O'Carolan's Dream

On this CD:

1. Captain O'Kane
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter

2. Carolan's Quarrell with the Landlady (Rúisg, a Bheanna Tabhairne)
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter

3. Carolan's Draught
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter

4. Squire Wood's Lamentation on the Refusal of his Half Pence
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter

5. Dr. John Stafford (Carolan's Receipt)
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter

6. Colonel John Irwin (Planxty Irwin)
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter

7. Lord Ichiquin
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter

8. Carolan's Cup
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter

9. Lady Athenry
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter

10. Lament for Owen O'Neill (from Edward Bunting's Ancient Music of Ireland)
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter

11. Planxty Browne
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter

12. Loftus Jones
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter, Aryeh Frankfurter

13. Carolan's Dream
Composed by Turlough O'Carolan
Performed by Aryeh Frankfurter

Tracks:

Cantigas 7 And 338
Scollay's Reel/King Of The Fairies/Old Grey Cat/The Dance Goes On
Winter's Falling Light
Sinfonie And Musette From L'Isle De Delos
Callanish/Under The Full Moon
Anna's Garden
Home Fires/The Burning Of The Clavie/The Burning Of The Clavie Reel
Lake Skybelow
La Folia Variations
Sgt. Early's Dream/Tune For Kieran
Fanny Poer/Mary O'Neill's
Aisling
The Lady Of The Lake
Miss Maxwell/Bridget Cruise/O'Carolan's Welcome
The Fair Maid Of Barra/Dream Angus

Customer Reviews:

A delicately imaginative journey.......2002-11-29

Touching on the Celtic, the Renaissance and the Baroque, these six women interweave them into sumptuous improvisations. Ensemble Galilei consists of Liz Knowles on fiddle, Deborah Nuse on bagpipes and fiddle, Sarah Weiner on oboe, recorders and whistle, Sue Richards on harp, Carolyn Ann Surrick on gamba, and Jan Hagiwara on percussion. Their sound ranges from musing to celebratory and airy to earthy, but is characterized always by the easy elegance of musicians who have mastered their instruments. The musicians have this to say about themselves: "We are committed to making music fiercely. We find music that speaks deeply to us, and we honor the traditions and dialects of each musical language... We find the place where our personal history intersects the melody, bass, harmony or chords. Revealed in these musical conversations are the essential parts of our own humanity." This recording showcases feminine creativity in all its rousing and subtle beauty! Ensemble Galilei has two other recordings that I know of so far: "Come, Gentle Night: Music of Shakespeare's World" on the TELARC label, and "The Mystic and the Muse: Celebrating 600 Years of Women in Music" from Dorian.

From The Isles To The Courts.......2001-05-08

It's very exciting to follow a group of musicians on their journey together, especially when that journey is made with heart, with fire, and with honor to tradition. Original tunes make easy friends with the traditional on this must-have CD. Love the Scollay's medley, for example, with The Dance Goes On as the last tune. It all works really well! The high quality of the sound itself, the strength of the original compositions, the sparkling arrangements and attention paid to choice of material all make this in my opinion the best EG so far. As a whole, it's great, but there are individual jewels here-- the mysterious Anna's Garden, the tender Cantigas, Liz Knowle's masterful delivery on anything, for example. Sue Richard's Aisling is just the best Sue Richards composition I've gotten to know yet. This piece provides a sumptuous musical (and magical) adventure, full of ideas to play with. Her work gives an added dimension to the collection. If you don't think Ensemble Galilei's work is groundbreaking, ask for this CD in your favorite music department, and watch the guy run around trying to figure out how it's categorized for display! It's really fun. "Ensemble Galilei...That's baroque, right? No! Should be under Celtic...no... uh, folk? Classical? Ensembles? Well, international? Okay, here it is, 'New!' Try it out, it's on the wall." No wonder he has trouble finding it. Their work is unique. It wouldn't be the same if this group of women didn't span decades in age, and possess wide differences in musical background. The group lives up to its commitment of "making music fiercely." Get it just for the cover photos! They're gorgeous.

