A Winter's Solstice II

A Winter's Solstice (Series) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Windham Hill Records
• ASIN: B000000NHA
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,186 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Gift

2. 17th Century Canon

3. Prelude to Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major

4. This Rush of Wings

5. Sung to Sleep

6. E'en So, Lord Jesus Quickly Come/Dadme Albricias Hijos d'Eva (Songs of

7. Bring Me Back a Song

8. Salve Regina

9. Chorale No. 220

10. Simple Psalm

11. Flute Sonata in Em, 3rd Movement

12. Come Life Shaker Life

13. Medieval Memory II

14. Abside the Winter

15. By the Fireside

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: WINTER'S SOLSTICE
Title: VOL. 2-WINTER'S SOLSTICE
Street Release Date: 09/01/1989
Domestic
Genre: XMAS VOCAL COLLECTIONS

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The very Best of them all-Still after all these years..., January 25, 2006

By 

Christian Ellithorpe "ellithorpeillustrations" (Streamwood, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Winter's Solstice II (Audio CD)

After all the years and all the Winter Solstice/Carols of Christmas?Windham Hill Christmas compilations, this is the one I always come back to. It has the most original material, and because of that, it is one of the few Winter Solstice albums you can honestly listen to in July or January or December. Brilliant improvisations by Philip Aaberg begin, and end this disc. One of Ackerman's awesome harp-guitar pieces, a piece by Barbara Higbee which is one of the only I've heard of her flute performances. And the most poignant moments of all - Fred Simon's Simple Psalm. Very moving piano work, complete with chime effects. Simply awesome. There is literally not a single boring or predictable track on this CD; it is a true masterpiece of astonishingly consistent talent all throughout. Yes the first "Winter Solstice" was very good, but this was actually far beyond perfect. THIS is the CD to start with!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite LOVELY for ALL Seasons..., July 6, 2006

By 

Shmama "MamaNature2" (WI United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Winter's Solstice II (Audio CD)

My first Winter Solstice cd (I started with number 2) & I'm quite impressed! It is completely Instrumental except for a very short beautiful addition of the sound of female voices more like an instrument near the end of one of the selections that adds to it's sweetness. (Normally I do not care for mixing vocals with primarily instrumentals, but this doesn't detract from it at all). I guess you could play this cd in the winter only, but that sure seems like a waste of the opportunity to be soothed year round. The music is reminiscent of the renaissance period & there are no recognizable Christmas tunes (for me anyway). This whole album is perfect for relaxing anytime & will be great at bedtime for me as I usually have trouble winding down to sleep. Overall, I highly Recommend it. There are some very reasonably priced "like new" ones offered by an assortment of sellers here on Amazon (I now have the first cd in this series on the way to me). Peace.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sentimentally Relaxing for Winter, or Anytime, November 14, 2005

By 

Paul Gray "Nojaa" (Melbourne, Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Winter's Solstice II (Audio CD)

This is the second in the "A Winter's Solstice" series. As usual, the good folks at Windham Hill have assembled a masterpiece of music!

If I had to describe musically my feelings of the winter season, this would be it. This compilation is so perfect that, if I close my eyes, I can actually feel myself being transported to the vistas these selections describe.

Here's a sampling of what can be found on this CD:

"The Gift" describes a gentle snowfall. Each note and chord of the piano is a snowflake falling gently to earth amongst a forest of evergreens. "17th Century Canon" brings to mind a scene of an early Main Street, with bells ringing, garland and tinsel gently swaying and children playing in piles of snow. "Prelude to Cello Suite #1," written by Johann Sebastian Bach, becomes a fireplace with the flames dancing over the embers.

"Sung to Sleep" is a mother softly and lovingly singing her child to sleep and telling her child, and herself, that all is well. "Bring Me Back a Song" is actually a medley of traditional Celtic carols. It exudes a warmth of good tidings while causing the listener to reflect on Christmases past.

"Salve Regina" is a tune from the Middle Ages. While not specifically a Christmas piece, it nevertheless fits the mood of the album. "Simple Psalm" is perhaps a rendition of one of the Psalms put to music. The listener's mind may wander to a snow-covered countryside as the sun tries to peek through the clouds.

"Come Life Shaker Life" is a traditional Shaker hymn which celebrates life and the joy of living. "Medieval Memory II" is another mood piece that fits well in the canon. This piece brings to mind a winter's evening with a light snowfall, and is a reflection of "peace on earth" at winter time. "Abide the Winter" brings to mind a scene of winter's last days when both flora and fauna return. Birds are happily singing and the first flowers are poking their heads through old snow as spring prepares to make a return. "By the Fireside" is a scene of a fire in the hearth while family and friends sit around and recall visions of winters past and of dreams for the future.

The music presented here makes "A Winter's Solstice II" a great album for retrospect and meditation. Certainly a good addition to any Christmas music collection, especially for listeners who wish to experience a musical journey of the mind and soul. Five stars plus!