Finlandia, to name but two examples. The tone of this album is celebratory and the ensemble's sound is bright and grand: most of the tracks convey a festive atmosphere, and though a few numbers are somber and reflective, the dominant mood of the program is joyous. Lovers of music for brass ensemble may find this album enjoyable for the polished performances, though having an appreciation for the variety of Christian hymns may make the experience more emotionally uplifting or spiritually satisfying. Zimmerman achieves a fine blend of the brass instruments, and through careful positioning takes full advantage of the reverberant acoustics of the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. Unfortunately, heavy use of the organ's reeds sometimes makes the instrument sound abrasive and at odds with the rounded timbres
the King's Brass produces. However, this is a minor flaw that hardly spoils the overall effect, and the clean, resonant recording at floor level generally reduces the roughness.