Solace
The search for solace involves a difficult reconciliation of conflicting emotions, pitting one’s need to grieve at odds with a heavy-hearted realization that life, however diminished, must go on. Using an audio palette of grays and dark blues, Michael Hoppe offersSolaceas a balm for the soul during such times, "where the dark clouds in life give way to the glow of eternal hope and peace." The clouds never fully lift during the 12 tracks ofSolace, which appear to progress in a stages-of-mourning manner. The effect can be moving, even lovely (particularly the grand orchestral opener, "The Majestic Land," one of four splendid selections involving the Prague Symphony -- recorded remotely via an Internet link, of all things). The prevailing mood is melancholy but not quite maudlin; two angelic arias ("Pie Jesu," which Hoppe had written for the memorial service of his wife’s mother, and "Lachrymosa") are tearless, reverent expressions that aspire to the divine. The closing moment of "The Parting," a retooled but otherwise ordinary composition from 1986 that involvesVangelis, finally yields a sense of closure. For those in a state of bereavement, Hoppe’sSolacemay offer you comfort.--Terry Wood