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Album Review: Winter Mornings
Shirley Cason
Cover image of the album Winter Mornings by Shirley Cason
Winter Mornings
Shirley Cason
2003 / Shirley Cason Music
37 minutes
Review by Kathy Parsons
All of the music for Winter Mornings came to Shirley Cason during the early hours of winter days, hence the title. Played on various keyboards, several of the selections have a cool, ambient feel while others are more melodic and structured. “Beauty of the Earth” opens the CD with a gentle song about God and Earth’s marriage, and all of us being the children of their universe. “Winter Skies” is a bit more orchestrated, depicting an icy coolness and the stillness of early morning. Ambient and floating, this is a very effective piece. “Icicle Melt” comes from the dripping sounds of icicles melting off the house. Electronic and elegant, this piece is much more ambient than melodic, and has a very shimmering beauty. “10 Degrees” is my favorite track. Darkly beautiful, it is like the light dancing and sparkling off of early morning snow. There is also a sense of mystery and of a vastness that works really well. “Snow Dance” is almost a musical Christmas card. Gentle bell-like sounds create the feeling of snowflakes swirling and of morning light bouncing off of the surface of the snow. Very serene and peaceful with a gentle rhythm for the dance. “Children and Snowmen” is a bit lighter although it is far from bright and carefree. The piece becomes more orchestrated as it develops, and would be lovely as the soundtrack to a scene of winter activities. The CD closes with “Gulf of Florida,” a musical admission of needing to flee the snow for a week each year to warm up. It’s a very charming way to end this chilly and evocative collection. Winter Mornings is a wonderful CD for relaxing or cozying up to a winter fire. Very enjoyable! It is available from amazon.com and shirleycason.com.
February 1, 2003
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