Composer Tim Janis aspires to lofty musical heights, and with MUSIC OF HOPE, a benefit for the American Cancer Society assembling a diverse collection of artists and musical styles, he put these aspirations to a noble cause. In addition to his own works--lush, evocative neo-Romantic tone poems--the album features classical compositions by Paul McCartney and, in a debut classical recording, Billy Joel.
McCartney's "Nova" is a wistful, impressionistic elegy--it ebbs and flows with lyrical passages that build to dramatic flourishes and ends with a gentle, gradual fade. The orchestral textures of Joel's "Elegy: The Great Peconic" are painted with broad cinematic strokes resulting in a sweeping, Copland-esque soundscape. Somewhat surprisingly, the piano plays a less than prominent role in the work, adding depth and occasional splashes of tonal coloration. Rounding out the disc are Andre Previn's elegant rendition of the Cole Porter tune "Why Shouldn't I," a stately reading of the Sarabande from Bach's Partita No. 1 in B-Flat Major by Emanuel Ax, and "Amazing Grace," where Ray Charles's laid-back, soulful take on the spiritual stands in stark contrast to Janis's soaring orchestral arrangement.