Post Description

Celtic, classic, Christmas.

Dit is in alle opzichten een lust voor het oor, los van genre. Ga zitten, zet je koptelefoon op, schenk iets lekkers in en wellicht een lekkere sigaar en laat het over je heen komen. Ik kan me weinig betere momenten voorstellen. En daarna doe je het gewoon nog een keer. En morgen? Domme vraag.

“A Light So Bright” is the long-awaited second Christmas album by German harpist and singer Nadia Birkenstock after “Winter Tales”. It was recorded in the summer of 2024 in the studio of Ralf Kleemann, himself a harpist who specializes in high-quality harp recordings and can already look back on a large series of CD productions with artists from the German and international harp scene from various genres.

There is rarely such a thing as a "perfect album". The new Christmas album by German singer and harp virtuoso Nadia Birkenstock (her second after Winter Tales ) comes very close. From the tasteful selection of pieces to the efficient use of musical guests and virtuoso instruments to the emotionally touching singing voice - everything just fits on A Light So Bright (14 tracks, 55 minutes). The album contains rather unknown winter songs and instrumental pieces from Ireland ("Wexford Carol"), Wales ("Gower Wassail"), France ("O Nuit Brillante") and Germany ("Die Nacht ist vordringen"), as well as her own compositions ("First Snow", "The Wren In The Wreath"), recorded on 37-string Celtic harp solo or in duo in sophisticated arrangements. 

The fact that such magnificent sound combinations are created with the cello of the French musician Roxane Genot or the DADGAD guitar of the Celtic fingerstyle virtuoso Jens Kommnick is not least thanks to the superb production in the recording studio of the harp expert and musician Ralf Kleemann. He not only contributed flute, low whistle and percussion, but also captured the harp sound in an audiophile manner and brought out the finest nuances - from the voluminous bass strings to the warm mids and the pearly, needle-thin treble - and distributed them wonderfully airily in the stereo spectrum. Nadia Birkenstock succeeds in the feat of delivering an atmospheric, festive Christmas album that can be listened to not just during Advent, but all year round. A real treat.

Tracks:
01. Wexford Carol
02. Il est ne le divin enfant
03. Gower Wassail
04. The Wren In the Wreath
05. Personet Hodie
06. I wonder As I Wander
07. George Reynolds
08. The Holly and the Ivy
09. Queen of the Pastries
10. First Snow (Harp Duo Version)
11. Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen
12. Douce merveille
13. O nuit brillante
14. On Christmas Night

Staat er compleet op, 10% pars mee gepost. Met zeer veel dank aan de originele poster. Laat af en toe eens weten wat je van het album vindt. Altijd leuk, de mening van anderen. Oh ja, MP3 doe ik niet aan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q4A-9cvEw8