speakwell : well : winter 2003

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Christmas comes with its own soundtrack of popular songs, centuries old carols and mighty works like the "Messiah", which Handel, almost inconceivably, wrote in 25 days. At Speakwell, we're wired for sound and our Christmas music is mostly modern versions of songs so ancient they seem to be scrolled into our DNA. The following samples might help with your Christmas listening and even shopping.

I recommended this group two years ago and will do so again. Their eponymous CD "Winter Harp" is still our favorite at Speakwell. This year there is a new CD, which I have yet to hear, titled "Christmas Night". For more information on Winter Harp, go to www.winterharp.com. Their newsletter will give you information about their live performances (Western Canada and North West US) and the CD catalogue. Canadians can catch them on CBC TV Thursday, December 18th at 7 pm.

Spring slips easily into Summer
and Summer into Autumn,
but Winter is a fortress with walls.
Within those shadowed walls is Christmas
with its ancient ceremonies and rich literature
of carols and songs to gladden the heart. ~ Alan Woodland of Winter Harp
click to play an mp3 clip of The Bellman's Prayer
from the album

I saw 'Winter Harp' live last week doing their Christmas show and, to be honest, I prefer listening to their C.D.'s.

There is an almost Zen like quality to the music of Nakai and Eaton. R. Carlos Nakai is a Navajo whose primary instrument is a Native American flute, while William Eaton plays a variety of stringed instruments including the lyre and harp guitar.

Their interpretations of very ancient Christmas music are unique, serene, simple and absolutely beautiful.
click to play an mp3 clip of Silent Night
from the album
More information can be found at:
www.canyonrecords.com/cr7007.htm.

This is a compilation of some of the best interpretations of the Christmas canon from the Windham Hill catalogue. The music is all acoustic and there's not a track that is out of place. There's a version of the carol written by Edmund H. Sears in Boston in 1849, "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear", which includes the words we would all do well to remember.

And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.
click to play an mp3 clip of Midnight Clear
from the album

Note: "A Midnight Clear" is also the title of a beautiful but harrowing Christmas based movie set in World War 11.

I saw Jane perform songs from this, her first Christmas album, a few nights back. It was pure performance art with every detail of the opening half of the concert choreographed so that sound, clothing, lighting, instrumentation, movement and the ancient carols themselves were one seamless whole. The audience was rapturous and the artists virtually flawless.
click to play an mp3 clip of Bleak Winter
from the album

Having said that, I don't feel that the CD of these songs quite captures the harmonies and energies of the live performance. The multi-tracking of Jane's own voice cannot match the ethereal harmonies of Amanda Horni and Rebecca Campbell. My advice is to buy the CD and, if possible, go and see Jane live. (She's on an extended North American tour).

It's been fascinating to watch the evolution of Jane and it's a long way from "Mimi on the Beach" to the "Messiah". But if you really want to do yourself a favor or get a perfect small gift for someone, buy her repackaged single CD of "Calling All Angels".
click to play an mp3 clip of Calling All Angels

Ah, but if you could
Do you think you would
Trade in all the pain and suffering?
Ah, but then you'd miss the beauty
Of the light upon this earth
And the sweetness of the leaving.

Calling all angels
Calling all angels
Walk me through this one
Don't leave me alone.

This one song would be enough, but she's done so much more.

Jane even puts in a plug for wellness. "Sing along as much as you can, it's good for the complexion and the soul. (The Hymn-Gym).
Health and happiness to one and all."

Note: "The 12 Days of Christmas" are featured in this edition of 'Well'. In Jane's encore version she substituted '5 gift certificates' for '5 gold rings'

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textSize : default : medium : large Christmas comes with its own soundtrack of popular songs, centuries old carols and mighty works like the "Messiah", which Handel, almost inconceivably, wrote in 25 days. At Speakwell, we're wired for sound and our Christmas music is mostly modern versions of songs so ancient they seem to be scrolled into our DNA. The following samples might help with your Christmas listening and even shopping. I recommended this group two years ago and will do so again. Their eponymous CD "Winter Harp" is still our favorite at Speakwell. This year there is a new CD, which I have yet to hear, titled "Christmas Night". For more information on Winter Harp, go to www.winterharp.com. Their newsletter will give you information about their live performances (Western Canada and North West US) and the CD catalogue. Canadians can catch them on CBC TV Thursday, December 18th at 7 pm. Spring slips easily into Summer and Summer into Autumn, but Winter is a fortress with walls. Within those shadowed walls is Christmas with its ancient ceremonies and rich literature of carols and songs to gladden the heart. ~ Alan Woodland of Winter Harp click to play an mp3 clip of The Bellman's Prayer from the album

I saw 'Winter Harp' live last week doing their Christmas show and, to be honest, I prefer listening to their C.D.'s. There is an almost Zen like quality to the music of Nakai and Eaton. R. Carlos Nakai is a Navajo whose primary instrument is a Native American flute, while William Eaton plays a variety of stringed instruments including the lyre and harp guitar. Their interpretations of very ancient Christmas music are unique, serene, simple and absolutely beautiful. click to play an mp3 clip of Silent Night from the album More information can be found at: www.canyonrecords.com/cr7007.htm.

This is a compilation of some of the best interpretations of the Christmas canon from the Windham Hill catalogue. The music is all acoustic and there's not a track that is out of place. There's a version of the carol written by Edmund H. Sears in Boston in 1849, "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear", which includes the words we would all do well to remember. And man, at war with man, hears not The love-song which they bring O hush the noise, ye men of strife And hear the angels sing. click to play an mp3 clip of Midnight Clear from the album Note: "A Midnight Clear" is also the title of a beautiful but harrowing Christmas based movie set in World War 11. I saw Jane perform songs from this, her first Christmas album, a few nights back. It was pure performance art with every detail of the opening half of the concert choreographed so that sound, clothing, lighting, instrumentation, movement and the ancient carols themselves were one seamless whole. The audience was rapturous and the artists virtually flawless. click to play an mp3 clip of Bleak Winter from the album Having said that, I don't feel that the CD of these songs quite captures the harmonies and energies of the live performance. The multi-tracking of Jane's own voice cannot match the ethereal harmonies of Amanda Horni and Rebecca Campbell. My advice is to buy the CD and, if possible, go and see Jane live. (She's on an extended North American tour). It's been fascinating to watch the evolution of Jane and it's a long way from "Mimi on the Beach" to the "Messiah". But if you really want to do yourself a favor or get a perfect small gift for someone, buy her repackaged single CD of "Calling All Angels". click to play an mp3 clip of Calling All Angels Ah, but if you could Do you think you would Trade in all the pain and suffering? Ah, but then you'd miss the beauty Of the light upon this earth And the sweetness of the leaving. Calling all angels Calling all angels Walk me through this one Don't leave me alone. This one song would be enough, but she's done so much more. Jane even puts in a plug for wellness. "Sing along as much as you can, it's good for the complexion and the soul. (The Hymn-Gym). Health and happiness to one and all." Note: "The 12 Days of Christmas" are featured in this edition of 'Well'. In Jane's encore version she substituted '5 gift certificates' for '5 gold rings'