Reviewed by Jonathan Cairns

My overriding feeling about this album is that the word "Ultimate" has been used too liberally. For a start, it contains only classical music, as if no one ever walks down the aisle to their favourite pop song or film soundtrack (apparently "Star Wars" is quite popular these days). Another issue I have is that a large majority of newly-weds-to-be will already know exactly what they want for their big day. And thirdly, I'm having a difficult time understanding the Christian basis of this album, aside from the concept of the wedding itself and the fact that Authentic Music have now put this album into UK Christian retailers' racks. Putting these things aside for a moment, the album itself is perfectly presentable, with the inevitable (yet still brilliant) pieces such as Debussy's "Claire De Lune" from "Suite Bergamasque" and Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" from "Lohengrin". But for a wedding album, there are a surprising number of polkas and waltzes. It is very difficult to imagine a bride walking down to Smetana's "The Bartered Bride" and I would think that most people would favour more mellow pieces. On the other hand, the standard of playing is good, featuring orchestras such as the Budapest Philharmonic and the Vienna Strauss Orchestra, though as a compilation album it can't take the credit, technically. Overall, this album doesn't serve its purpose particularly well and unfortunately doesn't live up to its presumptuous title.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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