Customer Reviews

Midnight Sun: Traditional Nordic Melodies

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Who would have thought the Scandinavians make such happy music? This is like good jazz by way of a stirring Celtic band, and reminds me of the best of the Baltimore Consort. The songs come from the Nordic countries and also Scotland, Estonia, Latvia and even Canada, and they sound very lively played by an ensemble that uses familiar instruments like fiddle and cello, guitar and clarinet, and unusual instruments like bazouki, bodhran, bagpipes, and accordion.

I took a chance on this just because the whole concept seemed so outrageous, but I'm usually pleased with Dorian's recordings. This one is exceptionally good.

The Grand Poobah of Ragamuffins, Brennan Manning, reminds us to "think big about God." So why not think big about music? After all, God has created music.

Still, as I engaged in that perpetual ritualistic struggle familiar to all music fans (trying to peel off the plastic wrapping), I thought to myself: "Traditional Nordic Melodies??? I know Dorian's a great label...but TRADITIONAL NORDIC MELODIES???"

Then I placed it in my CD player and pushed play...

Take my advice friends--this is a GREAT recording! Dorian has done it again. I dare you not to love this music. From the very first song, "Mandom, mod och morska man," I knew this would be one of my all time favorite recordings. It is.

This music is inventive. This music is full of passion. This music made me like the clarinet...an instrument that I've despised since my days in middle school.

Each song is a mini-masterpiece. My three favorite songs are probably the first and last tracks as well as "Halb Sirp"--a song about a woman who is frustrated with trying to harvest with a poorly made sickle. Sarah Granskou's vocals make the song outstanding. The instrumental playing is top rate throughout the whole disc.

I urge you to get a copy of "Midnight Sun: Traditional Nordic Melodies" today. It is outstanding.

The Grand Poobah of Ragamuffins, Brennan Manning, reminds us to "think big about God." So why not think big about music? After all, God has created music.

Still, as I engaged in that perpetual ritualistic struggle familiar to all music fans (trying to peel off the plastic wrapping), I thought to myself: "Traditional Nordic Melodies??? I know Dorian's a great label...but TRADITIONAL NORDIC MELODIES???"

Then I placed it in my CD player and pushed play...

Take my advice friends--this is a GREAT recording! Dorian has done it again. I dare you not to love this music. From the very first song, "Mandom, mod och morska man," I knew this would be one of my all time favorite recordings. It is.

This music is inventive. This music is full of passion. This music made me like the clarinet...an instrument that I've despised since my days in middle school.

Each song is a mini-masterpiece. My three favorite songs are probably the first and last tracks as well as "Halb Sirp"--a song about a woman who is frustrated with trying to harvest with a poorly made sickle. Sarah Granskou's vocals make the song outstanding. The instrumental playing is top rate throughout the whole disc.

I urge you to get a copy of "Midnight Sun: Traditional Nordic Melodies" today. It is outstanding.

None of this is actual Christmas music, but, besides its other virtues and interest for what it *is*, it all *sounds* like Christmas music. In that way Midnight Sun fills Eno's definition of ambient music: it is rewarding both close up and in the background. And of course the background is where everyone plays Christmas music.

Play the first clip to the end, up to the point where it breaks into a sort of Delta blues. (I had to save the RealAudio file to disk, rename it to something.ram and start it manually.)

Midnight Sun by Ens. Polaris is one of the best discs that I have heard in a long time. The tunes are from the Scandinavian countries and Estonia, Scotland, and Canada. But the sound is very unique--a blend of many early and world music traditions. The wonder of the disc is that each song receives a unique treatment and arrangement that an ensemble of various instruments (from jews harp, hurdy-gurdy, and clarinet to you name it!) can create--each arrangement seems so perfectly matched to nuances of each song. The result is incredible variety in all respects and a collection of sounds that is strongly rhythmic or gorgeously melodic-- predominantly an early instrumental music sound, but with various influences of celtic, klezmer, middle eastern and blues! Plus there are six haunting vocals by two guest female vocalists. I'm hoping for more great stuff from this group.

Listening to this wonderful music from Ensemble Polaris, I cannot help but think that C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien would have loved it. This is "Northernness" personified in music. This is musical greatness. I hope that Ensemble Polaris makes more music, and soon. If nothing else, this disc deserves to be heard by as many people as possible.