Timeless Beauty – The EverSound Classical Collection Review

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There is a timeless quality to the notion of beauty. It follows a pattern of excellence that transcends time. It is the reason why the term “classical music” is still valid today. Timeless Beauty – The EverSound Classical Collection is a journey in music that emphasizes both the idea of timeless beauty and the unparalleled vision that is EverSound.

Neoclassical New Age music is an often overlooked sub-genre. Perhaps it is because of how synth-based music dominates today – or it is because artists with neoclassical sound release music without marketing it as New Age music. But if we go back to the early/mid-1980s, it was neoclassical music that gave this genre 15 minutes of fame. Both Andreas Vollenweider and most of the Windham Hill artists were classically trained. The same is true for artists releasing on EverSound. Timeless Beauty proves that the term Neoclassical New Age is still relevant today. Indeed, with its everlasting focus, the compilation points towards the future. Beautiful music never gets old.

The Wind Pearl
The first piece on the compilation is John Adorney’s The Wind Pearl (from his 2015 album with the same name ). Its warm and inviting sound instantly underlines EverSound’s vision. No further explanation is necessary; the guitar, cello, oboe, and piano are timeless and beautiful beyond words. It is a nice twist on classical chamber music. Listening to The Wind Pearl is easy to understand why Adorney is the label’s no. 1 performer and one of the most popular New Age music artists out there.

Next is another artist with a firm grip on classical music, Ron Clearfield’s classic Dancer in the Light from his album Time on Earth. The piece contains a heavenly harp and cello and has a nice touch of baroque.

Oh Where Would I Go
The acoustic John Mills’ Oh Where Would I Go (from Hallowed Moon, 1999) is another winner. It is a hopeful piece that always lifts my spirits, and it is nicely integrated on the compilation. It is almost at the end on the original CD, but here it receives more of the attention it deserves.

Zephyr’s Courante (from the album Flame, 2005) sounds amazing, thanks to the incredible oboe melody. If you buy the CD, you get the hopeful All Is Bright by Diane Arkenstone, which is not included in the streaming or download version for contractual reasons. This was a Best of Diane Arkenstone (2005) exclusive piece. It is on Spotify and Apple Music, so you can of course make your own playlist with this as no. 5, making the playlist identical to the CD.

My favorite piece on the compilation is John Adorney’s Beatus Vivere from his best-selling series Toward a Gentle Place. This piece is taken from the second installment, last year’s A Silver Thread. Inspired by Beatus Vir by Claudio Monteverdi and featuring a bass line from Pachelbel’s Canon in D, this piece is a winner from start to finish. It shows what neoclassical is all about; a revival of classical music with a modern character and identity.

Silent Longing
Stuart Hoffman’s Silent Longing (from the 1999 album with the same name) is filled with wonderful contrast; quiet moments of reflection and epic tableaus. The build-up is quite remarkable. Ron Clearfield’s second piece on the compilation, Farewell, effortlessly picks up where Silent Longing left off and gives time to contemplate life, love, and everything in between. 

Make no mistake about it; this is a deep, rich, and many-faced compilation. Klaus Hastermann’s The Nightingale and the Emperor has a hauntingly beautiful violin solo before a cello joins in and completes the fairytale. Closer to the end, Adorney’s In a Delicate Way gives another taste of neoclassical excellence. It is easy to be carried away by such musical elegance. Talking about being carried, it might sound like a cliché, but Ron Clearfield’s Soaring (from Music in the Silence) really gives the imagination wings. If you don’t feel like landing just yet, this is a good time to look for the replay button.  

In conclusion, Timeless Beauty – The EverSound Classical Collection has something unique to offer in a world dominated by automatically generated playlists and soulless algorithms. Both the selection, build-up, and arrangement are exquisite. It is expertly compiled and mastered to perfection.

EverSound deserves praise for reminding us that many artists within our genre are classically trained musicians. As Timeless Beauty shows without a shadow of a doubt; the artist may have left classical music, but classical music has not left the artist. EverSound has delivered a phenomenal album with broad appeal. It will please audiences well beyond the realm of New Age music. Pieces like Beatus Vivere and Oh Where Would I Go represent some of the finest music this genre has to offer.

The compilation is available as a CD and digital download on EverSound.com.