A Musical Feast.......2001-03-10

The recordings of this talented group of women musicians just keep getting better and better. This CD is a rich blend of original and traditional Celtic material, from across the globe. The CD is like a multi-course banquet, with delicate harp solos by Sue Richards, spicy fiddling from Liz Knowles, savory and haunting Viola De Gamba licks from Carolyn Anderson Surrick. Whether I'm driving, cooking, or filing bills, I play "From the Isles to the Courts" and my work is easier, my journey more worthwhile. I've been a fan of Ensemble Galilei since I first heard them perform a few years ago, but they've outdone themselves this time. "From the Isles to the Courts" is truly a musical feast.

Average customer rating:

Over the Hills and Far Away
Lush and lovely music from the past
Superlative

The Enchanted Isles
Anonymous , Turlough O'Carolan , Irish Traditional , Welsh Traditional , and Carol Thompson
Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Faerie Isles
Carolan's Welcome
The Peacock's Feather
The Mystic Harp

ASIN: B000001Q83
Release Date: 1993-08-31

Tracks:

Women Of Ireland
Brian Boru's March
Father Brian Mac Dermot Roe
Lord Inchiquin
Miss Hamilton
Lord Mayo
Planxty Murphy
Irish Lullaby
Hugh O'Donnell
Pills To Purge Melancholy: Jenny
Joy To The Person Of My Love
Pills To Purge Melancholy: Over The Hills And Far Away
The English Dancing Master: The Irish Lady, Or Anniseed-Water Robin: Parsons Farewell: Nonesuch
The Royal Dream
Winter Has Come
Maid From The Parish Of Penderyn
All Through The Night
The Ash Grove
David Of The White Rock

Customer Reviews:

Over the Hills and Far Away.......2002-04-03

The beauty of Carol Thompson's music is dizzying. There is nothing I can think of that fills up a candlelit room more nobly than the sound of her harp. Where does Dorian find these consistently great musicians? They must be growing them on some hidden magic tree somewhere. Either way, I am glad for the music they put out. This disc by Carol Thompson is among the best Dorian has to offer.

Lush and lovely music from the past.......2000-01-20

Perhaps some day Dorian Recordings will turn out a poor CD, but among their more recent releases are four sets that feature harpist Carol Thompson. The artist was born in this country of Anglo-Welsh-Irish background (as the copywriter tells us). Part of her technique is to let her ornamentation come out of the melody rather than merely appending it, and to execute her chords with a "downward roll" rather than an upward as in classical harp playing.

So with Amazon.com's permission, I will submit this same write up to each of the four webpages that deal with these albums.

(DOR-90013) has Ms. Thompson accompanied by another harpist and a wooden flute; and the extra coloration is welcome. Here we have 18 cuts (64 minutes) of Celtic harp music, the more familiar of which are "Brian Boru's March" and "Gentle Annie." The notes are of a general nature.

The subtitle of (DOR-90120) shows the program (53 minutes) to be much like the other sets, including the familiar "All Through the Night" and "The Ash Grove." I spot even one or two selections among the 19 here that appeared on earlier recordings. But it is all so winningly played that one must not carp. The notes are in several languages and a bit shorter than usual to keep the booklet from being too thick.

(DOR-90176) has 71 minutes consisting of 21 cuts such as "She Moves Through the Fair" and "Snow on the Hills." This set tends to be more satisfactory than the last one because of the presence of accordion, concertina, wooden flute and second harp; although by now one tune is starting to blur into the other.

The fourth Dorian set in order of recording is (DOR-90240) in which our harpist goes it alone with a short program (51 minutes) of 12 cuts, half of which are medleys. Included are "Twisting of the Rope," "Blind Mary" and the title song. This time the notes give information about each song.

