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Reviews
"Phillips is rapidly gaining recognition as a composer of high-quality church music. His style is an appealing fusion of melody with a harmonic palate based on tonality enriched with contemporary idioms. DIVINUM MYSTERIUM is a pastoral that gives the melody an interesting rhythmic twist. The second prelude sets FOREST GREEN in asymmetric meter, giving a unique lilt to the rhythm of the piece. There are a number of large leps in the hands, but all are manageable with careful fingering. This setting requires a three-manual organ, or at least a two-manual intstrument with divisional pistons. The final setting in this collection is a toccata on the tune ANTIOCH, which is as much fun to play as to hear. Changing meter and a creative tonal framework make for an appealing presentation of a Christmas tune that has become mundane through years of use and abuse. All three of these settings are sure-fire 'hits' and will add new life to your Christmas repertoire. Moderately difficult. Highly recommended." -Cross Accent, January 1997
"In the first of these volumes [Joy to the World], Craig brings his formidable talents to three Christmas hymns-Divinum mysterium, Forest Green, and Antioch. The second volume [Glad Praises We Sing] includes surprising and wonderful settings of Kremser, Hyfrydol, Nettleton, and Engelberg. In both volumes he stretches the bounds of hymn-based organ writing, creating and retaining interest by going beyond the usual and predictable four-square, literal (and very often boring) quotation of a tune by using mixed meter, partial quotation, slight changes in the tune, etc. These are highly sophisticated and imaginative settings, yet Craig never oversteps "the boundary" and makes a setting too complicated and fussy for the tune, or merely clever. These volumes are among the finest I have reviewed in this Journal." -AAM Journal, Feb. 1997
"Joy to the World has DIVINUM MYSTERIUM, FOREST GREEN (both quiet and quite easy) and Toccata on ANTIOCH needing a largish organ and nimble fingers." -HSGBI, April 1997
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