In Yeats's poem, the Irish island of Innisfree was a place to contemplate the meaning of one's life. Music, if it is to have any...

In Yeats's poem, the Irish island of Innisfree was a place to contemplate the meaning of one's life. Music, if it is to have any value, must make our living better. It must have the power to strengthen us when we falter and point the way when life confuses or confounds us. Each piece on this recording possesses this magical quality to teach us how to live: "Amazing Grace," which was born out of human despair, shows us that faith, hope, and belief can help even the most darkened spirit. Morten Lauridsen's "O magnum mysterium" shows us in sound the awe and wonder of things we cannot explain but can experience. The stunningly simple setting by Benjamin Britten of "A New Year Carol" possesses a sheer beauty that causes the listener to see a much simpler world.