Customer Reviews

A Winter Garden: Five Songs for the Season

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Several people have called this CD too short, but one must understand that this is not a real album, but and EP. One must also remember that this was made at the same time she was making "The Book of Secrets" and didn't have enough time to make a full lenght Christmas album. If you are and Enya listener who has some singles that are about 10, 15, or 20 minutes long, you will not be bothered by the length of this CD.

Anyway, this is a very beautiful collection of music, exactly 22:28 minutes long. I really loved the Middle-East beat of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", a one of a kind style! I also really loved the old traditional Celtic sound of "Good King Winceslas", which I heard on the radio a few weeks ago. I'm very glad that she was able to include uillean pipes in the music, for it gave the music feeling and old style. Loreena also did a new version of "Snow" which sounded very nice, but I found it to be a little too fast paced. I also liked "Coventary Carol", but found it to be too fast paced. I highly recommend people to hear the version on Charlotte Church's "Dream A Dream", which was slower and brought more meaning to the music and lyrics. But then there also is the traditional English "Seeds of Love", which I really LOVED. It sounds so traditional, clear, simple, and lovely. Though the music is very different from the original version, it sounds just as old and traditional as the real version. Though I have to admit that I did have one disappointment and that was that the booklet did not explain the meaning of the words of the song. You see, "Seeds of Love" is not a Christmas song(though it brings meaning to the title 'A Winter Garden', but a tradtional English song about love and sorrow. The flowers are meant to symbolize characteristics. The violet symbolizes modesty, the lily is purity, and the pink is curtesy. The red rose means true love and the twisting willow tree is sorrow. The version on this CD omitted the last verse, which brings meaning to the message of love. I have to go now, but let me say that this is a very good Christmas album.

Any collection of Christmas music that includes the Coventry Carol is worthy of praise. Ms. McKennitt's voice and selection, as always, are excellent - but, unfortunately, *not* enough (especially when one of the pieces is repeated on her full-length album "To Drive the Cold Winter Away"). Regardless, "A Winter Garden" is well worth buying as a companion to her other CD's and for the holy day season. Those who enjoy Ms. McKennitt's work, but desire a more "uptempo" or "semi-popular" collection of Christmas carols will find "A Winter Garden" more to their liking. Those who simply love Loreena McKennitt's talents, will find "A Winter Garden" well worth any price.

Loreena Mckennitt's A Winter Garden is her second Christmas album after To Drive The Cold Winter Away.Unlike that album that has sparser music and an acoustic feel to it,Winter Garden has more instruments and was recorded in a studio.Traditional favorites like God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and Good King Wenceslas are given an upbeat almost Middle Eastern sound.Snow a song she first recorded on To Drive The Cold Winter Away is also given stronger music.Seeds Of Love is another traditional song, though it doesn't have a Christmas theme.The best song on the album is Coventry Carol.It's a beautiful and moving song and Loreena does an excellent job with the vocals.Overall this is a great Celtic Chrismas album her fans should enjoy.

Finally -- a Christmas album that doesn't include "Jingle Bells," "Joy to the World" or "Let It Snow." Instead, Loreena McKennitt looks back on an almost-forgotten time when Christmas was a sacred holy day, in the all-too-brief but very lovely EP "A Winter Garden."

It opens with the soothing, lullaby-like "Coventry Carol," before heading to the majestic catchiness of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and utterly enchanting "Good King Wenceslas," where a saintly king and his servant travel on foot to bring food and firewood to a poor woodsman's family. It's a beautiful little song, and the sprightly tune makes it even more so.

A smoother, softer tone comes in with "Snow," the musical adaptation of a poem by nineteenth-century Canadian poet Archibald Lampman. It's a frosty, beautiful portrait of a winter evening, without any direct reference to Christmas, but its formal tone fits in. The EP rounds off with the traditional "Seeds of Love," a sweet little love song.

Christmas is one of those holidays swamped by commercial profit and not by the traditions and beliefs behind it. So it's refreshing to hear songs that don't bring to mind mall muzak -- instead, McKennitt's EP make you think of wassail, medieval castles, cathedrals draped in holly, and blankets of snow over dark forests.

