Customer Reviews

Sting: A Winter's Night...Live from Durham Cathedral

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had the pleasure of attending this concert in Durham and it was like nothing i have experienced before. The beauty of the cathedral, along with the lighting and soulfull music was outstanding. If one tenth of that comes through on this dvd, grab one asap!! Sting fan or not, this is a perfect companion on a cold winter night.

Sting couldn't have chosen a more beautiful place to film this gorgeous concert. Durham Cathedral almost eclipses the music and the man himself. The venue adds an intangible quality to the performance that would be lost at any other location. The musicians are extraordinary and Sting's voice is in top shape. The lighting is impeccable. I had my doubts about this DVD, but the stunning quality won me over. I much prefer El Stingo when he dons his rock hat, but Sting has always had the ability to defy conventional limitations in regards to what a "rock musician" is capable of accomplishing. The songs are a mixture of English folk songs, lullabys and a few of Sting's compositions. The documentary DVD was an even bigger bonus. The film takes us through the gathering of the musicians to record the album, rehearsals for the concert, and a delightful tour of Newcastle and visits with old friends. The documentary did an excellent of job of showing Sting as a man, not an international rock star. As he says in the film, "I have no mystery here. There's no myth." Sting completists will no doubt want this DVD, but I would also recommend it to even a casual fan.

How glad I was to learn that Sting decided to do this concert in Durham Cathedral. As a fellow Northumbrian, it is a place for which I have fond memories. Enjoying how Sting has evolved over the years, buying this DVD was a most for me.

Sting brings an amazing group of musicians together from many parts of the world. To see Kathyrn Tickell playing the Northumbrian Pipes, was highly enjoyable. Her performance with her brother Peter Tickell was outstanding. Both Tickells, and, indeed, all of the musicians, were obviously enjoying the event. Their passion for the music was very evident, which must account for the quality of the performance.

The repertoire testifies well for how Sting has developed an eclectic inclusive approach to his music and arrangement of timeless songs, across the ages. Sting was flawless, not only in his singing, but also in being his own master of ceremonies, introducing each tune with carefully chosen account of its history and arrangement. The singing accompaniment was excellent. Again their enjoyment was clearly evident. To have included a Gaelic tune, with Mary Macmaster singing and playing the harp as background accompaniment to "Christmas at Sea" , was a great example of Sting's innovative weaving of genres.

As to the DVD, it was a surprise to experience high quality on both video and audio. Playing it on a blu-ray player, I wondered if it were a blu-ray disk. The cameramen have done a great job of covering many aspects and angles of view within the Cathedral.

"A Winter's Night" is highly recommended. The accompanying documentary is also a treasure.

Well done, and thank you Sting and fellow musicians,

Ralph Hodgson.

PS: I do not know the DVD's Audio Engineer, Donal Hodgson, but I come from the North-East, where there are many Hodgsons.

I started watching the Documentary Dvd included in this package because it was shorter and I was suffering of terrible migraine.... it is so beautiful that I was forced to watch the Concert as soon as I ended the documentary. Once finished the Concert I would like to watch the Documentary again, then the concert, then... ok you understood!
It's one of the most beautiful thing I ever saw.... Both dvd are inspiring... The main Concert is simply perfect. Faces of musicians say it all. You can feel their enthusiasm in performing all together, sound is wonderful, the lights in the Cathedral perfectly matched. Tears flow during Ghost Story.... I fell in love with Cello player, Vincent Segal: he's a stunning musician and I really hope Sting will play with him again. Mary McMaster is inspired and Tickell sister&brother force us to dance....
Sting's voice is amazing, perfectly tuned. For analysis of the tracks I invite you to read my review of the cd "If on a winter's night..." here on Amazon.com

