The Pear Tree
Nova Scotia, 2024
9/10
The harpist Ellen Gibling and fiddle player Adrianna Ciccone come together for these 8 well thought out folk tunes that embrace Appalachian and Celtic ideas.
“Petit Papa Noel/Ding Dong Merrily On High/The Ardgroom” opens with the elegant harp and emotive fiddle interacting with tremendous beauty and warmth, and “In The Bleak Midwinter/The Anticipation” tugs on the heartstrings with 7/4 time as it radiates a dreamy quality.
“Divinum Mysterium” lands in the middle and is strong on mood via the twinkling harp and droning fiddle, while “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day/The Sussex Carol” are English carols that are interpreted with a playful nature and harmonic dynamics.
Arriving close to the end, “The Little Drummer Boy/Breakin’ Up Christmas” illustrates incredible chemistry between Ciccone and Gibling thanks to the cautious yet exploratory album highlight, and “L’Abbiamo/Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle” exits with an original, where the waltz unfolds with grace and a touching demeanor.
A very elegant and memorable holiday listen, the duo put much thought and attention into every sublime moment.
Travels well with: Hattie Webb- Wild Medicine; Ellen Gibling- The Bend In The Light