"A Winter Garden" was recorded over a few days in the summer of 1995, in Wiltshire's recording studios. It sounds pretty laid-back, and the relaxed tone of the results shows it. Her selection of songs is excellent -- four are traditional ballads, rich and underused by most singers. I'm not quite sure why she included "Seeds of Love," which while a lovely song, has no reference to Christmas or wintertime.

McKennitt not only provides her rich vocals, but also plays the harp and adds some keyboard flourishes. Backing her is Rich Lazar's medieval-sounding percussion, Hugh Marsh's violin and Caroline Lavelle's cello -- among others. There are also acoustic guitars, bass, viola, and pipes, which all are woven into a sort of medieval-pop.

While a full-length Christmas album can be found in "To Drive the Cold Winter Away," the "Winter Garden" EP is an enchanting, atmospheric listen that gives a whole new look at Christmas carols.

Having already recorded a full-length Christmas album, "To Drive The Cold Winter Away," Loreena McKennitt went into Peter Gabriel's Real World studios for three days with some musicians in July 1995 to record five Christmas songs just for fun. The end result is the Christmas EP, "A Winter Garden." Just 22 minutes long, "A Winter Garden" can easily be taken as a companion disc to "To Drive The Cold Winter Away." Loreena & company perform this quintet of holiday songs beautifully, especially the gorgeous, nearly-7 minute rendering of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," easily one of the very best versions of this classic song ever recorded. There are also spirited performances of "Coventry Carol," "Good King Wenceslas," "Snow" (originally featured on "To Drive The Cold Winter Away"), and "Seeds Of Love." "A Winter Garden" is a lovely holiday postcard from Loreena McKennitt.

"Winter Garden" is a five-track EP that compliments Loreena's Christmas album "To Drive The Cold Winter Away" to splendid perfection. Only one of the songs ("Snow") is a carryover. Here we have a haunting harp rendition of the Coventry Carol, and a mysteriously Eastern God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, complete with derbukka drums, tambourine, shawm, wild fiddle, and Loreena vocalizing with Middle Eastern flair. Good King Wenceslas is a rollicking Celtic air, with guitar, tin whistle, and uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes). Snow was my first introduction to Loreena's magic blend of international sounds and spiritual tales (it was on Celtic Twilight Vol. 2), and remains one of my favourite songs. I have a tradition of playing this on the first snowfall of every year without fail---somehow it seems the perfect way to usher in the magic of winter and the first snow. Seeds of Love is a gentle, wistful ballad supported by Irish bagpipes, vocal layering, and a serene close to this gem of an album. If you're tired of the same old boring Christmas Muzak blared in malls and assault of teenybopper "Group of the Moment" Christmas CDs, "Winter Garden" is a much-needed breath of fresh air to reenergize the magic of the holiday season.

Finally -- a Christmas album that doesn't include "Jingle Bells," "Joy to the World" or "Let It Snow." I'm so bloody sick of those songs. Instead, Loreena McKennitt looks back on an almost-forgotten time when Christmas was a sacred day full of beauty and magic, in the all-too-brief but very lovely EP "A Winter Garden."

It opens with the soothing, lullaby-like "Coventry Carol," before heading to the majestic catchiness of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and utterly enchanting "Good King Wenceslas," where a saintly king and his servant travel on foot to bring food and firewood to a poor woodsman's family. It's a beautiful little song, and the sprightly tune makes it even more so.

A smoother, softer tone comes in with "Snow," the musical adaptation of a poem by nineteenth-century Canadian poet Archibald Lampman. It's a frosty, beautiful portrait of a winter evening, without any direct reference to Christmas, but its formal tone fits in. The EP rounds off with the traditional "Seeds of Love," a sweet little love song.

Christmas is one of those holidays swamped by commercial profit and not by the traditions and beliefs behind it. So it's refreshing to hear songs that don't bring to mind mall muzak -- instead, McKennitt's EP make you think of wassail, medieval castles, cathedrals draped in holly, and blankets of snow over dark forests.

