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When I picked up this "Love Came Down at Christmas," I was fully ready for beautiful harp music; after all, the cover features a lovely Celtic harp superimposed over a star and holiday wreath. What I did not expect, however, was that this very talented harpist (Debbie Brewin-Wilson) is also a fine singer. In fact, "Love Came Down at Christmas" contains 16 tracks, and the bulk of those (11) reflect Brewin-Wilson's vocals.

No doubt about it--Brewin-Wilson is an excellent harpist. She also possesses a winning alto voice that has classic folk intonations; her songs tell stories, and the listeners cannot help but sit in rapt attention. Brewin-Wilson's story-telling is sometimes in the original Scottish Gaelic (and, although I'm no expert, her pronunciation sounds extraordinary; Brewin-Wilson earned her Scottish Certificate in Traditional Music from the University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland). Just lovely! The production values here are generally excellent; one small complaint, however, is that the harp's reverberation is occasionally set too high (or perhaps the microphone is too close?); thus, in a few spots the reverb interferes slightly with the artist's remarkable voice or with the overall sound clarity. No big deal.

The album contains a wonderful collection of songs, including traditional Scottish and Irish numbers, and three Brewin-Wilson originals. The CD opens very well with "Get Me Through December," a lovely, haunting melody with a strong message of faith ("faith can move mountains, of that I am sure" and "just get me through December so I can start again"); the song is extra-special when coupled with the traditional Scottish "Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife." The artist's original "The Song of Joseph" is a delightfully poignant number about the confused Joseph who does not fully understand what is happening to him and Mary, but possesses a "warrior's heart inside" and will do the best he can ("as a father and a man") to protect his family.

This CD is a precious jewel. I especially love two exceptionally beautiful traditional Scottish pieces: "Leanabh an Aigh" (otherwise known as "Morning Has Broken" for you Cat Stevens fans) and "Taladh Chriosd." The marriage of harp and voice is absolutely gorgeous! Lovers of Celtic music and early music of all sorts should delight in "Love Came Down at Christmas." Feel the love.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2004)

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From the Website:

By your request, a totally acoustic recording, featuring nothing but Debbie's warm voice and Dusty Strings harp. Not your usual holiday collection, this recording contains traditional Scottish, Irish, and Manx tunes, plus a few Debbie Brewin-Wilson originals.

A respected adjudicator for the Scottish Harp Society of America, Debbie offers workshops across North America. A love of Scottish music led her to earn a Scottish Certificate in Traditional Music from the University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland. Applying what she learned, Debbie delights audiences with centuries-old Scots ballads. And Gaelic songs are always a hit with her listeners. As a former Regional Coordinator of An Comunn Gàidhealach America (ACGA), Debbie enjoys bringing Scottish Gaelic to a wider audience, including children of all ages.

Debbie recorded her newest CD, Love Came Down at Christmas, in response to fans' requests for an all-acoustic Christmas recording. Not your usual holiday tunes on this album! Traditional tunes from Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, plus a few originals by Debbie make this Christmas recording unique.

Debbie Brewin-Wilson

Love Came Down at Christmas

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Track List