The is the debut release of the World Choir for Peace, recorded in early 2020; the name is shortened here to Peaceful Choir. The group includes singers from various countries and has the stated goal of promoting world peace through choral diversity. That's as may be, although one might note that the music is not terribly diverse, even if the singers may be. The pieces are all tonal, proceed in gentle melodic arcs and moderate tempos, and feature unobtrusive instrumental accompaniment from a harp or strings. The distinctive harp sound of Lavinia Meijer is a recurring attraction, and doubtless listeners in search of what a Dallas classical radio station used to call a "stress eliminator" will find much to like here. Paradoxically though, this is what makes the album interesting beyond the pure crossover crowd: it does, as promised, try to define a "new sound of choral music." The program is initiated with the reigning king of new choral tonalism, John Rutter, and ranges from the U.S. to the Baltics (commendably featuring newcomer Maarja Nuut as well as standbys Pärt and Ešenvalds), with a slightly different take on the overall style in each case. Perhaps Eric Whitacre and Max Richter, who have been at this for a while, deliver the most creative explorations, but most listeners will find something to like...as well as a stress eliminator. World peace might, however, require a deeper kind of self-examination.
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