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(Top) 1 Track listing 2 Personnel 2.1 Musicians 2.2 Production 3 Charts 3.1 Weekly charts 3.2 Year-end charts 4 Certifications 5 See also 6 References

If on a Winter's Night...

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Studio album by

Sting

Released

26 October 2009

Genre

Pop, folk, classical

Length

50:18
With Bonus Tracks: 59:16

Label

Deutsche Grammophon
Cherrytree

Producer

Robert Sadin, Sting

Sting chronology

Songs from the Labyrinth
(2006)

If on a Winter's Night...
(2009)

Symphonicities
(2010)

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	43/100^[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Billboard	(favorable)^[3]
The Boston Globe	(positive)^[4]
The Guardian	^[6]
The Independent	^[7]
NU.nl	^[5]
Q	^[1]
The Times	^[8]^[9]
Uncut	^[1]

If on a Winter's Night... is the ninth studio album from British musician Sting.^[10] The album is a collection of Christmas and winter-themed songs mostly written by others, including folk songs, madrigals and religious hymns from past centuries. Dozens of musicians appear on the album in various configurations, including jazz, folk and classical players.

It was released in most countries on 26 October 2009,^[11]^[12] on 27 October 2009 in the United States^[13] and 2 November 2009 in the United Kingdom.^{[citation needed]} The album was released in several formats: vinyl LP, a single-disc CD, a limited edition CD and making-of DVD entitled The Genesis of 'If on a Winter's Night...' in Six Chapters in hardback book packaging, an Amazon.com exclusive version, as well as various import editions (of note is the Japanese edition). The limited edition and Amazon exclusive both include bonus songs; the Japanese edition include them as well but adds "The Coventry Carol." The album includes a reworking of "The Hounds of Winter" from his album Mercury Falling.

The title of the album is based on the novel If on a winter's night a travelerbyItalo Calvino.^[14]

Track listing

[edit]

*If on a Winter's Night...* track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Gabriel's Message"	Traditional	2:32
2.	"Soul Cake"	Paul Stookey, Tracey Batteast, Elena Mezetti	3:26
3.	"There Is No Rose of Such Virtue"	Anonymous	4:01
4.	"The Snow It Melts the Soonest"	Traditional	3:42
5.	"Christmas at Sea"	Poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, music by Sting, Mary Macmaster	4:34
6.	"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"	Music by Michael Praetorius, English translation by Theodore Baker	2:40
7.	"Cold Song"	Music by Henry Purcell, lyrics by John Dryden	3:14
8.	"The Burning Babe"	Music by Chris Wood, lyrics by Robert Southwell	2:46
9.	"Now Winter Comes Slowly"	Music by Henry Purcell, lyrics by Thomas Betterton	3:04
10.	"The Hounds of Winter"	Sting	5:45
11.	"Balulalow"	Music by Peter Warlock, lyrics traditional	3:08
12.	"The Cherry-Tree Carol"	Traditional	3:10
13.	"Lullaby for an Anxious Child"	Music and lyrics by Sting and Dominic Miller	2:52
14.	"The Hurdy-Gurdy Man"	Music by Franz Schubert, poem by Wilhelm Müller, adapted by Sting	2:48
15.	"You Only Cross My Mind in Winter"	Music by J. S. Bach, lyrics by Sting	2:36

Bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
16.	"Bethlehem Down"	Peter Warlock and Bruce Blunt	2:56
17.	"Blake's Cradle Song"	Music by Vaughan Williams, poem by William Blake	3:29
18.	"The Coventry Carol"		2:33

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

[edit]

Sting – vocals, arrangements, lute (3), guitars (5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14), snare drum (5), percussion (2, 8, 10, 17)
David Hartley – harmonium (3)
Julian Sutton – melodeon (6, 8, 10, 13, 14)
David Sancious – organ (10)
Dominic Miller – guitars (1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13, 17)
Dean Parks – guitars (2), mandolin (2)
David Mansfield – mandolin (2, 8), 12-string guitar (5), lap dulcimer (5, 8), mandocello (8)
Edin Karamazov – lute (15)
Ira Coleman – bass (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 13, 15)
Kenny Garrett – soprano saxophone (8)
Chris Dudley – trombone (2)
Ibrahim Maalouf – trumpet (1)
Chris Gekker – trumpet (2)
Brent Madsen – trumpet (2)
Chris Botti – trumpet (11, 17)
Leslie Neish – tuba (2)
Marcus Rojas – tuba (2)
John Clark – French horn (2)
Bassam Saba – ney (3), oud (3)
John Ellis – bass clarinet (7, 10)
Daphna Mor – recorder (7)
Mary Macmaster – harp (5, 8, 13, 17), vocals (5)
Dov Scheindlin – viola (9)
Kathryn Tickell – violin (2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13), Northumbrian smallpipes (6)
Peter Tickell – violin (2)
Svetlana Tsovena – violin (7)
Daniel Hope – violin (9, 14, 17)
Vincent Ségal – cello (6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 17)
Melissa Meell – cello (9)
Charles Curtis – cello (11)
Robert Sadin – arrangements, string conductor (6, 11, 15, 16), percussion (7), soundscape (9)
Allen Bluestein – string contractor (6, 11, 15, 16)
Strings of the Musica Aeterna Orchestra – strings (6, 11, 15, 16)
Joe Sumner – backing vocals (2, 3)
The Webb Sisters – backing vocals (2, 3)
Stile Antico – vocal ensemble (6)
Lisa Fischer – backing vocals (8, 11), vocals (10)
Jasmine Thomas – backing vocals (11)
Jack DeJohnette – drums (8)
Daniel Druckman – snare drum (8, 11)
Cyro Baptista – percussion (1, 8, 10, 13, 17)
Bijan Chemirani – percussion (3, 10)
Daniel Freedman – percussion (3)
Rhani Krija – percussion (3)
Donald Hay – percussion (5)
Bashiri Johnson – percussion (5, 10), frame drum (11)

