Subtitled "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs." If you were paying much attention to music in the early 1990s, you probably were aware of it, even if you weren't especially interested in contemporary classical music. This recording was something of a crossover hit:
You can read all about the piece itself and its fortunes, especially the fortunes of this recording, at Wikipedia. I bought it, though it must have been somewhat after its heyday, because I don't think I had a CD player in 1992. And I have to confess that I didn't really listen to it very closely. I thought "Well, that's nice (in a slow-moving, almost ambient sort of way)," and was glad that so many people were drawn to it, and at least not put off by its religious imagery. I also confess that I heard a couple of dismissive critical opinions and thought perhaps those critics might have a point, that it is fundamentally a bit on the dull side, and probably over-rated. This idea got a further grip on me because I listened to it in the car, where some significant portions of it are inaudible.
Rob G mentioned here recently that a new recording in which Beth Gibbons (of the band Portishead) is the soprano will be released soon. As I said in that discussion, I can't imagine her singing it. I mean, I guess as classical vocal music goes this is probably not the most demanding, but I would think singers who aren't trained that way would find it pretty difficult.
Anyway, that conversation caused me to put the CD on, sit in a chair, and listen attentively. And I hereby renounce all my reservations. This is a beautiful, powerful work. I'll leave it to the listeners and critics of the future to decide on its true and permanent place in the scheme of musical things, but I think it's extremely good.
It always seems a little weird to select and recommend music for Lent. Silence is probably more fitting. But if you do want to hear some appropriate music, this certainly qualifies.
Light On Dark Water 
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