Songs of Love and Justice

Adolphus Hailstork's unique ability to get to the heart of the texts he sets makes him stand out from his peers. His vocal lines can be melodic or spare depending on the poet and are always accessible and heartfelt. He is also very eclectic, sounding very different from one setting to the next. Any singer who is looking for interesting and different music should give Hailstork's song a try…her [Louise Toppin] pure singing and clear diction are a real asset. She is comfortable with the different styles the composer uses too.

The composer Adophus Hailstork has always had an inclination toward singing, which goes back to his time in a choir as a child, and here Louise Toppin provides her inestimable pipes and John O’Brien brings his piano prowess to compositions that go back to 1959. The title track starts the listen with soaring, expressive singing alongside the intricate and dreamy strings from the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, and “Preach The Word (Cycle)” follows with O’Brien’s warm piano alongside the emotive pipes. In the middle, “Song (For Sandra Fox)” illustrates Toppins’ diverse range as much intimacy is explored, while “A Charm At Parting” moves with a profound grace that pairs the sublime keys with gorgeous vocal work. “Tell Me Trees What Are You Whispering?”, the album’s best, then flows with bare beauty as well as more firm moments of agile piano leave the listener hanging on every note. The trees theme continues with “Loveliest Of Trees”, where intricate harp playing by Lydia Cleaver complements the bright singing, and “Sunset And Night” meshes Toppins’ soprano and O’Brien’s proficient piano playing with a timeless and accomplished execution. The first installment in a series, Toppin and O’Brien, along with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and the conductor Julius P. Williams, make for a very alluring 65 minutes, as they certainly do justice to Hailstork’s exceptional work.