The Very Best of Celtic Christmas
Ten years on, there are five volumes available in Windham Hill’s hugely popularCeltic Christmasseries and this collection gathers together more than 75 minutes of highlights from them. Special gems include the Irish band Altan’s lovely and etherealSoillse Na Nollag, the late Scottish fiddler Johnny Cunningham’sKing Holly, King Oakwith its quote from one of the oldest lullaby carols of all, and Karan Casey’s delectable vocals wending their way throughOn A Winter's Day. Galician piper/flautist Carlos Núñez' friskyGalician Caroladds a welcome touch of Iberian light and joy amid what sometimes feels like unremitting reflection and restraint. The songs and carols are heard primarily in acoustic settings, from which marshmallow-like synth lines extrude from time to time. For the most part, though, the musicians lean toward organic textures even when exploring more contemporary treatments, so the overall effect is modern yet homey, warm and peaceful. --Christina Roden