"A Winter Garden" was recorded over a few days in the summer of 1995, in Wiltshire's recording studios. It sounds pretty laid-back, and the relaxed tone of the results shows it. Her selection of songs is excellent -- four are traditional ballads, rich and underused by most singers. I'm not quite sure why she included "Seeds of Love," which while a lovely song, has no reference to Christmas or wintertime.

McKennitt not only provides her rich vocals, but also plays the harp and adds some keyboard flourishes. Backing her is Rich Lazar's medieval-sounding percussion, Hugh Marsh's violin and Caroline Lavelle's cello -- among others. There are also acoustic guitars, bass, viola, and pipes, which all are woven into a sort of medieval-pop.

While a full-length Christmas album can be found in "To Drive the Cold Winter Away," the "Winter Garden" EP is an enchanting, atmospheric listen that gives a whole new look at Christmas carols.

Finally -- a Christmas album that doesn't include "Jingle Bells," "Joy to the World" or "Let It Snow." I'm so bloody sick of those songs. Instead, Loreena McKennitt looks back on an almost-forgotten time when Christmas was a sacred day full of beauty and magic, in the all-too-brief but very lovely EP "A Winter Garden."

It opens with the soothing, lullaby-like "Coventry Carol," before heading to the majestic catchiness of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and utterly enchanting "Good King Wenceslas," where a saintly king and his servant travel on foot to bring food and firewood to a poor woodsman's family. It's a beautiful little song, and the sprightly tune makes it even more so.

A smoother, softer tone comes in with "Snow," the musical adaptation of a poem by nineteenth-century Canadian poet Archibald Lampman. It's a frosty, beautiful portrait of a winter evening, without any direct reference to Christmas, but its formal tone fits in. The EP rounds off with the traditional "Seeds of Love," a sweet little love song.

Christmas is one of those holidays swamped by commercial profit and not by the traditions and beliefs behind it. So it's refreshing to hear songs that don't bring to mind mall muzak -- instead, McKennitt's EP make you think of wassail, medieval castles, cathedrals draped in holly, and blankets of snow over dark forests.

"A Winter Garden" was recorded over a few days in the summer of 1995, in Wiltshire's recording studios. It sounds pretty laid-back, and the relaxed tone of the results shows it. Her selection of songs is excellent -- four are traditional ballads, rich and underused by most singers. I'm not quite sure why she included "Seeds of Love," which while a lovely song, has no reference to Christmas or wintertime.

McKennitt not only provides her rich vocals, but also plays the harp and adds some keyboard flourishes. Backing her is Rich Lazar's medieval-sounding percussion, Hugh Marsh's violin and Caroline Lavelle's cello -- among others. There are also acoustic guitars, bass, viola, and pipes, which all are woven into a sort of medieval-pop.

While a full-length Christmas album can be found in "To Drive the Cold Winter Away," the "Winter Garden" EP is an enchanting, atmospheric listen that gives a whole new look at Christmas carols.

This little EP is worth its weight in gold. Loreena McKennitt brings her unique style to traditional Christmas/Yuletide music, and does so with tremendous aplomb. A particularly noteworthy example is the somewhat Middle Eastern take she brings to "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen" -- I have never before found myself belly-dancing in the livingroom to a Christmas carol. I find this EP to be exhilirating and beautiful. Highly recommended to all admirers of McKennitt's music, and to those who are investigating Celtic/New Age artists.

Lest anyone mistake, I did not give this CD 3 Stars because it is subpar in quality. Rather, I was merely hoping for a longer album. It costs less than the rest of McKennitt's CDs, but is still a fairly steep price for only 22 or so minutes of music. It would have been nice to hear Mckennitt sing "Silent Night" and / or "We Three Kings." It also would have been a nice touch to tack on the "Greensleeves" track from her "The Visit" album, both because it would have fit the mood of this holiday CD, and it would have extended the rather terse playing time.

In any case, what you do get with this CD is the same level of excellence that Mckennitt's fans have grown to expect. I have never been really big on albums which are totally dedicated to Christmas music, but made an exception in this case. If you don't mind that the CD is very brief in length, maybe you should, too.