Customer Reviews

A Winter's Solstice: Silver Anniversary Edition

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When is a Christmas album NOT a Christmas album? When it's a Windham Hill "Winter Solstice" album. For their silver anniversary edition, Windham hill put together a collection of all new recordings. These are all instrumental and mostly original compositions. The only song you'll recognize with overtly holiday overtones is the opening track, the traditional "Greensleeves," whose tune was used for the hymn "What Child Is This."

These songs all have a haunting beauty to them and are very soothing and peaceful--the perfect kind of background music for the holiday season or any other time of the year.

Among my favorite tracks are the collaboration between William Ackerman and Philip Aaberg on "Beneath the Trees" and multi-instrumentalist Barbara Higbie's "Come All Ye Shepherds" where she alternates on hammered dulcimer, violin, piano and Celtic harp.

Overall, this is 52 minutes and 48 seconds of pure bliss. Enjoy. RECOMMENDED

The Silver Anniversary Edition of "A Winter's Solstice" is grounded in the very roots of Windham Hill. The series was origionally started as an instrumental alternative to traditional Christmas music, with a focus more on the concept of the winter solstice. That's exactly what you get on this eighth recording of the series. Featuring different compostions from the origional (1985) "A Winter's Soltice," you will not be disappointed! Whether you're a long time fan of the series or just exploring some new music, this cd is full of beautiful instrumentals - i.e. solo piano, guitar, violin, cello, flute, oboe, harp, English horn, synthesizers and percussions. Some of my favorite songs - Shades of White by Jim Brickman, Handel's Col Partie la Bella Clori by Joan Jeanrenaud & Steve Erquiaga, Greensleeves by Steve Eruiaga, Moon Lake by W. G. Snuffy Walden, Beaneth the Trees by Will Ackerman & Philip Aaberg, and Down in Yon Forest by Jeff Johnson & Brian Dunning.

Is it Christmas music? Yes. Music for anytime, any season? Yes. Play it all year round! Really the only Christmas song, per say, is Greensleeves which was adapted to What Child Is This. I have most of the Winter Solstice cd's, but this is one of my favorites out of the entire series. Bravo to Windham Hill and Happy Anniversary! It's a perfect companion on cold, snowy winter days, especially since it is a celebration of winter itself. As I write this, it is snowing here. I am listening to this very cd and enjoying a cuppa hot tea. I am celebrating the beauty of winter God has blessed us with. Buy it. Pop it in your cd player and bask in the beauty of "A Winter's Solstice - Silver Anniversary Edition."

I am listening to this CD on my computer as I write this review. It's getting to the point that you know that Christmas can't be far off when the new "A Winter's Solistice" CD shows up in the stores. Windham Hill has scored again with a beautiful collection of music appropriate to the season. The Winter's Solistice series is most untypical Christmas music. If your tastes run to the ultra traditional, like Perry Como, Bing Crosby or children's choirs, this might not be for you. But if you just got home from a vigorous day of Christmas shopping, tired, frazzled and footsore, make yourself a cup of hot cocoa, slip this baby into the CD player, kick back and let the bliss flow over you like a warm bath! It's the cure to the commonplace Christmas!

I just wanted to point out that this Silver Anniversary CD has almost entirely different music from the original - compare the track listings. If you have one and are a fan of the series, you should definitely get the other.

This CD and likewise this review is aimed at those who know Windham Hill and appreciate the music put out by the company. It seems logical to presume that if you're reading this review, you enjoy the music that embraces new age, world, smooth jazz and light classical genres.

Indeed, as others have pointed out, this is a new recording and has different material than the original Winter's Solstice. In fact, I'll admit that I was disappointed not to find "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" here.

Nevertheless, this is uplifting and inspiring music for the season. You'll find some traditional such as "Greensleeves", "Come All Ye Shepherds", "Down In Yon Forest", along with Handel's "Col Partir La Bella Clori", Orlando Gibbons' "The Silver Swan", and the notable "Queen's Prayer" by Hawaii's last queen, Queen Lili'uokalani.

But you'll also find the originals composed by some of the performers such as Richard Schonherz, Tracy Silverman, Jim Brickman, W.G. Snuffy Walden, Will Ackerman and Philip Aaberg, Liz Story, and Tim Story to be the equal if not sometimes better than ther older ones.

This is for those who can find a depth of sound and beauty in quiet and simple music, who can enjoy the depths of the instrumentation without thinking it bland, boring or repetitive.

Wow, this is a fabulous CD! The instrumentals surround you with a feeling of a quiet winter's day, with the snow glistening in the sun and the crisp cool air. Just makes you want to snuggle up in front of the fireplace and float away with the music. Will give this one as Christmas gifts for sure!

One of my all time favorites, not too Christmasy so that you get tired of it but still very seasonal.

This disc is way, way up there among the best in the series - and this whole series is a "must have" in my book. Most of the songs in this series, and certainly in this disc, would not be considered traditional Christmas music. But for me, the season would lose much of it's charm without this playing in my home. Traditions become traditions because they are enjoyable, and if you give this series (and especially this volume) a chance, you won't regret it.

Lastly, the 30th anniversary of Windham Hill Winter's Solstice discs came and went in 2006. Too bad - a commemorative effort would have been most welcome.

This album is everything you could want in music for the season ... soft, gentle, evocative of meditation .... thoughtful music to contemplate the circle of life.

This is a perfect collection for the holidays, or any occasion. I have the complete Winter Solstice set, and lost the first album in a divorce. This seems to be out of print, but found a like new, perfect one on Amazon. I would highly recommend these for anyone who likes to sit and comfortably relax to soothing music. Steve