Customer Reviews

A Winter's Solstice III

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What I like about this CD, as opposed to the others in this series, is the inclusion of nontraditional vocals, rather than just instrumental versions of songs and carols. "Lullay Lully" is perhaps the most beautiful lullaby carol I've ever heard, and Barbara Higbie is WONDERFUL on it - so haunting! "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "Christmas Bells" are simply gorgeous - very simple.

Maybe I'm just a folkie at heart, and love that aspect of this CD, but this one rates as my second favorite Xmas CD, right below "John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together."

The most beautiful and subtle feelings about Christmas lie in this album. A great combination of artist with a lot of coherence between each one's inspirations create this saga which is a masterpiece in itself. Every Christmas time I hear my tape with this and the 2nd part... it's completely magical and gets you into the real feeling and the innocence and magic of Christmas. I'll briefly comment each song:




1. Little Drummer Boy - beautiful version
2. Hopeful - Michael Manring - big hearted piano
3. Christmas Song - Steve Erquiaga - nice and peaceful guitar
4. Veni Emmanuel - Turtle Island String Quartet - wonderful chamber music
5. Christmas Bells - John Gorka - a folkie song
6. Lullay, Lully - Barbara Higbie - stunning ballad; magic
7. Trepak - The Modern Mandolin Quartet - funny song
8. Of the Father's Love Begotten - Tim Story - very religious
9. Coventry Carol - Paul McCandless - ooh... perfect harmony
10. Sleepers, Awake - Andy Narell - nice steel drums
11. Snow Is Lightly Falling - Nightnoise - absolute magic
12. Pavane - Liz Story - just nice
13. In the Bleak Midwiner - Pierce Pettis -- beautiful voice

The last two songs I don't have in my tape. This is one of the most beautiful and heartful albums I've ever heard. I never will forget it.

I've enjoyed all the Winter Solstice collections except the "Winter Solstice on Ice" - now, that's atrocious! No. III is one of my favorites because of the vocals. The version of "In the Bleak Midwinter" is one of the most purely spiritual carols I've ever heard. In fact I'm buying my second copy of this CD today because my first has disappeared.

I'm a big fan of this Winter Solstice series, have all of them & most i rate 5 stars. i see other reviewers here like this cd for some of the reasons i dont like it, but that's music. we all have different tastes.

amyway, find the 4 vocals jarring, even though they are pleasant. i play Windham Hill CDs when i want a break from vocals.

besides the vocal tracks, the instrumentals here are too divergent, steel drums, a little nutcracker, some solstice stuff & the first volume in the series where a few xmas carols creep in.

so ure left with a Windham Hill CD with no focus. it's not solstice, its not xmas, its not throughly meditative. it does sound like a random Windham Hill sampler which is fine for picking out the few good tunes, but given the high bar set by the other CDs in the series, this one is a letdown.

Beautiful, joyful, thought provoking music! What makes this collection of songs so enjoyable is their timelessness. They never seem to get stale and every year when I play this, it's like a breath of fresh air. I love this Winter's Solstice edition, the mood it captures and way it makes one feel. It is perfect music and not just for the holidays. There are so many great selections, it's hard to have a favorite. Buy it, you won't be sorry.

I have to agree on Barbara Higbie's "Lullay, Lully" as being one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I loved the rest of the CD as well, and most of the songs fall outside the traditional Christmas music, so I don't feel odd listening to them the rest of the year!

I just purchased this one. I have Vol.'s I through VI and for some reason never purchased III. It's beautiful as are all the Winter Solstices! I'm a writer and do my work with this music playing in the background. Wonderful holiday sounds . . some bring me back to my childhood days!

This is the third in the series of holiday related songs performed by various artists from the Windham Hill stable. While I did not find all of the performances equally appealing, on balance, the set is quite good and worthy of recommendation.

If you are familiar with the essentially minimalist Windham Hill style, you have a pretty fair idea of what to expect. These are new sounds for old melodies.

Pierce Pettis's version of "In the Bleak Midwinter" is worth the price of the whole album.

Winter doesn't have to be a bummer--in fact it can be darn right cheery when you listen to the warming sounds of A Winter Solstice III. Also, this CD is full of great holiday music, especially if you're sick of hearing " Jingle Bell Rock" a gazillion times!!!