Reviewed by Tony Cummings

As someone who believes "Amazing Grace" to be quite simply the most beautiful hymn ever written (or should I say compiled, John Newton wrote the words, the plantation melody "Loving Lambs" was put to them later by the Americans) I was fascinated and thrilled to read the wealth of information painstakingly assembled in the accompanying booklet about the ex-slaver turned vicar and lyric writer; and his poet associate William Cowper. The 14 hymns here were originally from the Newton and Cowper hymnbook 'Olney Hymns' (1799) and contain some of the most stirring works in Anglican hymnody: "Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken", "Behold The Throne Of Grace" and "How Sweet The Name Of Jesus Sounds". The renditions of these hymns are sung with simple beauty by the excellent St Michael's Singers, Coventry. Thoroughly recommended.

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