Review: Marian Anderson's Timeless Relevance

This deluxe, coffee-table edition from Sony contains the complete RCA Victor recordings of Marian Anderson on 15 CDs. She was, of course, a cultural icon in the United States, but in a very real sense a singer (like Maria Callas) whose artistry transcended even her own voice. Most of these recordings were made when she was past her prime, but her powers of communication remained so remarkable that it hardly matters. The title of this collection, "Beyond the Music," is deceptive, and I don't think Anderson would have appreciated it at all. She lived for music, embodied it, and these recordings prove that the music was, all by itself, both miraculous and sufficient.