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Critic's Review
Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
Long before he was filmmaker Michael Moore's buddy, NRA president, or screaming about taking guns from his cold dead hands, Charlton Heston was Moses. This role as Moses propelled Heston from being just another Hollywood schlep into an icon adored by millions worldwide. At the peak of Heston's success, he went into the studio and recorded two records worth of material: the first being that of the Old Testament and the second being The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ. The first of the two releases finds Heston in fine form throughout the span of two full-length discs, delivering the material with great confidence that isn't overly dramatic (as is he is so prone to do at times) and brings the material the majestic justice it so richly deserves. It doesn't read from the Bible verbatim; rather it takes the most important passages from each book and weaves them together in an epic fashion. The Robert DeCormier Chorale breaks up some of the text with soaring hymns that work very well as a supplement to Heston's reading. It's a release that will interest die-hard Heston fans, retro-kitsch obsessors, and most importantly, those looking for a primer or supplement to aid them through reading one of the most important pieces of text of all time.
