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The Dancing Island (5/2008)
Bittersweet, haunting, deeply joyous, sun dancing harp music reflects the seasons, landscape and wilderness of Christina's
home in Tasmania, Australia.
Haiku by friend Hilary Burden led to a suite of harp pieces about Tasmania's seasons; the humorous life experiences, fascinating
(even life-threatening!) stories that inspired the music of The Dancing Island are both in the liner notes and on YouTube.
"...in Lydia in the midst of a lake there be certain floating islands (if ye will believe it) that after music will
dance."
Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, 1621
Soul Shelter: celtic-inspired hymnody (12/2007)
Simplicity, purity, spiritual truth.
The beauty of a harp,
a pure voice and a treasury of profound
Celtic hymns
that will strengthen and move you.
tracks
1 Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing
2 Before The Throne Of God
3 Be Thou My Vision
4 My Hope
5 I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say
6 Highland Hymn
7 Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer
8 Like The Starlight
9 Emyn y Drindod (Hymn to the Trinity)
10 I Cannot Tell
11 Celtic Blessing
Celtic expressions of devotion to God are at once intimate and reverent; combining loving spontaneity with a powerful sense
of the sacred.
This hymnody is a testament to the profound spiritual lives of Celtic Christians, from the famous 8th century prayer, "Be
Thou My Vision", to the work of present-day hymn writers such as Keith Getty.
Here, the hymns are simply sung by a single voice and accompanied by the Celts' most beloved instrument, the harp, which has
been immortalized in Celtic song, art and legend (most particularly by the Celtic people of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, whose
music is collected here).
Hymns demonstrate continuity between our ancestors' spiritual struggles and our own, encouraging us to stand firm and gain
the reward of a deeper relationship with Christ.
It helps us to set our minds on the things above and to contemplate the beauty and boldness of art in Heaven's service.
May all your steps walk in Heaven's endless light;
make your sole purpose Christ. - "Celtic Blessing"
A Review:
"Soul Shelter is magnificent.
The music has blessed me with joy, peace and a knowledge of God.
I love it
I am swept away by the music.
Thank you so much for the best CD I have ever heard
This music should be in everyone's home, in everyone's iPod and anywhere else; AND PEOPLE SHOULD LISTEN TO IT.
It will bring them the peace that passes understanding in the most beautiful way
I am in tears of joy
Thank you so much
God bless you,
Ted Baehr"
MOVIEGUIDE(R)
www.movieguide.org
Christina's World (2005)
This CD features long-standing requests as well as new songs composed for the album. A diverse and intimate album reflecting
Christina's personality, heritage, home, travels and audiences.
From the remote island of Tasmania, harpist-singer, Sonnemann, brings her pure, warm vocals and stunning harp technique to
an evocative and diverse collection of music, from original harp solos painting dreamy Tasmanian landscapes, to original jazz
ballads.
"This collection of music says a lot about me, as well as the audiences who have repeatedly asked me to record it.
Two pieces describe how I see the beautiful island I live in.
Two songs (from 1936 and 1949) evoke a time when qualities like faithfulness and commitment were generally admired as virtues.
Whether people achieved these virtues or not, they aspired to do so, and in this culture flourished what I consider to be
the most romantic music of all time.
Naturally, when I came to write two love songs of my own,
the lush chords and playful rhythms of that time were my inspiration.
Two more songs reflect my American cultural heritage.
Another was written by a friend and is a favorite of both mine and many concert-goers.
I hope you enjoy this glimpse of my world."
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (2003)
What would Jane Austen listen to? If she was alive now and bought albums from Tasmania, Jane would probably buy this gentle,
elegant recording from soprano/classical harpist Christina Sonnemann, whose crystalline voice seems to come from another century.
Christina's first CD features gorgeous Classical harp music plus some Celtic, Art song and praise. Four of the twelve tracks
are with voice.
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