Production

[edit]

Sting – producer, mixing
Robert Sadin – producer, mixing (1, 3-17)
David Darlington – engineer, mixing (1, 3-17)
Clark Germain – engineer
Donal Hodgson – engineer, mixing (2)
Tim Mitchell – additional engineer, assistant engineer
Todd Whitelock – additional engineer
Mark Crowley – assistant engineer
Joshua Cutsinger – assistant engineer
Martin Hollis – assistant engineer
Royce Jeffres – assistant engineer
Adam Miller – assistant engineer
Mark Wilder – mastering (1, 3-15)
Maria Triana – mastering assistant (1, 3-15)
Bob Ludwig – mastering (2)
Dave Sandford – production coordinator
Dana Wise – production coordinator
Joseph Hutchinson – package design, artwork
Jim & Anne Gable - Executive Producers, Directors: "If On A Winter's Night", Recording Studio Documentary Film
Tony Molina Filmworks – LP photography cover, LP liner notes package photography. Director of Photography "If On A Winter's Night" Documentary Film.

Studios

Recorded at Steerpike Studio (Wiltshire, England); Villa Il Palagio (Florence, Italy); The Source (Malibu, Florida); Clinton Recording Studio, Manhattan Center Studios and Seven Seas Studio (New York City, New York).
Mixed at Steerpike Studio; Villa Il Palagio; Clinton Recording Studio, Burning Kite Digital and Bass Hit Studios (New York City, New York).
Tracks 1 and 3–17 mastered at Battery Studios (New York City, New York); Track 2 mastered at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine).

Charts

[edit]

Weekly charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for *If on a Winter's Night...*
Chart (2009–2010)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[15]	58
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[16]	12
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[17]	7
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[18]	5
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[19]	29
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[20]	10
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[21]	7
French Albums (SNEP)^[22]	8
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[23]	5
Greek Albums (IFPI)^[24]	11
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)^[25]	8
Irish Albums (IRMA)^[26]	24
Italian Albums (FIMI)^[27]	4
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[28]	18
Polish Albums (OLiS)^[29]	1
Portuguese Albums (AFP)^[30]	25
Scottish Albums (OCC)^[31]	17
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)^[32]	18
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[33]	12
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[34]	13
UK Albums (OCC)^[35]	15
USBillboard 200^[36]	6
USTop Classical Albums (Billboard)^[37]	1

Year-end charts

[edit]

2009 year-end chart performance for *If on a Winter's Night...*
Chart (2009)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[38]	80
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[39]	92
French Albums (SNEP)^[40]	69
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[41]	99
Polish Albums (ZPAV)^[42]	2
US Top Classical Albums (Billboard)^[43]	5

2010 year-end chart performance for *If on a Winter's Night...*
Chart (2010)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[44]	68
French Albums (SNEP)^[45]	186
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[46]	93
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[47]	96
USBillboard 200^[48]	90
US Top Classical Albums (Billboard)^[49]	2

Certifications

[edit]

Certifications for *If on a Winter's Night...*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)^[50]	Gold	15,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)^[51]	Gold	40,000^{^}
France (SNEP)^[52]	Platinum	100,000^*
Germany (BVMI)^[53]	Gold	100,000^{^}
Hungary (MAHASZ)^[54]	Platinum	6,000^{^}
Italy (FIMI)^[55]	2× Platinum	140,000^*
Poland (ZPAV)^[56]	4× Platinum	80,000^*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)^[57]	Gold	15,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[58]	Silver	60,000^*
United States (RIAA)^[60]	Gold	544,000^[59]
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c "Critic Reviews for If on a Winter's Night...". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 May 2012.

^ Erlewine, Stephen. "If on a Winter's Night..." Allmusic. Retrieved 3 December 2009.

^ Wood, Mikael (13 November 2009). "Sting, "If on a Winter's Night..."". Billboard. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

^ Rodman, Sarah (26 October 2009). "Sting relishes a bleak and beautiful season". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

^ Oitmann, Pierre. "Review: If on a Winter's Night...". NU.nl. Retrieved 30 October 2009.

