Winter Magic (album)

Winter Magic
Studio album by Hayley Westenra
Released 2009
Genre Classical, Christmas music, Traditional music
Label Decca Records, Universal Music Group
Hayley Westenra chronology
Hayley Sings Japanese Songs 2
(2009)		 Winter Magic
(2009)		 Paradiso
(2011)

Winter Magic is a Christmas album by Christchurch, New Zealand soprano Hayley Westenra. The album was called Christmas Magic in some territories and was released in Japan as Winter Magic: Fuyu No Kagayaki – Koibito Tachi No Pure Voice.[1] The album features traditional Christmas songs (like Coventry Carol) and more contemporary Christmas songs (like Joni Mitchell's classic, River).[2]

Christmas Magic combines "The Little Road to Bethlehem", "Silent Night", "Veni Veni Emmanuel", "The Little Drummer Boy", "The Coventry Carol"......These traditional Christmas songs are delivered by her heavenly singing together with choir's peaceable accompanying and suitable for every season from a year. Westenra has written herself three new songs("Peace Shall Come", "All With You" and "Christmas Morning").The variety of the song choices perfectly showcases the versatility of Hayley's angelic voice and her ability to not only perform in a beautiful, classical way ("Corpus Christi Carol") but also in a considerably more "pop" style ("Peace Shall Come").[3]

What makes the offerings on Winter Magic stand out... is Westenra’s ability to rein in her voice to achieve a distinct pop quality somewhat separate from her entrancing classical voice.[4]

Contents

Track listing

  1. Little Road to Bethlehem
  2. Carol of the Bells
  3. Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
  4. Veni Veni Emmanuel
  5. Silent Night
  6. Christmas Morning
  7. Sleigh Ride
  8. River
  9. Little Drummer Boy
  10. Corpus Christi Carol
  11. All with You
  12. Coventry Carol
  13. Winter's Dream
  14. Peace Shall Come
  15. On the Wings of Time (Japanese Bonus Track)

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalogue
Japan 30 September 2009 Universal Music Japan CD/Download
New Zealand 23 November 2009 Universal New Zealand CD/Download
United States 24 November 2009 Decca CD/Download
United Kingdom 30 November 2009 Decca CD/Download

Charts

Album

Chart (2009) Peak
Position
New Zealand Music Charts 20
Taiwan Classical Album Charts 1
U.S. Billboard Classical Albums Charts[5] 11
UK Classical Album Charts 9
UK Album Charts 95

Winter Magic Asia Tour

  1. 3 October 2009– National Theater and Concert Hall, Republic of China, Taipei
  2. 11 October 2009– Music in the Air Festival, Tokyo International Forum
  3. 12 October 2009– Kobe International House, Kobe
  4. 15 October 2009– Shirakawa Hall, Sakae, Nagoya
  5. 17 October 2009– Tokorozawa Civic Cultural Centre Muse, Tokorozawa, Saitama
  6. 18 October 2009– Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall, Yokohama

Winter Magic UK Tour

  1. 23 November 2009– Peterborough Cathedral
  2. 24 November 2009– Ripon Cathedral
  3. 26 November 2009– Manchester Cathedral
  4. 28 November 2009– Banbury St. Mary's
  5. 2 December 2009– Tewkesbury Abbey
  6. 3 December 2009– Exeter Cathedral
  7. 14 December 2009– Norwich Cathedral
  8. 19 December 2009– Bristol Cathedral
  9. 21 December 2009– Barbican Centre

External links

References

  1. ^ "Westenra albums on Japan market". www47.tok2.com. 2009. http://www47.tok2.com/home/nzot/hayley/disco_alb.htm. Retrieved 13 Aug 2011. 
  2. ^ "Hayley Westenra album on iTunes". Nov 30, 2009. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/winter-magic/id339923033. Retrieved 12 Aug 2011. 
  3. ^ "Westenra albums on marbecks". marbecks.co.nz. 16 Nov 2009. http://www.marbecks.co.nz/detail/index.lsd?catalogID=490195. Retrieved 13 Aug 2011. 
  4. ^ "Hayley Westenra albums review by Matt Rowe". 8 Jul 2011. http://www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/music/new-zealand-soprano-star-hayley-westenra-to-release-morricone-collaboration-paradiso/. Retrieved 6 Aug 2011. 
  5. ^ "Classical Albums Chart History". Dec 2009. http://www.billboard.com/#/album/hayley-westenra/winter-magic/1310372. Retrieved 13 Aug 2011. 
Hayley Westenra
New Zealand albums
Walking in the Air · Hayley Westenra · My Gift to You
International albums