There have been a number of excellent reviews of our latest CD. They include one from Bandmaster Gavin Lamplough in The Salvationist and from J. Stuart Fawcett on the NABBC website. Here also is a review by Dr Ronald Holz from the British Bandsman.

Salvation Army composers have long excelled in supplying music of a contemplative nature, pieces that can be grouped within the genre of the hymn meditation. Dr. Howard Evans and Boscombe Band offer up another rich selection of such pieces in their second volume, Sanctuary II, one as satisfying as the highly regarded Volume I. Notable are premiere recordings of unduly neglected works by Ray Steadman-Allen (Via Dolorosa) and Erik Leidzen (O Disclose Thy Lovely Face). Having fine renditions of these two gems alone makes the project worthy. So often SA bandmasters have shied away from the unusual, the challenging, unless they had a model to follow; now they do for these two works that finally see the light of day. Additionally, other classics receive good readings, and revival, including Ball's The Victory of Love, based on his own choral part song, Heaton's elegant selection My Treasure, Cole's Tchaikovski-esque Rock of Ages, Goffin's evocation of Haydn in Neapolis, and Kirk's dramatic The Penitent. The playing throughout is highly competent and Evans' historically informed notes provide a fine listen guide to this rich repertoire.

New meditations balance the older ones, the disc opening with a restrained, classically designed Chorale and Prelude on the hymn tune Beethoven by Alastair Taylor. Kenneth Downie has supplied two new scores also given first recordings, marked by his outstanding gifts in this area of arranging - The Joy of Loving Hearts and Hushed Was the Evening Hymn - and Dean Jones is represented by To Meet him By and By. The programme closes with Norman Bearcroft's transcription for brass band of his own choral suite, Reflections.

Taken together - Volumes I and II -Sanctuary provides an unprecedented opportunity to examine what has been achieved by various composers in Salvationist music of this nature, just at a time when the movement is in danger of losing or ignoring this great tradition. Of course, for the Salvationist this is music for the enrichment of the spirit and mind, not an aesthetic indulgence. This is how I will continue to approach and then savour these fine discs. The brass band enthusiast will enjoy the committed, emotionally charged playing by this excellent corps band under the baton of a sensitive, knowledgeable conductor. I highly recommend this warm, satisfying recording.

Review by Dr Ronald Holz - British Bandsman - 27th June 2015