Sting - "If on a Winter's Night"

Far from the holly jolly Christmas album heard on the radio airwaves for weeks before the day actually arrives, "If on a Winter's Night" is a beautifully intellectual work of art that may be full of tradition and traditional style tunes; but it is also an album serious music fans will find themselves playing the album of 15 songs anytime of the year. Many of the songs found on the album were written at a time when composers had to follow a strict set of rules when writing music; chord progressions followed certain patterns and anything that could remotely resemble the devil was not allowed.

Former lead singer for The Police, bass player, and rocker Sting embraces the music on his new album even contributing two original songs to the project that closely follow the traditional tunes found on the album.

Setting the tone of the album, as far as the style of the album is concerned, Sting opens with "Gabriel's Message"; a song Sting previously released on a compilation Christmas album "A Very Special Christmas, vol. 1". Next comes by far the liveliest song on the album with "Soul Cake"; a song Sting has a bit of fun and includes a bit of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" within the piece. Sting penned "Hounds of Winter" and "Lullaby for an Anxious Child" and trumpet virtuoso Chris Botti and Mary MacMaster join Sting on the album. The song "Hurdy Gurdy Man" was taken from "Der Leiermann" in "Winterreise" by Franz Schubert. (The hurdy gurdy is an old string instrument that requires the player to crank a rosined wheel with one hand while playing the keys with the other.)

Fans of Sting's rock albums will find "If on a Winter's Night" something completely different from what they are used to hearing; even Sting's voice has a different timbre, the normal tenor voice is replaced by a baritone sound that fits well with the album. Fans who liked "Songs from the Labyrinth" will want "If on a Winter's Night"; however.

Songs found on "If on a Winter's Night"
"Gabriel's Message"
"Soul Cake"
"There is no Rose of Such Virtue"
"The Snow it Melts the Soonest"
"Christmas at Sea"
"Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming"
"Cold Song"
"The Burning Babe"
"Now Winter Comes Slowly"
"Hounds of Winter"
"Balulalow"
"Cherry Tree Carol"
"Lullaby for an Anxious Child"
"Hurdy Gurdy Man"
"You Only Cross My Mind in Winter"