Album Notes

A long-awaited compilation of Tim Story's finest Windham Hill recordings, including a suite of music from his Grammy-nominated "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" soundtrack, and 3 previously-unreleased tracks. For the first time ever, "Collected" brings together 2 decades of pieces that Story recorded for a wide variety of Windham Hill samplers. Of the CD's 19 tracks, 15 are from these popular samplers, and include some of Story's best-known pieces, like "Asleep the Snow Came Flying" (from "A Winter's Solstice IV") and all 5 of Story's originals from the acclaimed "In Search of Angels" soundtrack. Predominantly original compositions and several unique arrangements of classical pieces, many feature the contributions of oboist Kim Bryden and cellist Martha Reikow, long-time Story collaborators. Rarities include "Homage" (a never-released demo originally recorded for "A Winter's Solstice II"), "Viridian" (a solo piano piece), and a 7-minute suite of instrumental music from his award-winning "Sleepy Hollow" children's album with Glenn Close. These tracks, plus "Interlude" have never before appeared on CD. Over an hour in length, "Collected" has long been requested by fans of the composer, and provides a fine introduction to the haunting, evocative style of this "master of electronic chamber music" (CD Review).

Artist statement (from the liner notes):
"In 1987, Will Ackerman graciously invited me to release Glass Green on his Windham Hill label. While GG would be my only full-length new release for the label, Will remained a steadfast supporter, and for the next 20 years Windham Hill regularly asked me to submit tracks for its popular compilation albums. Collected here for the first time are my favorites from this diverse group of projects, sprinkled with a few previously unreleased tracks and rarities. Many of the tracks are original compositions, some are my arrangements of pieces from the classical repertoire.

Compiling this CD brought a few things to mind that, for me, distinguish this collection from the other work I produced during that era. First, it exudes a particular warmth, a wistfulness. A hallmark of the Windham Hill samplers was accessibility, and I consequently curbed my considerable predilections for ambiguity and shadow. Instead, there's a real attention to melody and especially harmony in these pieces - the more conventional settings gave me a chance to explore and stretch in ways that were distinct from my solo work. In addition, this collection has renewed my appreciation for, and gratitude to, my collaborators Kim Bryden and Martha Reikow, whose woodwinds and cello, respectively, brought a dimension to the music that otherwise would have been unthinkable.

Ultimately, my hope is that 'Collected' proves to be a pleasurable encounter for the listener. In lieu of an exhaustive archive of rarities and oddities, I've attempted to forge a cohesive musical experience, enjoyable on its own terms. "
–TS, 2010