Armed Man (A Mass For Peace), The - Karl Jenkins > Reviews > A mass for peace- about time!

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	A good, basic classical piece to have in the repertoire !
Disadvantages:	Some tracks very technical, not easy listening

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Just to let you know a little more about me, I am a classically trained perfomer, I am an accomplished orchestral musician, with the flute being my first instrument. I have always been surrounded with classical music as my father was a professional musician.

I love and can appreciate all music, but Jenkins always delivers some empathetic, and is thus one of my favourites.

As a Jenkin's fan, you may be aware of the Adieamus suites which are contemporary classics with tribal and minimalistic influences of today- in a nutshell- dinner music!
The Armed Man is a little more deep and was commissioned for the British Royal Armouries' Annivesary, so the them of this album and the music plots the progress of war, not necessarily a modern war.
The National Youth Choirs do an awesome job, tackling some very difficult vocal arrangements accompanied by The London Philharmonic Orchestra in their usual excellence.

The Suite

Jenkins uses the poerty of Tennyson, Drydon, and Kipling to add a poetic quality to his composition along with the Koran and the Bible.

The Armed Man

The opening of the piece. You can here the soldiers marching into battle. What I like from the outset is the multicultural appreciation that all races have experienced war of some kind!
Musically aggressive, but simplistic based around a baroque tune with an underlying drumbeat. Essentially this serves as the call to arms.

Call to Prayer
A muslim prayer sung by Mohammed Gad. Beautiful and quietly serene.

Kyrie
A Christian prayer asking for divine blessings, a clever contrat on Jenkins behalf.

Save me from bloody men!
The quality of the music heightens in aggression as the battle draws closer. This is a choral piece using the bass voices of the choir, and sounds menacing, and perhaps a splice of fear, for the unknown of the battlefield. Resentment more than fear is portrayed.

Sanctus
This was played loads by a certain Classical radio station! It starts again by marching,the battle drawing ever closer. A prayer almost to god before the first charge. Jenkins is very keen on his brass section ands we hear the big horns and trumpets accompany a sweeping melody.

Hymm before action
Based on the words of Rudyard Kipling, this piece envokes the anger and aggression, praying for safe keep. An eeiry melody.

Charge!
Again one for the brass! The principle trumpet must have earned his money! An orchestrated traditional Cavalry charge, you'll here it. The Frenzy and the shear aggression of meeting the enemy!

Angry Flames
The remnants of the encounter, the leftovers of life, the mourning of the lost comrades. A lone trumpeter and a solitary bell, provides the ambience of devastation.

Torches
Similar to Angry Flames, a scene of searching for the dead, and moving off elsewhere. The grim reality of mortality.

Agnus Dei
Asking for divine peace, the choir sing in latin. This beautiful peace was also in the most requested on a certain classical music radio station. This peace has a lilting quality using the traditional invocations of a latin mass. The melody is simple beautiful and shows Jenkin's big talent for writing ecclesiastical choral music.

Now the Guns have stopped
A weary battle survivor and his lonliness and despair.

Benedictus
Another latin mass, purely instrumental in the outset, with the choir joining halfway through. A quiet start for what blossoms into a defiant and spine chilling praise for life. This is my favorite piece. The words are beautiful and full of praise, and Hayley Westernra did an alternative which is just as moving. Big and powerful, will make you cry!

Better is peace
A cheery arrangement, using the major key of a previously minor ostinato of "The Armed Man" piece. Using the words of Tennyson to provoke thoughts of a happier day.

My Musical Opinion
Well composed with some very technical and symbolic moments.
If you are familiar with any of the popular pieces like Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedictus it is worth the investment to hear the rest of the suite.
Some parts make excellent dinner music, others are a bit violent!

Music lover? If you are a Jenkins fan or a musician buy it! Its great and you will appreciate all the little extras.

If not, maybe sample the tunes on line before you buy, Jenkins can be an aqquired taste!

The prices vary from £6 online using a shopping website to about £10 in the shops on the highstreet. I bought this as a present to myself and loved it so much that I bought it for my dad (he's a brass nut!) as a present.

Thanks for reading,
Naomi x