Again I must emphasize the excellence of the playing and how beautiful each CD is by itself. But as with so many artists that concentrate on a small part of the music spectrum, each new offering tends to be predictable and one gets a strong feeling of déjà vu. But to be fair, these sets were released with considerable time between them and only people like reviewers now and then get to hear them all at once.

So which to choose? I would go for the two where you get more than the sound of a single harp first. But I really think that enthusiasts of British music will want to have all of these sets sooner or later.

And keep an eye open for the fifth entry in this series: (DOR-90273) that is not yet available at the time of this writing.

Superlative.......1998-09-25

This is truly beautiful music on harps having more character than the modern concert harp. The melodies are attractive, with good counterpoint figures. Recorded sound is first-rate, without mush or harshness, although low-frequency noises from the recording venue may intrude during quiet passages if your equipment goes low with authority. I have bought several of these CD's - when I play them for friends and family, they ask me for the CD as a gift!

Average customer rating:

Magnificent harp performances

Celtic Harp 4: O'carolan's Dream
Patrick Ball
Manufacturer: Fortuna Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Celtic Harp 1: Music of Turlough O'Carolan
Celtic Harp 2: from a Distant Time
Celtic Harp 3: Secret Isles
The Christmas Rose
Celtic Harp: Fair Play

ASIN: B0000007UD
Release Date: 1991-10-16

Tracks:

The Butterfly
Morgan Magan
Carolan's Dream
Carolan's Draught
The Orange Rogue
Mable Kelly
Cremonea
Coilsfield House
Rory Dall's Sister's Lament
La Valse Pour Les Petites Jeunes Filles
Bridget Cruise
Thomas Burke
Miss Rowan Davies

Amazon.com

O'Carolan's Dream is Patrick Ball's fourth collection of tunes composed by the 18th-century Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan. As on the previous volumes, Ball plays these lovely melodies on the wire strung, an instrument that fell into disuse in the late 18th century and was revived in the middle of the 20th century. The wire-strung harp is louder and has longer sustain than modern gut-strung harps. But because he believed that O'Carolan's music should be played on the same sort of instrument on which it was composed, Ball became one of the first musicians to master it in almost 200 years. This is not just an exercise in early-music correctness. The bell-like tone of the brass strings gives the slower tunes a haunting resonance and the quicker tunes an invigorating clangor that modern harps just can't match. Bands such as the Chieftains may have been among the first to revive the melodies of Turlough O'Carolan, but Patrick Ball has shown us how the music would have sounded when it was originally composed. --Michael Simmons

Album Description

The lilting, crystalline tone of the Celtic harp must be one of the most joyful sounds in mankind's history. The harp originated a thousand years ago in ancient Ireland; it shone through the age of the bards and brought hope during long years of occupation and oppression. As it is a challenging instrument to play well, nearly two centuries ago the wire-strung Celtic harp was abandoned in favor of the easier to play, more subdued gut-strung neo-Irish harp. Patrick Ball would not let that sweet voice fall silent. He brings to audiences world-wide the ancient Celtic harp that "has always been loved and celebrated by the Irish people for its mystical power to enchant them, to draw them into realms beyond thought, and to refresh their spirit." That is exactly what Patrick Ball accomplishes in these five sparkling recordings. Listeners are enchanted by his performances. They are drawn to the emotional portrait that Patrick paints with each piece, romantic, melancholy or jubilant. Although Patrick is a delightful storyteller with words, these instrumental works tell their own stories, requiring nothing more than Patrick's fingernails deftly plucking the brass strings of his beautifully crafted harp. The harp he plays is a re-creation of the ancient Celtic instrument, lovingly crafted by master harp builder Jay Witcher of Houlton, Maine, who has made it his life's work to allow the sound of the great instrument to live again.

