While Winston does touch on a few traditional holiday carols including "Carol of the Bells," and "The Holly and the Ivy," much of the record swings back and forth between subtle renditions of classical compositions like Bach's "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" (here simply titled "Joy") and "Variations on the Kanon by Johann Pachelbel" - a song you probably know from umpteen million weddings - and sparse original compositions for piano. Rather, this is an ode to the quiet, cold winter that descends upon the northern hemisphere in the twelfth month of the year. Unlike many great Christmas records before and after it, December is not solely about Christmas as the name alone would denote. It was one of Oprah's Favorite Things for Christ sake! This is still one of the most peaceful records we've ever heard. The incredibly spare album of new age solo piano pieces put Wyndam Hill on the map as the go-to new age recording in the 1980's and managed to help people realize that quiet recordings don't have to be church organs or chamber orchestras. Dozens of holiday-themed records come out every year with that same formula, which is what makes George Winston's December both an anomaly and a wonder. When it comes to holiday music, there is a fairly well prescribed set of parameters that make for a successful release. ![]() That image of her juggling an armful of Grammy statues backstage at the awards ceremony is still pretty striking. It doesn't happen often, but every once in a while, a record or artist outside the mainstream will make a blip on the pop culture radar, like Norah Jones' sudden ascendance to platinum and Grammy winning success with her 2002 debut Come Away With Me. Over the holidays, we're looking back at some classic Christmas albums taking some track by track and just digging on others.
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