Disc 1

1. Intro (Sting/A Winter's Night Concert)
2. The Snow It Melts The Soonest
3. Gabriel's Message
4. Soul Cake
5. There Is No Rose Of Such Virtue
6. Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming
7. Christmas At Sea
8. Now Winter Comes Slowly
9. Cold Song
10. The Burning Babe
11. Ghost Story (not available on the studio CD version)
12. Team Spirit (not available on the studio CD version)
13. The Hounds Of Winter
14. Cherry Tree Carol
15. Balulalow
16. Bethelehem Down (not available on the studio CD version)
17. Coventry Carol (not available on the studio CD of the US version)
18. Lullaby For An Anxious Child
19. I Saw Three Ships (not available on the studio CD version)
20. You Only Cross My Mind In Winter

Disc 2

1. Intro (Sting/A Winter's Night Documentary)
2. Italy
3. Newcastle
4. Durham
5. The Ship Inn
6. The Gosforth Hotel
7. Durham Cathedral
8. Christmas At Sea

I am a conflicted fan from back in the Police days, who all things being equal was generally in agreement with the Stewart Copeland "Sting wants to play everything to slow" camp. That is a legacy of teenage taste I'm still struggling with that gives me a certain predisposition to see a lot of Sting's stuff as stodgy and pretentious. I certainly can understand and sympathize with people who take those negative views.

But this DVD is a record of a remarkable concert, with outstanding musicianship and amazing production values. As much as I may be prejudiced against it, I have to recognize that it is simply too good to do anything else but take off my hat and congratulate Sting and all the musicians on a wonderful achievement.

The music walks the line between traditional folk of the British Isles and classical, with a good dose of world/urban music coming in especially through the modern, and at times exotic percussion. It all blends together into a mass of wintry goodness.

The music is still slow and complex. I'm not saying Sting has gone fast and exciting here -- this isn't party music. But if you are the kind of person who enjoys relaxing into slowness and getting lost in nuanced music, there is plenty to keep your attention here.

The one thing I did find highly questionable was the lighting. Sunburst lights come out of the background, and the camera catches just the right angles at times to make it look like Sting is at the center of the sunburst. Well, in a cathedral setting this takes on a new significance. The DVD at times ends up giving Sting -- in strictly visual terms, at least -- a saintly if not downright divine quality. Dodgy to say the least.

But if that's the biggest fault I can find, it must be pretty good. The documentary is great too -- Sting's return to Newcastle, giving us a little tour. As an old Police fan again, who knew the lore about Sting's early band in Newcastle, a Last Exit reunion was a pleasure to see. For a beer at least -- no playing.

Bravo. Highly recommended, against all my prejudices and better judgment.

A marvellous and moving concert. Beautiful music in a truly splendid building. Our family's new Christmas Day tradition - sorry, Bing.

Being a bona fide Anglophile, I trekked to Durham Cathedral more years ago than I would like to remember. But it was an inspirational place, a quiet and beautiful place, and it was unforgettable. And I saw Sting at a concert in 2000 and was fascinated by his live performance; he has perfect pitch. And so this DVD is the perfect marriage of a place I remember well and a musician whose work I respect enormously. Sting is not afraid to explore the roots of our musical heritage and CD's/DVD's such as this are splendid in their introduction of those roots to a generation that might not otherwise have the opportunity to hear them. I am making a point of giving either this DVD or just the CD to friends this Christmas because they are so worthy of being heard. And as much as I dislike winter, I'm rethinking its purpose, thanks to some thoughtful words by Sting.

This imaginative trip through so many winter nights and days, was so beautifully housed in this fantastic cathedral of Durham, that I dreamed to travel to North England. I enjoyed every song and every moment of this great piece of art. Antonio C.N. Martins

I saw this on PBS recently, and I was excited to watch it, because I already own the Cd. The performance is fantastic, and the musicians combined to create a modern classic. Someone wrote that this is self-indulgent, but I do not see how that is possible. An artist--by definition--is someone who invents a product that is of his own making. The problem is that some listeners and even some music critics seem bent on forcing an artist to conform to some sort of mainstream, which is not a characteristic I would expect from Sting.

Having traveled in Europe, the setting for this Christmas concert is stunning. And although I already own the Cd, I have to buy the DVD. It will become a Christmas classic for my family.