Festival of the Heart
Largely piano driven,Festival of the Heartshowcases John Boswell's delicately warm tones on an hour's worth of seasonal hymns and carols. All but the title cut and the album's closer, "Eastern Star" (both composed by Boswell), are traditionals and classics, many dating back to the 17th century. Mendelssohn's "Hark! The Harold Angels Sing" resounds beautifully in a duet of piano and bells. Other standouts are Handel's English-horn-adorned "Fugue" from theMessiahand a reverent take on "Coventry Carol," the collection's oldest hymn, which dates to 16th-century England. For those for whom Christmas is more enchanted and holy than commercial,Festival of the Heartis true blue.--Paige La Grone