Paul Schwartz is back with a follow-up to the popular series State of Grace, with State of Grace II: Turning To Peace. Having always been drawn to the great Latin texts that have inspired so many great composers before hi... more »m, State of Grace II: Turning To Peace is based on two Latin texts: the Magnificat and the Stabat Mater. "The Magnificat is taken directly from the Bible, from the Gospel of Luke: it is the prayer of Mary expressing her joy in the knowledge that she will bear the son of God. The Stabat Mater is a medieval poem that describes the sorrows of Mary as her son?s life is taken. I wanted to oppose the two images: the rejoicing expectant mother, and the eventual tragedy that overcomes her. These texts and the other songs on the album form a journey from joy, to sorrow, to joy again." ? Paul Schwartz With Lisbeth Scott once again lending her vocal talents, this is possibly Schwartz? most beautiful release yet!« less
Paul Schwartz is back with a follow-up to the popular series State of Grace, with State of Grace II: Turning To Peace. Having always been drawn to the great Latin texts that have inspired so many great composers before him, State of Grace II: Turning To Peace is based on two Latin texts: the Magnificat and the Stabat Mater. "The Magnificat is taken directly from the Bible, from the Gospel of Luke: it is the prayer of Mary expressing her joy in the knowledge that she will bear the son of God. The Stabat Mater is a medieval poem that describes the sorrows of Mary as her son?s life is taken. I wanted to oppose the two images: the rejoicing expectant mother, and the eventual tragedy that overcomes her. These texts and the other songs on the album form a journey from joy, to sorrow, to joy again." ? Paul Schwartz With Lisbeth Scott once again lending her vocal talents, this is possibly Schwartz? most beautiful release yet!
"Inspired and based on two Latin texts: the Magnificat and the Stabat Mater, Paul Schwartz set out to create yet another masterpiece filled with unspeakable beauty. For some reason 'State Of Grace II' took a while to grow on me but I've come to love it dearly. I don't think it's as good as the first 'State Of Grace', and it doesn't live up to the standard of his other works either, but it was still remarkably done and you can't expect anything less than excellence from this brilliant, BRILLIANT man. There are many classical crossover acts nowadays but none have blown me away in quite the same way composer Paul Schwartz has. Amidst the lush orchestrations and ambient rhythms, there's much more chamber-like choral singing than ever before but fear not for Lisbeth Scott's angelic vocal talent is present in almost every track, including my absolute favorite, "Turning To Peace". Every time I hear that song I get choked up at the passion evoked in her voice as the spirit rises within her. Another highlight is "Curacion (Sunlight On Water)", which is a rendition of the amazing "Miserere" from the last State Of Grace. It sounds very different from the original, though. It's an instrumental that features the mystical/legendary Santana on guitar. By no means am I a fan of "church" music but he takes religious themes and creates some of the most gorgeous pieces I've ever had the pleasure of indulging in with modern compositions. There's just no denying his exceptional, God-given genius so why not give in and buy this already? You won't be disappointed."
Better than the first
Clarissa | 12/14/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Paul Schwartz has followed State of Grace with a sequel that is even better than his first effort. My favorite song on the first one was Miserere, because of the choir, and this cd has 4 songs that feature the choir. Lisbeth Scott sounds amazing, particularly on Stabat Mater, which is hauntingly beautiful. By the way the reviewer below who complains about the presence of Ave Maria has misunderstood something. The Ave Maria is a text, not a song. This version that Mr. Schwartz has written is a brand new song, not a cover of a pre-existing song. There are probably thousands of settings of the Ave Maria words, although Schubert's is the most famous. Anyway, the version here is gorgeous.I'm giving this cd out as a Christmas present. It's perfect!"
Will send chills down the spine of anyone breathing!
brwillia | Atlanta, GA | 10/12/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Paul Schwartz creates truly unique music that is complex and beautiful. State of Grace 2 is a recording of very high quality that will absolutely push your stereo to its sonic limits. The choral and orchestral arrangements are simply beautiful! Way to go, Paul! Can't wait for Aria 3 and SoG 3.Brent"
Journey through the etheral.
Anthony D. Howell | Houston, Tx USA | 01/30/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"you will love this album.... if you are a fan of classical/ pop/vocal ambient music. which i am happy to say i am one of those people. oh my gosh. this album is amazing. there are 3 songs that truly make this album a good buy. those tracks are turning to peace, stabat mater, and let me. my favorite has to be: turning to peace.... which is to beautiful to describe. lisbeth's vocals are truly amazing. carlos santana makes a guest appearance on the track curacion(sunlight on water) which is amazing. this album is very beautiful , and relaxing. the choirs are cool, and you really can feel the spiritness of it all. if this review doesn't seem helpful, i am sorry. it's hard to explain an album that is truly this good. .....truly this good. all in all, this is the perfect sequel to state of grace 1."
Turning to peace
Erica Anderson | Minneapolis, MN | 12/13/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"My first introduction to Paul Schwartz was a few years ago with "Aria". I didn't know at the time how big of a fan I would become of his music. Then a year or two ago, I bought "State of Grace". I was immediately enchanted with this breathtaking music. I was totally moved by his compositions and Lisbeth Scott's vocals. Later I bought "Earthbound" which was and still is quite good. I was pleased to hear earlier this year that he was putting out another State of Grace cd. I found a copy today in the used bins when I was out running some errands on my day off. I must admit that I wasn't completely moved by "State of Grace II" when I first listened to it. The music just didn't have the same emotional impact that the first cd had on me. Still I was pleased to hear Lisbeth Scott on songs like "Fear Not" (a moving ballad), "Turning to Peace", and of course "Ave Maria" (a standard for classical/pop artists to cover). Speaking of "Ave Maria", I just realize that this is probably one of the most covered song in the classical/pop category. Who hasn't sung this overplayed song? Opera Babes sung it as had Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, and I think Josh Groban too. I love "Ave Maria" but at the rate it is being covered, I am getting pretty close to being sick and tired of it. Enough already. I thought it was real interesting to hear Carlos Santana contribute to an album filled with enchanting classical/pop songs, with his song "Curacion (Sunlight on Water)". I guess my only beef with the song is that it feels out of place with the rest of the songs. Otherwise I do like the song. Honestly. As I am listening to "State of Grace II" again, the cd has started to settle in and I am beginning to really enjoy it more. For all its flaws, I am still glad to see Paul Schwartz had made another "State of Grace" cd. I just wished that he could have found a different song other than "Ave Maria" to put on the cd. Lovely song by all means but as I have stated earlier, it is starting to wear out its welcome with me whenever I buy a classical/pop album."