^ Simpson, Dave (11 December 2009). "Sting: If on a Winters Night". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 11 December 2009.

^ Gill, Andy (30 October 2009). "If on a Winter's Night..." The Independent. London. Retrieved 30 October 2009.

^ Paphides, Pete. "If on a Winter's Night..." The Times. London. Retrieved 30 October 2009.^{[dead link]}

^ Paphides, Pete. "Jingle sells: A-list Christmas albums".

^ Daniel Kreps (18 June 2009). "Sting to Return This Fall With If on a Winter's Night... | Music News". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2011.

^ "STING If On A Winter's Night... - 1 CD". Deutsche Grammophon. Retrieved 1 August 2016.

^ "If On A Winter's Night..." Discography. Sting.com. Retrieved 1 August 2016.

^ "Sting announces winter album for fall". Billboard. Retrieved 19 July 2009.

^ "Sting The Traveler – Classical TV interview". Classicaltv.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2011.

^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 268.

^ "Austriancharts.at – Sting – If on a Winter's Night..." (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Ultratop.be – Sting – If on a Winter's Night..." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Ultratop.be – Sting – If on a Winter's Night..." (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Danishcharts.dk – Sting – If on a Winter's Night...". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Sting – If on a Winter's Night..." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Sting: If on a Winter's Night..." (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Lescharts.com – Sting – If on a Winter's Night...". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Sting – If on a Winter's Night..." (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Finnish Charts – Sting – If on a Winter's Night... (album)". Greekcharts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.

^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2009. 46. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Sting". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Italiancharts.com – Sting – If on a Winter's Night...". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Sting – If on a Winter's Night...". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "20 grudnia 2010 – sprzedaż w okresie 06.12.2010 – 12.12.2010" (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 5 July 2012.

^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Sting – If on a Winter's Night...". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Spanishcharts.com – Sting – If on a Winter's Night...". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Swedishcharts.com – Sting – If on a Winter's Night...". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Swisscharts.com – Sting – If on a Winter's Night...". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Sting Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Sting Chart History (Top Classical Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Jaaroverzichten 2009". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Rapports Annuels 2009". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2009" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Zpav.pl. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2011.

^ "Classical Albums – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Rapports Annuels 2010". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2010" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2010". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Classical Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2009". Ultratop. Hung Medien.

^ "Canadian album certifications – Sting – If on a Winter's Night". Music Canada.

^ "French album certifications – Sting – If on a Winter's Night..." (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.

^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Sting; 'If on a Winter's Night...')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.

^ "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2009" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ.

^ "Italian album certifications – Sting – If on a Winter's Night" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "If on a Winter's Night" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".

^ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2010 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 April 2021.

^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('If on a Winter's Night...')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.

^ "British album certifications – Sting – If on a Winter's Night". British Phonographic Industry.

^ McClean, Craig (6 November 2010). "Christmas Wishes (Are Made of This)". Billboard. p. 69. Retrieved 19 January 2019.

^ "American album certifications – Sting – If on a Winter's Night". Recording Industry Association of America.

v t e Sting
Studio albums	The Dream of the Blue Turtles ...Nothing Like the Sun The Soul Cages Ten Summoner's Tales Mercury Falling Brand New Day Sacred Love Songs from the Labyrinth If on a Winter's Night... Symphonicities The Last Ship 57th & 9th 44/876 My Songs The Bridge
Live albums	Bring On the Night Acoustic Live in Newcastle ...All This Time The Journey and the Labyrinth Live in Berlin
Compilations	Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994 The Very Best of Sting & The Police The Best of 25 Years Duets
Extended plays	Nada como el sol Demolition Man Still Be Love in the World
Singles	"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" "Love Is the Seventh Wave" "Fortress Around Your Heart" "Russians" "We Work the Black Seam" "We'll Be Together" "Be Still My Beating Heart" "Englishman in New York" "Fragile" "They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)" "All This Time" "Mad About You" "It's Probably Me" "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" "Seven Days" "Fields of Gold" "Shape of My Heart" "All for Love" "Nothing 'Bout Me" "When We Dance" "This Cowboy Song" "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot" "You Still Touch Me" "I Was Brought to My Senses" "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" "Brand New Day" "Desert Rose" "Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)" "Whenever I Say Your Name" "I Can't Stop Thinking About You" "The Empty Chair"
Guest singles	"Money for Nothing" "Take Me Home" "On Silent Wings" "Rise & Fall" "Always on Your Side" "Stolen Car" "Reste"
Tours	Symphonicity Tour Back to Bass Tour On Stage Together Tour Summer 2015 Tour Summer 2016 Tour 57th & 9th Tour My Songs Tour
Theatre	The Threepenny Opera The Last Ship (musical)
Related articles	Discography The Police Last Exit Bring On the Night (film) The Living Sea: Soundtrack from the IMAX Film Dolphins "Until..." Dendropsophus stingi Feyd-Rautha Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show
Family	Frances Tomelty (ex-wife) Trudie Styler (wife) Joe Sumner (son) Mickey Sumner (daughter) Eliot Sumner (son)
Category