Sarah Brightman returns with the beautiful, winter-taled album A Winter Symphony. Not exactly a Christmas album, the overall feel of the record is hearty and, at times, medieval sounding, offering the listener a truly different holiday experience from that offered by artists like Faith Hill and Amy Grant. A Winter Symphony is backed by a lot of integrity rather than the joy of holiday shopping and that will immediately draw listeners in. This is more like cup of hot wassail than a Nestlé’s hot chocolate, if you get my drift.
The gorgeous “Arrival” opens the album with a triumphant cheer, hearkening back to the sound of bells at holiday time. Its successor, “Colder Then Winter,” is perhaps the album’s highlight. It is expansive, beautiful, and adorned in a wonderfully dynamic orchestra in addition to Brightman’s stunning and intimate vocal work. A trio of holiday favorites follows that includes “Ave Maria” and “Silent Night” (one of the weaker moments on the album) as well as another album highlight, “In the Bleak Midwinter.” Three-fourths of the way through the album Brightman breaks character and lifts the spirit of things with the upbeat, dare I say fun, rendition of “I Wish it Could Be Christmas,” another album highlight. Another version of “Ave Maria” (sans the amazing Fernando Lima, who appears on the first rendition) couples with “I Believe in Father Christmas” to end the album in a pleasant, yet understated way, much in the same fashion it opens.
A Winter Symphony is a strong album, yet a bit unusual for Brightman. I love hearing artists take risks and this album is certainly just that for Brightman as it contains many songs largely unknown to audiences in the United States. As with her other albums though, Sarah Brightman beats the odds at every turn with her unbelievable voice and a host of talented musicians behind here. A Winter Symphony is a beautiful tapestry of oft-forgotten songs packaged in a gorgeous digipack and is sure to make many fans and critic’s end of the year highlights lists.
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
