Our Review
Shhhhhh...! Can you hear the Christmas Snowfall? Of course not, you ninny--the sound of falling snow is so soft that it disappears into the "white noise" of silence. If we are talking about Ian Hattwick's fine holiday album, however, that's a different matter. When you are feeling on edge, when the holiday hustle & bustle fray your emotions, sink into an easy chair and enjoy Hattwick's Christmas Snowfall; its soothing new age ambiance will have you relaxed and refreshed.
This album is all about the hushed intonations of acoustic guitar with minimal piano support (although the keyboard does take the melody lead from time to time). The tempo is contemplative and softly sedate, the song selection is wide-ranging, and the musical execution is solid. The guitar-playing is straight-ahead; as a mild-mannered hybrid of folk and classical, it comforts and replenishes the jaded soul. At a holiday dinner with family and friends, Christmas Snowfall would inobtrusively provide a gentle, classic backdrop.
The generous music occupies nearly a full hour, and at the end, the listener will likely feel revitalized and ready to face the harsh realities of life. Thank you, Ian Hattwick, for being a sanity saver in a very crazy world.
--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2008)
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From the liner notes:
Ian Hattwick: guitar and arrangements
Rich Smith: piano
When I recorded a handful of holiday songs in 2005 for my friends and family, I never expected I would end up making a whole album of holiday music! But when Michael Gronski of Grono Productions asked me to produce the music for his gift DVD A Christmas Snowfall, I jumped at the opportunity to record more of my holiday favorites. Those recordings turned out so well I decided to release them not only as a CD but also as a book of solo guitar arrangements. I hope this CD brings you as much pleasure as it brought me!
From the Website:
Groundbreaking guitarist and producer Ian Hattwick can best be described as an electronic jazz musician. With influences including Frederic Chopin, John Coltrane, and Aphex Twin, his music combines a love of harmony and melody with the drive and color of modern electronica. His 5 CD releases on bittersound.com break musical ground from acoustic to futuristic, without ever losing sight of Ian's innate lyricism.
Ian Hattwick
Christmas Snowfall
Artist link
Label: Bitter Sound of Music
Length: 57 minutes
Genre: New Age
Release: 2007
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Deck the Halls |
| The First Noel |
| O Come O Come Emanuel |
| Away in a Manger |
| Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages) |
| God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen |
| Angels We Have Heard on High |
| It Came Upon a Midnight Clear |
| O Christmas Tree |
| Joy to the World |
| Carol of the Bells |
| Silent Night |
| We Three Kings |
| We Wish You a Merry Christmas |
| Conventry Carol |
| O Holy Night |
| Auld Lang Syne |