Album Review: “A Winter’s Eve With David Arkenstone and Friends” by David Arkenstone
Album Review by New Age CD and New Age Notes Radio Staff
Award-winning composer, performer, and multi-instrumentalist David Arkenstone has long been one of New Age music’s most prolific storytellers. His new holiday album, “A Winter’s Eve” is one of his most vibrant, elegant, and thoroughly enjoyable seasonal journeys.
While many holiday or winter-themed albums lean more heavily on traditional pieces, Arkenstone instead paints a unique, memorable, and vivid tonal landscape across 15 tracks—one where winter somehow feels not only contemplative but also wonderfully warm and invitingly lively and adventurous.
Captured during his acclaimed “A Winter’s Eve” concert performances, this collection of music showcases the spirit, energy, and magic of the season. The album features reimagined holiday classics as well as festive originals all performed by an extraordinary ensemble of exceptional musicians.
From the opening notes, Arkenstone’s signature blend of Celtic influenced melodies, vibrant orchestral textures, and gentle percussion, creates a delightful sense of stepping into a fanciful snow-covered world. Layers of warm strings, flutes, shimmering synths, and more give the music a fabulously cinematic quality.
The album’s pacing is but one of its strengths. Arkenstone’s instinct for melodic storytelling keeps the album cohesive without becoming repetitive or trite.
The album opens with the festive and joyful “I Saw Three Ships.” This was the first Christmas song David ever recorded, so it holds a special place in his heart. Hearing it recorded live is a treat and it sets the cheerful and celebratory tone for all that follows.
“The Ice Palace,” inspired by a story David’s grandmother told long ago, features piano, handpan, flute, violin, cello, drums, and percussion. Mysterious, melodic, and flowing, this piece easily conjures up a magical fantasy world. And we are drawn now fully into the intrigue that is this album.
The traditional “Carol of the Bells,” rather than having any dark or heavy overtones, is light and airy here. This is just beautiful and quite enjoyable, capturing the merry aspects of the season.
The distinctly Celtic-flavored, “Deck the Halls” is great, featuring guitar, flute, violin, cello, drums, percussion. This is a very fun arrangement of a classic holiday song.
One of my favorites on this album is the tantalizing “Snowdance.” The piece reflects David’s love of snow as well as the special beauty of winter. Piano, sweet flute, violin, cello, drums, and percussion all dance together happily like sugarplums. I love this.
If you’re one who truly enjoys the unbounded merriment that can be the holidays, “The Jumper” is for you. A Norwegian folk song, this is upbeat and completely uplifting, inspiring one to get up off their feet and dance.
There is so much to like there and nothing to not adore. “The Arabian Dance” is engaging and cinematic. After winter, there is always the promise of spring. “Waiting for the Sun” is like glittering sunlight reflecting off melting snow slowly revealing the unfolding promise of the bright new season that is to follow. Featuring Cecilia Caughman on cello, this is outstanding.
“Winter Solstice Medley” is another favorite. A joyful combination of some of David’s favorite holiday songs, guitar, accordion, foot tambourine, pennywhistle, flute, violin, cello, drums, percussion all make this particularly enjoyable.
“A Wassail” is the only vocal track on the album and in the holiday concerts. This piece is from the 1800s and fits nicely here. Do you remember lying in the snow making snow angels as a kid? “Angels In The Snow” is another favorite on this album and perfectly captures those “angelic” moments of childhood. The piece has a distinctly magical feel and the outstanding flute performance along with twinkling percussion makes it especially so.
“Sugar Plum” is a fun experiment with a loungey arrangement of a holiday classic. This is great. Equally as fun and festive is the Scottish “The Bottom Of The Punch Bowl,” which makes you also just want to get up and dance. A felted piano introduction leads us into the splendor that is the classic “Angels We Have Heard On High.” Great arrangement.
The completely uplifting, timeless holiday album, which is unlike any other, closes out with the quite elevating “Jingle Bells.” The violin performance is outstanding here, as is the rest.
Arkenstone’s amazing and admirable ability to transform seasonal imagery into immersive soundscapes is on full display here. “A Winter’s Eve With David Arkenstone and Friends” isn’t simply background music, It’s a thoroughly engaging, warm, and enchanting winter world listeners can step into, explore, and return from refreshed.
Are we having fun yet? I should say so. You’ll want to get the whole thing. And be sure to get tickets to one of the stops on the winter tour. Your spirit will thank you. Concert venues and information on David’s website.
Get it here: https://www.davidarkenstone.com
