Sting – If On A Winter’s Night…(2009)

If on a Winter’s Night… presents an arc of songs that conjure the season of spirits, featuring a collection of carols and lullabies spanning the centuries, resulting in a haunting, spiritual and reflective musical journey. In collaboration with esteemed producer and arranger, Robert Sadin, Sting is joined by friend and long time colleague, guitarist Dominic Miller – and an ensemble of three remarkable musicians from Northern England and Scotland: Kathryn Tickell (fiddle and Northumbrian pipes) Julian Sutton (melodean) and Mary MacMaster (metal string Scottish harp). Additional guest artists include Vincent Segal (cello), Daniel Hope (violin), Chris Botti (trumpet), Ibrahim Maalouf (trumpet), Stile Antico (vocal ensemble), Cyro Baptista (percussion), Bijan Chemirani (percussion) and the Webb Sisters (vocals).
If on a Winter’s Night presents an arc of songs that conjure the season of spirits, the eerie silences of the snow; days of solitude and reflection for some, a time of re-birth and celebration for many. With traditional music of the British Isles as their starting point, Sting and his guest musicians draw the listener in through a collection of songs, carols, and lullabies spanning the centuries – such as The Snow it Melts the Soonest (traditional Newcastle ballad), Soul Cake (traditional English “begging” song) Gabriel’s Message (14th century carol), as well as two of Sting’s own compositions – Lullaby for an Anxious Child and The Hounds of Winter. Also featured on the album is Hurdy Gurdy Man – a musical reworking and English translation (by Sting) of Der Leiermann from Schubert’s classic winter song-cycle Winterreise. For this exploration of the themes and emotions of winter Sting is joined by friend and long time colleague, guitarist Dominic Miller – and an ensemble of three remarkable musicians from Northern England and Scotland: Kathryn Tickell (fiddle and Northumbrian pipes) Julian Sutton (melodian) and Mary MacMaster (metal string Scottish harp). Additional guest artists include Vincent Segal (cello), Daniel Hope (violin), Chris Botti (trumpet), Ibrahim Maalouf (trumpet), Stile Antico (vocal ensemble), Cyro Baptista (percussion), Bijan Chemirani (percussion) and the Webb Sisters (vocals). Together they’ve created an album with a wonderful, warm, and unique ensemble sound – an acoustic meditation on winter.
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Original Release: October 27, 2009
Genre: Rock & Pop , Acoustic
01. Gabriel’s Message
02. Soul Cake
03. There is No Rose of Such Virtue
04. The Snow it Melts the Soonest
05. Christmas at Sea
06. Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming
07. Cold Song
08. The Burning Babe
09. Now Winter Comes Slowly
10. The Hounds of Winter
11. Balulalow
12. Cherry Tree Carol
13. Lullaby for an Anxious Child
14. Hurdy Gurdy Man
15. You Only Cross My Mind in Winter
October 25th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Thanks. And good luck in this new blog.
October 26th, 2009 at 12:31 am
Super, thanks !
October 26th, 2009 at 3:14 am
thx!
October 27th, 2009 at 4:03 am
Thanks – for the new blog.
poor Sting, has lost his voice. His range is gone, his highs and lows are not there.
The music and musicianship is amazing. Not sure what happend. Either that or it is intentional to make it sound more ‘winter’.
thanks again for the new blog version –
been here since your beginning.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:37 am
it’s intentional!