Various Artists

Item: Emmanuel - A Musical Celebration of the Life of Christ
Author: Jared Warren

Emmanuel - A Musical Celebration of the Life of Christ

(1996)

Reviewed by Jared Warren

Discogs YouTube

Label Sparrow RecordsThe LighthouseDecember 1996

ccm classical worship

From the opening theme to the closing reprise, this star-studded celebration continues in the tradition of its predecessor, The Young Messiah. Returning from The Young Messiah, producer Norman Miller brings a modern Broadway feel to a story passed down for generations. "We wanted something like Jesus Christ Superstar for the Nineties-a musical that was contemporary, yet would appeal to the person who attended a Young Messiah concert," Miller explains.

Written and composed by Greg Nelson and Bob Farrell, the musical tells the story of Christ, beginning with the words of Isaiah foretelling Christ's birth, and continues with the story of His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, all the while celebrating these events. Among the 14 Christian artists who contribute lead vocals to the project are Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith (who also heavily influenced the writing of the album), Sandi Patty, BeBe Winans, Clay Crosse, and Anointed.

Built around the theme of the Grant hit (written by Smith) by the same name, Emmanuel stresses the gift of Christ, and the sacrifices that He made. "I was really excited when Greg [Nelson] called because I had felt for a long time that song was going to come back around somehow," comments Smith.

What better Christmas gift can one give than the gift of a powerful, exciting, and entertaining performance of 14 of the best Christian artists? This is not a recording meant just for Christmas time-in fact, it was written with just the opposite in mind. "One of the things that I thought made The Messiah successful was that it is the life story of Christ, rather than just a Christmas piece. Emmanuel will hopefully be enjoyed year-round," Miller emphasizes.