You’ll Never Walk Alone

David Hobson & Teddy Tahu Rhodes, ABC Classics

Bass-baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes and tenor David Hobson chose their favourite songs for You’ll Never Walk Alone. The CD includes lots of my favourites, too, such as “Hallelujah”, “The Holy City”, “All Through the Night”, “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, “O Holy Night” and “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”.

There is not too much that can be said about the quality of this CD, except that every song is a work of perfection that makes listeners’, even non-opera followers, spines quiver with emotion — especially when listening to “Hallelujah”.

There is also a fascinating little booklet inside the CD case with the words of each song, the biography of the singers and, more importantly, the history of each song.

Did you know Leonard Cohen wrote at least 80 different verses to “Hallelujah”? The verses Rhodes and Hobson chose are from his original 1984 version.

Or that “I’ll Walk with God” comes from the secular movie The Student Prince, although the actual singer did not appear in the film because he had been fired after an argument with MGM. Someone else mouthed his vocals.

I recommend that you all buy You’ll Never Walk Alone, immediately.

Katy Gerner