1. Fine/Wonderful (C. Sonnemann)
Sometimes a blessing takes you by surprise. It could be friendship, love…this song is about the moment you feel suddenly grateful and unworthy of that gift.
2. Mavista (C. Sonnemann)
The Mavista Walk winds through a many-textured rainforest on Bruny Island near Hobart, Tasmania. Ferns, changing sunlight, shadow, birdsong, bark, bright moss and dark water all play a part in this piece.
3. My Road (C. Sonnemann) with Tullia Ashton-Lomax, violin
I wrote this melody with the simple, strong hymns of my “folk” in mind. The words turned out to be the most autobiographical of any lyric I've written.
4. She's Like the Swallow (Appalachian Traditional)
I used to make regular visits to my grandmother in the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee, so this song is part of my childhood. It's strange and beautiful, like the place itself.
5. Bumble Bee (C. Sonnemann)
Bombus terrestris appeared in Tasmania in 1992 – the first of their kind in Australia. A few years later they were dozing in our garden in the Midlands. They delight me. This is likely to be the only piece I ever write about a bug.
6. I’ll String Along with You (Al Dubin/Harry Warren)
I like the playfully encoded message of fidelity in this song – a promise to stay until an angel comes along is a pretty safe “forever”!
7. El Picaflor (John Marson)
John wrote this piece about a hummingbird in the style of Paraguayan dance music (there is a strong folk harp tradition in Paraguay). The name “El Picaflor” is also used in South America to mean “the flirt.” Everyone loves this piece.
8. These Foolish Things(Eric Maschwitz/Jack Strachey)
This is a song about losing someone. It also transports you, gently and unmistakably, to pre-war Paris.
9. Wait for Me (C. Sonnemann)
This song is quite open-ended for the conclusion of an album, but it is in keeping with the theme of the song and also the fact that, as I'm in my 20s, this probably isn't the last you'll hear from me.
Wait and see |
Some notes on
Christina's World
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 favourite of both mine and many concert-goers.
I hope you enjoy this glimpse of my world. |
