Featuring "People of Faith" by Richard Walters, this record explores the church-based history of classical music.

Great hymns have an enduring appeal. They are, of course, timeless expressions of faith, combining high-minded religious poetry with noble melodies. For many of us they spur devotional thoughts and worship, raising our awareness out of prosaic daily life up to spiritual heights.

In an era when it seems that diverse individual musical interests leave little common cultural ground, hymns are a shared heritage for millions, even billions, of a huge variety of Christian people. They resonate as familiar landmarks in our lives and memories, with a nostalgic power all their own.

People of Faith features a varied selection of favorite Protestant hymns, a classic Bach chorale (“Sheep May Safely Graze”), an African-American spiritual often found in hymnals (“Jacob’s Ladder”), and one new hymn, the title track (“People of Faith”). Brass, choir and organ in combination have long been a highlight of church services. These fresh arrangements both honour that tradition and bring new life to it.

We felt inspired making the recordings. We hope that you feel the same inspiration in listening.

Most of us in Canadian Brass cherish early musical memories of playing or singing in church, and we still perform regularly in cathedrals and churches because of their wonderful spiritual and sonic environments. In this we are part of a global community of brass players who are regularly invited to contribute to worship services in their cities. Brass instrumentalists can perform with organ or piano, or alone, or with choral or congregational singing. Even the humblest congregation relies on musical content for its most important services. For all these reasons we wanted to make this recording.

Our friends and colleagues Richard Walters and Peter Tiefenbach accepted the task of building on this tradition by providing brand new arrangements of well known hymns and chorales. Canadian Brass is happy that Peter and Rick are receiving well-deserved international recognition, and pleased to showcase the Elmer Iseler Singers, adding another chapter to our long association. We are proud to feature up-and-coming young baritone Giles Tomkins, and delighted to slip in a cameo appearance by Mary Lou Fallis, Canada's First Lady of Song. Finally, we would like our listeners to note that this project, that means so much to us, was recorded in the very sanctuary that was for so long home to Dr. Healey Willan, Canada's leading church musician.