A Winter's Solstice: Windham Hill Artists

Various Artists - New Age, A Winter's Solstice (Series) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 24, 2011)
• Original Release Date: February 3, 1986
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Windham Hill Records
• ASIN: B000000NGH
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,919 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #3 in Music > Indie Music > Blues > General
  • #6 in Music > Pop > By Decade > 1980s
  • #7 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Noels

Track Listings

1. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring

2. Engravings II

3. New England Morning

4. High Plains

5. Nollaig

6. Greensleeves

7. Bach Bour\xE9e

8. Northumbrian Lullabye

9. Petite Aubade

10. A Tale Of Two Cities

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best "Solstice", August 5, 2000

By 

Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Winter's Solstice: Windham Hill Artists (Audio CD)

Windham Hill records has released about five "Winter's Solstice" albums that attempt to creat a somber mood of midwinter and sober reflection of the Holiday season. Of the five, the first one is the best because it contains a minimum of obvious holiday standards and because it creates the most somber mood. The music here, from various Windham Hill artists, is achingly beautiful. It is the type of music to curl up in front of a warm fire with a cup of hot cocoa and reflect on what it all means. This is a must have for fans of new age music.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winter's Solstice by Windham Hill, December 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Winter's Solstice: Windham Hill Artists (Audio CD)

I first heard this music in '88, and immediately bought the tape. It is hauntingly beautiful and has a depth and perspective seldom matched by any recordings I know. My dad died that same year the week before Christmas, and we played this at his memorial. It was unforgetable and will never leave those of us who shared in that moment. Usually, I'm a hard core rock and roller, but this represents an important digression and expansion of my personal tastes. I don't think many would be disappointed with what they hear.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect soundtrack for late autumn in New England, November 8, 1999

By 

Ken Cook (Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Winter's Solstice: Windham Hill Artists (Audio CD)

A very peaceful and serene recording that evokes perfectly the mood of late autumn and early winter. It's a perfect CD to play just before the holidays to get you in the mood for more traditional Christmas music.

Excellent adaptations of Bach music on two tracks ("Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"/"Bach Bouree"). "Engravings II" conjures up images of a New England scene at sunset - church bells and all. "New England Morning" and "High Plains" are standouts - they both start off slowly and end remarkably - each successive listen grows on you.

"Nollaig" by Nightnoise (check them out separately) has a Celtic flavor while "Greensleeves" by Liz Story is a brilliant adaptation of an old classic.

In fact, there isn't a bad track on the entire CD. Overall, the music has a medieval feel to it and is very soothing to the soul. I have been listening to this CD for years and have many fond memories of driving home from work with it on cold autumn nights with the sunset looming just ahead and the newly bare trees silhouetted in the growing darkness on the side of the road. Just look at the album cover to see what I mean.

Highly recommended. This is not "background" or "elevator" music. The artists included on this CD are highly talented musicians and if you like this music as much as I do, there are dozens of highly-acclaimed recordings by these artist to explore. The entire Winter's Solstice series is worth getting but start with this one.