Since their release in the 80s, I’ve enjoyed the Windham Hill series titled for the solstice. The higher the number (they go to V) the more “traditional” Christmas fare you get. My favorite remains the second edition–it gets much play on the bedroom stereo and in the car through Advent and into January.
I enjoy the collections with different artists, and among the “new age” labels, Windham Hill has as much diversity in instrumentation and style–once they got past their guitar-oriented releases of the late 70s.
This year’s favorites, Michael Manring’s “Sung To Sleep,” Barbara Higbie’s arrangement of a Bach piece, and this piano and oboe duet by Ira Stein and Russel Walder.
I find this style of music much more satisfying than either radio pop fare or choral sounds of either the Baroque Era or modern sensibilities toward dozens upon dozens of singers. Just give me a few instruments played by skilled musicians, and my imagination takes it from there.
Catholic Sensibility 