Title: Encountering an old friend
Review: There have been some exquisite works for large orchestra and chorus composed in the last century, works that compare favorably with the great requiems and oratorios of the past. Evidence: Britten's 'War Requiem', Adams' "Harmonium", Gorecki's Symphony #2, Lauridsen's 'Lux Aeternam'. Not the least among these is the breathtakingly beautiful Hindemith WHEN LILACS LAST IN DOORYARD BLOOM'D based on the poetry of Walt Whitman. This massive yet gentle work is given a definitive performance by Robert Shaw and his Atlanta forces with the incomparable Jan de Gaetani and the fine William Stone bringing all the lonely haunting beauty to Hindemith's score. It is with a bit of sadness to remember that both Shaw and de Gaetani are no longer with us, but that adds to the power of this elegant requiem.
Is this product review negative?