Pianist/composer Julie Rivers has created another stand-out collection of solo and ensemble pieces. All of the fourteen tracks are original compositions except for the folk song “The Water Is Wide” which Rivers arranged for her violinist son, Art. A resident of Kansas, Rivers dedicated the album “to the preservation of the tallgrass prairies and all the natural beauty of our Earth,” and most of the pieces were inspired by nature. The majority of the tracks are quiet and serene, but several are orchestrated and two have a big symphonic sweep. The title track opens the album with a feeling of vast open spaces and a gentle sense of longing. Peter Larsen joins Rivers on guitar, and the piece also has some orchestration by Randy Wills - a beautiful beginning! The “Kanza Suite” consists of three lovely pieces: ”Sweet Prairie Morning” is a gentle, peaceful ode to the “intoxicating” smell of prairie grasses on the warm breeze of a “dewy Kansas morning.” “Cradle Song” includes a recurring theme from “Sweet Prairie Morning” at a slower tempo accompanied by flute and nature sounds. “Ride the Wild Wind” is one of the “bigger,” more orchestrated pieces and is a theme right out of the old west. “Butterfly” is a gorgeous expression of a Monarch butterfly resting on a wildflower in the prairie grasses; Rivers paints a beautiful vignette of perfect peace and the joy of discovering an unexpected scene of Nature’s grace. “An Old Refrain” is shamelessly romantic with piano and violin melting the heartstrings - it could have come from an old movie! “Prayer at Twilight” is my favorite track on this CD. Hauntingly beautiful with the sound of children’s voices accompanying the piano, the piece is the expression of tranquility and inner peace. Very classical in structure and scope, As Far As the Heart Can See is a joy from start to finish. Julie Rivers has been one of my favorite composer/pianists for some time now, and she just keeps getting better! Julie’s albums can be purchased from earthstarrecordings.com, which also has samples and sound clips.