Celtic Christmas Harp

Every year, we seem inundated with more and more Christmas music hoping to compete with the thousands of recordings of many of the same tunes that have filled the bins for years. It's likely that there have been others like this which celebrate Celtic culture even as they ring in the holidays, but that doesn't take away this one's gentle charms and, above all, interesting and eclectic song choices. These include "Mary's Lullaby" (from the 14th century), Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," and obscure tunes from French, English and even Chinese tradition. Spero plays the harp much like we might imagine angels doing it — graceful in spots, more energetic in others, and always creating unique moods and textures. On the playful "Christmas Eve Jig," she livens things up by blending high-end harmonies with a low-toned melody, then reversing that arrangement. She begins that tune with a bit of soundscaping, touching her strings to create the effect of falling drops of rain. Her other notable idea is to keep things simple, yet vary the mix with a few ensemble pieces with cello and flute. On "My Dancing Day" (a traditional English piece), Kate Cuzner's flute and Malcom Ball's percussion add a lively harmony and rhythm line to a wonderful celebration of joy. It's definitely the type of project that can be enjoyed by more than strict lovers of Celtic music.