Patrick Ball pays his greatest tribute to the legendary Turlough O'Carolan, a blind, itinerant harper who wandered the Irish countryside at the turn of the eighteenth century, playing for wealthy landowners. O'Carolan was witty, a prolific composer and a genius on the Celtic harp. It is little wonder that Patrick Ball has included O'Carolan's brilliant tunes in each of his first four volumes.

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent harp performances.......1998-05-22

This album and its predecessor show Ball in his prime as a harpist. I tend to prefer the previous one because I think the tunes have more variety; this album is almost entirely Irish material, and, while it's well chosen and balanced, it's a more gently rolling landscape by contrast with his other albums' peaks and valleys. Still, the performances and arrangements are superb, and the album is thoroughly listenable even if you're not a big Irish music fan.

Average customer rating:

A delicate fusion of classical and folk timbres
Good music...odd recording.
Carolan's Harp

Carolan's Harp
Turlough O'Carolan , Andrew Lawrence-King , and The Harp Consort
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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Similar Items:

Celtic Harp/O'Carolan's Dream/The Music of O'Carolan
Dunstable: Sweet Harmony - Masses and Motets
Villa Lobos: The Little Train of the Caipira; Antill: Corroboree; Ginastera: Estancia; Panambi
Hovhaness: Symphony Nos. 22 "City of Light Symphony" & 50 "Mount St. Helens Symphony"
Mephisto & Co.

ASIN: B000001TZM
Release Date: 1997-02-11

Tracks:

Carolan's Harp: Try If It Is In Tune
Carolan's Harp: Mr. James Betagh
Carolan's Harp: Jigg To The Above
Carolan's Lamentation: Carolan's Lamentn
Carolan's Receipt For Whiskey: Carolan's Receipt
Carolan's Receipt For Whiskey: Bumper Squire Jones
Carolan's Concerto: Docr. Delaney & Loftus Jones
Carolan's Concerto: Mrs. Costeloe
Carolan's Concerto: Susai Ni Cheallaigh
Carolan's Concerto: Sr Arthur Shean
Carolan's Concerto: Planxty Connor
Carolan's Dream: Carolan's Rambles to Teague (Variations On When She Cam Bem)
Carolan's Dream: Fairy Queen By sigr e Carrollini
Carolan's Dream: Ta Me Mo chodladh
Carolan's Dream: Bridget Cruise
Carolan's Dream
Carolan's Dream: I'm asleep & don't waken me
Carolan's Devotion: Miss MacDermott (The Arethusa)
Carolan's Devotion: Carrollan's Devotion
Carolan's Devotion: Mr. Hugh O'Donnel
Carolan's Farwell To Music: O Flin
Carolan's Farwell To Music: Carolan's Cup
Carolan's Farwell To Music: Carolan's Farewell
Carolan's Farwell To Music: Seperation Of Soul And Body
Carolan's Farwell To Music: Charles MacCabe's Lamentation For His Dear And Beloved Friend, Terence Carolan

Customer Reviews:

A delicate fusion of classical and folk timbres.......2006-09-30

Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), a blind, itinerant harper from Baroque-era Ireland, is noted for his enduring compositions, which combine the best of continental Baroque sensibilities with the traditional music of his native land. In "O'Carolan's Harp," noted early music artist Andrew Lawrence King and his Harp Consort offer a graceful, nuanced interpretation of that fusion of elements. Sparkling metal-strung Irish harps join with violins and viols, citterns and gitterns, flutes, bagpipes and occasional drums to produce a glittering period sound tending towards the pensive or quietly mournful, but periodically erupting into bouyant joy. For this recording, The Harp Consort comprises no less than thirteen musicians, including King on harps, David Douglass on violin, Paul O'Dette on theorbo, cittern and guitar, Pedro Estevan on percussion, Belinda Sykes on shawm and bagpipes, and singers Caitriona O'Leary and Nigel Rogers. Other gentle interpretations of O'Carolan's music include Narada's compilation albums: "Celtic Treasure" I and II. For more early music by Andrew Lawrence King and The Harp Consort, try the ebulliently spicey "Spanish Dances" and "Missa Mexicana," or the modal medieval beauty of "Miracles of Notre-Dame."

