Mistletoe and Wine: A Seasonal Collection

Andy Nice (Performer), David Daniels (Performer), Anonymous (Composer), Katherine Blake (Composer), Cylindra Sapphire (Composer), Christmas Traditional (Composer), French Traditional (Composer), Bernart de Ventadorn (Composer), Nick Marsh (Performer), Ruth Galloway (Performer), Trevor Sharpe (Performer), Vince Johnson (Performer), Mike Servent (Performer), Katherine Blake (Performer), Bruce White (Performer), Boguslav Kostecki (Performer), Gavin Wright (Performer), Gavyn Wright (Performer), Gini Ball (Performer), Audrey Evans (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Andy Nice, David Daniels, Nick Marsh, Ruth Galloway, Trevor Sharpe, et al.
• Composer: Anonymous, Katherine Blake, Cylindra Sapphire, Christmas Traditional, French Traditional, et al.
• Audio CD (November 4, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nettwerk Records
• ASIN: B0000AM6O4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,437 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A "best of", not really a Christmas record, March 26, 2004

By	coca-ebola (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Potential purchasers should bear that in mind. As with the Medieval Baebes debut album it contains a small proportion of `holiday season' material, but most of it can be listened to without embarrassment at any time of the year. (In my experience, all of it can - even on a warm spring afternoon I can't bring myself to program out `In Dulci Jubilo', `The Holly...' etc).

Another thing potential purchasers should bear in mind - this compilation winds up being a better "best of" than the album of that name.

It's more representative - career-spanning and able to demonstrate the increasing ambition and complexity of the arrangements, and of Katharine Blake's compositions. (Of course, some of their experiments with modern instrumentation on the `Undrentide' album didn't work, but they don't appear here).

It's also more enjoyable on a basic musical level - there are no over-repetitive pieces, no odd song-fragments...nothing that drags. Or maybe there are a couple of weak spots - "I Am Eve" which goes on a little too long, and Audrey Evans's rendition of "L'amour de moi" which is suprisingly weak, and no substitute for the original featuring the much-missed Dorothy Carter - but these are easily forgiven.

Even if you can't understand what's being said, even if you understand it well enough to spot the mispronunciations here and there, it will be hard to resist the ethereal beauty the Baebes' voices, and of songs like `Quan Vey La Lauzeta', `There Is No Rose of Swych Vertu' or `Blow Northern Wind'.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Highly Recommended, November 16, 2003

By	Frank C. Branchini "beatlefanfcb" (Edgewater, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Baebes are eight women who sing mediaeval songs in English and a variety of old languages. Some of the music is acapella. Musical accompaniment is usually quite simple, when there is accompaniment. This really is a lovely collection of songs. It is a good introduction to the recorded work of the Baebes: all but two of the songs appear on other recordings by the Baebes, although several have been re-recorded with different arrangements for this disc. Mistletoe and Wine is likely to please fans of traditional folk music, and people who like to collect holiday music. Very highly recommended.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A pleasing tone, December 1, 2004

By	Genevieve S. Gibson (Seattle, Wa United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is probably one of my new favorite Christmas albums. It is an absolute gem. It isn't an over-powering album with new or different things but they have recorded a few lesser known Latin Carols that are not given much attention anymore. Gaudete was one that stood out. The arrangement is rather simple and beautiful and the song itself is melodic in an unusual way. I have found that this CD has appealed to a fairly wide spectrum of people and would make a great album to play in the background during the Holidays. I think this would be the perfect thing to put on in the late afternoon in December while curling up with a good book or wrapping presents.