Customer Reviews

A Winter's Solstice IV

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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Excellent throughout. The "Carol of the Bells" version is exceeded (IMHO) only by the David Benoit version on the first GRP Christmas (sorry George). But the highlight without a doubt is the "Angels We've Heard on High" which is exquisite. The Best of the WS series.

Perhaps it is possible for one's immediate circumstance to influence, or bias one's hearing, but, I have never encountered a mix of vaguely familiar "sounds" that were so completely soothing to the ear, and comforting to the heart as album IV of the Winter Solstice series.

I have many of Windham Hill's albums, and while each is distinct in musical "flavor" and delivery, this is by far my favorite.

If you don't own this one I highly recommend it to you!

This CD contains some of the most exquisite "winter" music I have ever heard. I used "Dona Nobis Pacem" and "The Wexford Carol" in my Christmas-time wedding in 1996. For holiday-music afficionados, this captures the spirit of the season: peace, joy, and a sense of wonder.

If, like me, you are an old-fashioned Christmas-season lover, you will love Solstice IV. It provides a quality variation from the Top 40 Christmas renditions. This is "quiet by the tree and fire" music. My other favorite Soltice is #II. I play them in all four seasons.

Windham Hill artists have a long tradition of coming up with very relaxing, chill renditions of holiday favorites as well as their own original seasonal music. All the music on this album brings to mind the most peaceful images of the winter season - a warming fire away from the bleak chill of winter; a snowy winter wonderland; simply being with the people you love most. This album is perfect for a quite evening away from anything and everything.

The first four Winter's Solstice recordings are simply outstanding. Unfortunately, something about the series went suddenly wrong starting with Vol. 5.

Back to Vol. 4. I'm particularly fond of Øystein Sevåg's piece. The ensemble's Carol of the Bell's is great, too--great bass and piano, especially.

Vol. 2 remains my favorite of the series. I live in California, but when I play it late at night, it feels like there's a fresh blanket of snow around my house.

It seems as though one cannot go wrong in the purchase of any of the Windham Hill's Winter Solstice series. What makes this CD special is the inclusion of Tim Story's best work: Asleep The Snow Came Flying. Imagine yourself curled up with a good book in front of a roaring fireplace, while outside your isolated mountain cabin, thick snowflakes gently paint the surrounding valley in a soft shade of ivory. This sentimental yet peaceful musical portrait is unforgetable, and a must have for Tim Story fans.

This is the fourth in the series of Windham Hill holiday collections. I found it significantly superior to its immediate predecessor. There's more of a holiday feel to these selections, with more specifically recognizable holiday melodies. Once again, these performances dress familiar songs in interesting, new attire.

This is superb music, and that it is supposed to be "Christmas" music is almost beside the point. Yeah, it wouldn't be Christmas without it, but for me this disc can be a salve against the hostilities of an uncaring world. Such "therapy" need not always take place in December.

The Windham Hill series (Winter Solstice) fhas been outstanding, featuring a sampling of their artists. You get a wide range of performers (Nightnoise, Turtle Island String Quartet, etc.) that you might not run into otherwise. The result is a superior collection for the holiday season, but not so overtly Christmas that you can't play it at other times.
I particularly like Øystein Sevåg's contribution. I can't rave enough about the beauty of these pieces. It's wonderful to play while entertaining, or to get you in the Christmas-card-writing mood, or just sit and soak it up while gazing at your twinkling tree lights.