Winter Solstice on Ice [Soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
We've come to depend on Windham Hill's annual Winter Solstice collections as a relief from the glut of traditional Christmas tunes, but this double CD, Winter Solstice on Ice, slips. The soundtrack to an A&E ice skating special, the first disc follows the Winter Solstice formula, mixing original tunes inspired by the season and inventive covers of traditional Christmas fare. Brian Keane starts it off with an imagistic number called "Magic Forest," featuring the Angels of Venice, Samite, and others. The L.A. Guitar Quartet provides a novel, minimalist dissertation on "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and Janis Ian surprises with an intimate, guitar and synth-string reading of "We Three Kings." But the second disc starts with over-the-hill R&B crooners like Jeffrey Osborne, Roberta Flack, and Peabo Bryson, then shifts into a sampler of Windham Hill artists. It has little to do with the Winter Solstice theme, even if they are among the best songs on the disc. --John Diliberto

Winter Solstice on Ice,Original Soundtrack,Windham Hill Records,Christmas / Chanukkah,Christmas Music,Contemporary Instrumental,New Age,Pop,Seasonal,Soundtracks & Film Scores

Tracks:

Magic Forest - Ensemble
Joy To The World - Liz Story
Yesterday's Rain - W.G. Snuffy Walden
Skating - George Winston
O Holy Night - Angels Of Venice
Joy Ride - Mark Snow
4 Variations On Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - L.A. Guitar Quartet
Little Drummer Boy - Schonertz & Scott
Bittersweet - Jim Brickman
Sweeney's Buttermilk - Micheal O Domhnaill And Paddy Glackin
Nigh Bethlehem - George Winston
First Noel - Sean Harkness
We Three Kings - Janis Ian
What Child Is This - Michael Hedges

Tracks:

This Christmas - Jeffrey Osborne
Christmas Wish - Tuck & Patti
Winter - Phil Perry
Your Love - Jim Brickman
The Gift - Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson
Silent Night - Hiroshima
I Wish I Could - Peabo Bryson
Black Diamond - The Rippingtons
Esawayo - Samite
Snow Is Lightly Falling - Nightnoise
The White Spirit - Uman
The Ice Palace - David Arkenstone
Stars To Share - Samite
Santorini - Yanni
Mr. Moto's Penguin - Mark Isham

Amazon.com

We've come to depend on Windham Hill's annual Winter Solstice collections as a relief from the glut of traditional Christmas tunes, but this double CD, Winter Solstice on Ice, slips. The soundtrack to an A&E ice skating special, the first disc follows the Winter Solstice formula, mixing original tunes inspired by the season and inventive covers of traditional Christmas fare. Brian Keane starts it off with an imagistic number called "Magic Forest," featuring the Angels of Venice, Samite, and others. The L.A. Guitar Quartet provides a novel, minimalist dissertation on "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and Janis Ian surprises with an intimate, guitar and synth-string reading of "We Three Kings." But the second disc starts with over-the-hill R&B crooners like Jeffrey Osborne, Roberta Flack, and Peabo Bryson, then shifts into a sampler of Windham Hill artists. It has little to do with the Winter Solstice theme, even if they are among the best songs on the disc. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Crystalline Textures and Mellow Moods.......2006-12-02

From the crystalline textures of "Yesterday's Rain" to the edgy acoustic guitar in "What Child Is This," this album retains a Christmas mood, while taking you occasionally into a medieval forest. The second disc has a few more energetic selections with a bouncy "This Christmas" and then a mellow and comforting "Christmas Wish."

"The Gift" is melancholy in mood, but a beautiful love duet that is hopeful and moody. "I Wish I Could" continues the melancholy mood and then funky jazz appears to break the mood and send you into mellow smooth starscapes.

"Esawayo" displays some beautiful instrumentation with vocals from a land far away. Samite also appears again with "Stars to Shine." Both songs had me looking for more of his music.

