the project

Paul Horn's album is an extraordinary example of Christmas as a point of departure that is unique from every standpoint...conception, repertoire, execution...the arrangements are sublime, serene, soaring, caressing and, indeed, peaceful. - Leonard Feather, the Los Angeles Times.

On The Peace Album, flutist Paul Horn plays regular flute, alto flute, and bass flute. He multi-tracks with himself, creating a kind of flute choir on a variety of Christmas carols, classical compositions, and traditional songs, which are sensitively arranged by Paul Horn and Anthony Genge.

While The Peace Album is the ideal Christmas record, Horn hopes that it will transcend the musical and commercial limitations of that seasonal genre. "The Christmas spirit of peace and goodwill should vitalize us all year long, not just at Christmas," said Horn. "By listening to peaceful music, we can experience inner peace within ourselves and then radiate that spirit to others. As we project goodwill, we help the world itself become a more peaceful place. That spirit of peace and goodwill is the essence of this recording." Familiar Christmas carols on The Peace Album include Silent Night, Joy to the World, and We Three Kings. Pieces such as What Child is This, Bach's Aire (from Suite no. 3 in D Major), Schubert's Ave Maria, Palestrina's Magnificat, and two Gregorian chants add a classical dimension to the recording. Together, the pieces sustain the mood and character, not only of Christmas, but of universal love, peace, and joy.

the artist

Paul Horn has performed and recorded throughout the world, applying his artistry to many genres of music in a variety of contexts. As a recording artist, he is well-known for his Inside series, which began in 1968, and includes Inside the Taj Mahal (11062) and Inside the Great Pyramid (12060). Horn became famous in the early 1960s, leading his own jazz quintet and receiving two Grammy Awards for Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts.