In Heavenly Peace

Guitarist Douglas Niedt (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Guitarist Douglas Niedt
• Audio CD (September 1, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Niedt Records
• ASIN: B0002YXV0A
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #351,790 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Silent Night

2. Joy To The World

3. Away In A Manger

4. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring

5. In The Bleak Midwinter I

6. Sleigh Ride

7. El Noi De La Mare

8. Our Great Savior

9. Gabriel's Message

10. O Little Town Of Bethlehem

11. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

12. See Amid The Winter's Snow

13. Greensleeves (What Child Is This?)

14. In The Bleak Midwinter II

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

A native of St. Louis, Mr. Niedt began his study of the guitar at the age of seven with his father, an amateur guitarist. He later polished his playing to gem-like brilliance through studies at the Juilliard School and the Segovia Master Classes in Spain, and with Christopher Parkening, Narciso Yepes, and Jorge Morel.

He made his New York debut at the age of twenty-one in Carnegie Recital Hall. Since then he has appeared before enthusiastic audiences across the country, prompting one critic to write, "Mr. Niedt is not only a brilliant master of his instrument, but a performer of great sensitivity. The wealth of sound and the dynamic finesse which he elicits from the guitar promise to make him a worthy companion of the few great guitarists such as Andres Segovia and Julian Bream."

His fabulous recent CD, Pure Magic, received a rave review in England’s Classical Guitar Magazine and led to his appearance on the cover of Fingerstyle Guitar magazine last year. His new Christmas CD is titled In Heavenly Peace.Recognized for his excellence in teaching, he is head of the guitar program of the Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri at Kansas City. Douglas and his wife Catherine are also enthusiastic gardeners and Douglas teaches summer master classes at their lovely Kansas City, MO hilltop estate.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have Christmas CD, January 7, 2005

By 

gillettecourt - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Heavenly Peace (Audio CD)

It's Christmas time, and envisioning lots of Christmas parties with music for background purposes, here's the five-tock entry. Also, for guitar aficionados, stop the Google search for the Andres Segovia Christmas Album. It doesn't exist. Here's the ticket, as Douglas Niedt has studied at the Juilliard School, as well as Segovia Master Classes, among many background studies that certainly lead to the culmination of In Heavenly Peace.

This solo guitarist's name is pronounced "neet"--or "neat"--which certainly suits perhaps the most beautiful classical guitar performances of Christmas songs assembled in one package. Entries include two versions of "In the Bleak Midwinter," "Silent Night," an upbeat version of "Sleigh Ride," "Greensleeves" ("What Child is This"), and "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring." All performances are incredibly well performed, as this project has been a labor of love for Niedt.

Almost as sweet as the recordings (it stands, performance-wise, in the same realm as Phil Keaggy, sans orchestra) in and of themselves is Niedt's extensive liner notes of "The Stories Behind the Carols" from "Silent Night" through the second rendition of "In the Bleak Midwinter." All are enjoyable. Anyone who sings in choirs or is a fan of Christmas music will drink in these notes and share Niedt's obvious heartfelt embracing of the music of Christmas.

The bottom line for Niedt's In Heavenly Peace is that this CD is a must-have for anyone who loves classical guitar. These performances are absolutely beautiful and nicely recorded. The only detraction from this recording is that Niedt didn't include enough surprising moments (loud pops and breaks, as in "Joy to the World") that keep this project, as a whole, from being subjected to December background music. Overall, In Heavenly Peace is very satisfying and a compliment to a most beautiful season of the year.

Olin Jenkins

The Phantom Tollbooth

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful solo guitar music, December 26, 2007

By 

Tess (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Heavenly Peace (Audio CD)

My dh is so happy with this CD! He wanted solo guitar playing Bach's Jesu Joy, and this is the one. Beautifully recorded, peaceful songs, a great gift for your guitar fan.