~The Rebecca Review

I loved Winter Solstice on Ice.......2005-12-26

Maybe I liked this soundtrack best because I saw the A&E special and then purchased the CD. Having seen the skaters and the whole production on television and then when I heard the music on the CD I could picture the skaters performances. Maybe the other CDs in this series were a better compilation of music but this one holds a special place for me at Christmas time.

Half good, Half bad.......2001-12-24

To repeat the other reviews, disc one is great, disc two not so good. They should have just made a long disc one, and added some of the good instrumentals from disc 2 to 1.

Some nice selections but disapointing.......2001-12-12

This Winter Solstice is probably the most disapointing of the series. Although disc one is pretty and typical of some of the other releases, I am not particularly inspired by any selection as I have been on IV and V. DiscTwo sounds like commercial lite FM. I would have never bought this if I had known that I was getting over processed, unevolved music that I like to avoid. I will still play Disc one and even enjoy some of it, but Disc two will collect dust.

Kenny G lovers, Disc 2 is for you.......2001-12-09

Definitely not the best in the Winter's Solstice series, this is a mixed bag at best. Disc I is much like the others; if you like others in the series, you'll like these instrumental pieces. Disc 2 is disappointing; it's a collection of songs reminiscent of what you'd get on a "Light (or Lite) Hits" pop radio station. The songs are unremarkable, and the voices are a distraction. For my money, Winter's Solstice 5 is the best so far, but this does not meet that standard.

Average customer rating:

Winter Solstice - On Ice
George Winston , Mark Snow , L.A. Guitar Quartet , Schonertz & Scott , Janis Ian , Michael Hedges , Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson , Mark Isham , Hiroshima , and Nightnoise
Manufacturer: Windham Hill
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000LMKA3O

Product Description

2 CD SET - Winter Solstice / On Ice // CD 1: 1. Magic Forest - Ensemble 2. Joy To The World - Liz Story 3. Yesterday's Rain - W.G. Snuffy Walden 4. Skating - George Winston 5. O Holy Night - Angels Of Venice 6. Joy Ride - Mark Snow 7. 4 Variations On Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - L.A. Guitar Quartet 8. Little Drummer Boy - Schonertz & Scott 9. Bittersweet - Jim Brickman 10. Sweeney's Buttermilk - Micheal O Domhnaill And Paddy Glackin 11. Nigh Bethlehem - George Winston 12. First Noel - Sean Harkness 13. We Three Kings - Janis Ian 14. What Child Is This - Michael Hedges CD 2: 1. This Christmas - Jeffrey Osborne 2. Christmas Wish - Tuck & Patti 3. Winter - Phil Perry 4. Your Love - Jim Brickman 5. The Gift - Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson 6. Silent Night - Hiroshima 7. I Wish I Could - Peabo Bryson 8. Black Diamond - The Rippingtons 9. Esawayo - Samite 10. Snow Is Lightly Falling - Nightnoise 11. The White Spirit - Uman 12. The Ice Palace - David Arkenstone 13. Stars To Share - Samite 14. Santorini - Yanni 15. Mr. Moto's Penguin - Mark Isham

Average customer rating:

Wintery Escape

Windham Hill Winter Solstice on Ice
Various
Manufacturer: Windham Hill
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000M12YGK

Product Description

Track Listing: 1. Little Drummer Boy - Schonherz & Scott; 2. Christmas Wish - Tuck & Patti; 3. Skating - George Winston; 4. Stars To Share - Samite; 5. Mr. Moto's Penguin - Mark Isham; 6. Bittersweet - Jim Brickman; 7. Magic Forest - Ensemble; 8. Sweeney's Buttermilk - Micheal O'Domhnail & Paddy Glackin; 9. Snow Is Lightly Falling - Nightnoise; 10. Santorini - Yanni; 11. O Holy Night - Angels Of Venice; 12. Silent Night - Hiroshima

Customer Reviews:

Wintery Escape.......2006-12-25

Pop Music: