The stated aim of this release is pretty murky: "Inspirations and imaginings, evolving, changing English usage, landscapes, friendships, and passings lie behind this album," reads the booklet. The idea is that the divine relates to beauty these days. More important, perhaps, is another feature: countertenor and the superb pianist offer a new entry in the increasingly common trend of countertenor performance of music outside the usual Renaissance and Baroque repertory. ' program includes some songs but is mostly drawn from the contemporary era. Listeners will make up their own minds about this, but it is worth noting that has done it quite intelligently. He includes pairs of works by and . All of his contemporary pieces refer, some quite subtly, to Renaissance and Baroque styles, even the dissonant of . 's are a fascinating modern take-off on the folk music strain in 20th century English music. Perhaps the highlights are the , which retain the foursquare construction of 's poetry but add a deep note of uneasy nostalgia that, although the songs were written prior to World War I, seem to prefigure the losses of that war, losses that included 's own death. Listeners who find countertenors self-indulgent when they depart from their usual circles should hear this release. ~ James Manheim