A Winter Symphony is a Christmas album and the tenth studio album by the English soprano singer Sarah Brightman, released in November 2008.^[2]

Album information[edit]

The album borrows its name from Brightman's earlier 2008 album, Symphony.

A deluxe edition was released through Barnes & Noble, which included extra tracks and a DVD that featured documentary segments: "The Making of A Winter Symphony", a photo gallery, and Brightman's live performances of "Fleurs du Mal", "Symphony", "Let It Rain", and "Running" from NBC's Fashion on Ice Show.^{[citation needed]}

Brightman chose a number of traditional songs from the season: "Silent Night", "In the Bleak Midwinter", and "Child in a Manger", as well as two versions of "Ave Maria", one being the classical piece by French composer Charles Gounod, and the other—in duet with tenor Fernando Lima—an original by Brightman and Mexican composer Jorge Avedaño. Included are also contemporary pop tunes, such as Vince Gill's "Colder Than Winter", a cover of Neil Diamond's "I've Been This Way Before" and Roy Wood's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday". The set continues with a rendition of "Amazing Grace" and closes with a reading of "I Believe in Father Christmas" originally by Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

To promote the album, in the week of 15–22 December, Brightman's "Silent Night" was the iTunes "Free Single of the Week" and the video for "I Believe in Father Christmas" was launched to accompany the single.^{[citation needed]} Brightman also performed at the "Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade", performing "Silent Night" on 23 December 2008, and it was broadcast by ABC on 25 December 2008.^[3]

A Winter Symphony won Classical Album of the Year at the 23rd Japan Gold Disc Awards.^[4]

Track listing[edit]