Customer Reviews

Celtic Christmas III

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This remains one of my favorite compilation albums of any genre, despite the fact that it isn't very Christmas-sy in tone or content (at least not in a traditional sense), and really doesn't seem all that Celtic either. Actually, I would consider this more of a Wintery album, with primarily New-Agey and neo-Celtic selections that are gently minor, reflecting the stark beauty of a cold snowy day or, in contrast, the warmth of home and hearth. It is that combination of moods that is most compelling here. Some of the tracks are sweet and soothing, others moody, but all are beautiful and all are moving. Particularly intriguing are the compositions by whistle player James McNally ("Black is the Color"), flute and keyboard duo Brian Dunning and Jeff Johnson ("A Raven in the Snow"), harpist Lisa Lynne ("Circle of Joy" & "Home"), guitarist Snuffy Walden ("Sails of Galway") and multi-instrumentalist David Arkenstone ("Angels in the Snow"). Don't buy "Celtic Christmas 3" if you're looking for yet another batch of tired interpretations of stock Christmas Carols. There are plenty of those out there already. But DO buy it if you like mellow, high-quality compositions that will sooth your soul and transport you to a place of peace, grace, and more than a touch of mystery--rather like the beautiful, haunting ruins of Tintern Abbey that seem to grace the album cover. Sounds like a perfect Christmas present to me! If you enjoy the tone set by "Celtic Christmas 3", you may also like another interesting Windham Hill compilation CD, "The Renaissance Album".

As has been true with Celtic Christmas I & II, this collections of songs evokes the holiday without being maudlin or tacky. One can get a gentle feeling of Christmas without a desire to dress in red & green & drink wassail. It's much more than that. It is a journey through finely tuned songs (no pun intended!) with a tasteful delivery that calls up memories of the distant & not so distant past. This collection is a blessed relief from usual Christmas fare.

While equally beautiful and broader in its approach than simply presenting holiday songs in a Celtic style, this particular collection does present two distinctly Christmas songs: The Wexford Carol and Lully Lullay. As such this CD is somewhat more specifically holiday oriented. However, one should certainly not be put off by that. The two carols, as well as the other 10 selections, are most beautifully performed, and the light, lilting quality of the music is most enjoyable.

This cd is a favorite of mine. I love it so much, because I can listen to a song in spring and I can see flowers blomming and then when I listen to it at Christmas, I see trees lights and snow. My favorite song is "A Raven in the Snow", but they're all great. I recemend this with a smile, for all times of the year!

I love this cd! All the music is beautiful, and I never tire of hearing it. I have given this as a gift to friends, and they love it, too! You can listen to this one over and over!

I never tire of this music. Favorite tracks are the haunting "Lament" and "Sails of Galway". I played this CD for a Muslim coworker who was enchanted and wanted to introduce this music to her children.

This is one of the most beautiful collections of Celtic music - it's "Christmasy" but not over the top. The best song is "Lament" by Patrick Cassidy - very haunting. It's the reason I bought the CD.

This is a lovely CD, just perfect for that moment, right before Christmas or during the week between Christmas and New Year's, when you are sick and tired of "Deck the Halls" and "Rocking around the Christmas Tree". It's a very elegant take on winter, interpreted by several different artists.

I was first gifted with this CD in 1999, and wore the disc out listening to "Angels in the Snow." It's a tune that will stay with you forever. That alone makes it worth purchasing. I rebought the CD last Christmas so that I could enjoy it again. All the selections are beautiful meditations on the season and, since they're not instantly recognizeable as "Christmas" music, you can enjoy this long after the decorations are put away.

Gift yourself with this magical CD, which is sure to delight.

I have been searching for the music CD for years. Two songs "day's last night" and "angels in the snow" are my favorite. This album truly sets a pensive mood for the holidays.

This Windham HIll series from the 1990s features music that conjures up snow-covered fields, bare branches, solemn prayers, ancient country churches and lilting dance music. To those of us lucky enough to have Irish blood, the connection is atavistic. This, the third offering in the series, opens with The Wexfod Carol, and continues in a solemn and sometimes mournful vein. It's not all jingle bells and holly and and silly lyrics.

It is by far one of the most beautiful collections of winter music I have ever heard. I don't limit my listening to the holidays. I begin in late fall and listen well into the new year, and that hold true for every CD in the series.

I cherish all my Windham Hill albums, but this is one is special for its stunning rendition of The Wexford Carol.