2009 Favorite Non-Southern Christian cd of the year

In 1982 I began keeping track of what was my favorite Quartet album of the year. In 1985 I expanded to three categories: Southern Gospel Quartet, Southern (non-Quartet) and Other Christian album.

Every year I keep a record of possible candidates and then listen to them side by side after the year is over to determine which is really my favorite. I begin with the Other category and work my way up. These are not albums which were necessarily released in this year, but which I acquired in this year.

This year I have chosen Peter B. Allen’s “Onward”. This is the first time an instrumental album has ever been so chosen. This is an album of adaptations of hymn tunes for piano and orchestra. I heard one of the selections, “In Heavenly Love Abiding” at the Contemporary Music Festival in Terre Haute, Indiana and was enthralled and amazed by it. This, does happen to be the best one out of the seven on the cd, but it is worth the entire cd. I felt both heaven and the love when I heard it in concert by the Indianapolis Chamber Symphony.

Other winners for the past five years:

2008: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir “I’ll Say Yes”
2007: Mighty Clouds of Joy “Movin’”
2006: The Imperials “The Lost Album”
2005: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir “I’m Amazed”
2004: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir “This Is Your House”