Good music...odd recording........2005-03-19

No question that there is some really nice music here, but this is one of the strangest recordings I've heard since the first decade of digital. At most volume levels, the quiet, ethereal music is too soft, esp. the solo harp pieces...then, once you find the optimal volume level for that music, the louder and more rambunctious music comes across uncomfortably loud.

With the resonant acoustic, and the variety of instrumental timbres and combinations involved, this may not have been an easy recording to make, but it seems the dynamic range is still unnaturally wide. If the music itself wasn't so enjoyable, my copy would probably be sitting in a used CD bin, but after a lot of "tweaking" with the volume level, I finally found one--and ONLY one--volume setting at which all of the music comes across reasonably clearly, w/o having to sit right in front of the speakers or listen on headphones; so I made a note of that level and put it in the CD booklet.

If you are a person who has a CD changer, and likes to make programs, you can forget including this one in a "mix:" virtually anything you play with it sounds MUCH too loud by comparison.

In case you're skeptical about my review, I am by no means "fussy" about recording quality. I've collected well over a thousand CD's over twenty years, and I can only recall having a similar complaint about a couple of other recordings.

Carolan's Harp.......2004-04-09

This work is a wonderful tribute to a musical genius form the late 1600's / early 1700's. Some have called Carolan the National Composer of Ireland. The arrangements are suprerb, the recording is bright and warm and the material ( like all great art ), remains fresh and vibrant even today. The music is both unmistakeably irish / continental and baroque. If you are thinking about this work ... stop thinking and get it.

Celtic Harp/O'Carolan's Dream/The Music of O'Carolan

Average customer rating:

I love this CD
Celtic Harp/O'Carolan's Dream
Like being back at Sather Gate...
Beautiful!!!

Celtic Harp/O'Carolan's Dream/The Music of O'Carolan
Aryeh Frankfurter
Manufacturer: Arc Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Carolan's Receipt: The Music of Carolan, Vol. 1
Celtic Harp: The Morning Dew
Celtic Harp 4: O'carolan's Dream
Carolan's Harp
Celtic Harpestry: A Contemporary Celtic Collection

ASIN: B0000507Z3
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Tracks:

Sidhe Beag Agus Sidhe Mor
O'Carolan's Ramble To Cashel
Captain O'Kane
O'Carolan's Quarrel With The Landlady
O'Carolan's Draught
Squire Wood's Lamentation Of The Refusal Of His Half Pence
O'Carolan's Receipt For Drinking (Or Dr. John Stafford)
Planxty Colonel Irwin/Lord Inchquin
O'Carolan's Cup
Lady Athenry
Roe O'Niel's Lamentation
Planxty Browne
Loftus Jones
O'Carolan's Dream
Eleanor Plunkett
Planxty Burke/Marie O'Niell (O'Carolan's Favourite Jig)
Farewell To Music

Customer Reviews:

I love this CD.......2006-03-20

As a Celtic harpist myself, I appreicate great Celtic music and anything with a harp in it. This one is a great example of both. It is enchanting in the original definition of the word; (to attract and move deeply : rouse to ecstatic admiration).

Celtic Harp/O'Carolan's Dream.......2006-02-24

This is a fantastic CD, with music that goes perfectly with a walk in the woods, through a snow covered field or anywhere you want to listen to some incredibly beautiful music. This is just one of many great CD's by Aryeh Frankfurter, but definitely one of his best. It can even make a walk in a blizzard seem peaceful and relaxing. Thanks Aryeh Frankfurter.

Like being back at Sather Gate..........2005-07-19

Aryeh Frankfurter's CD's are among the most beautiful that I've ever owned. I've been a fan of his since I knew him as the "Harp Man" playing in the middle of the bustling U.C. Berkeley campus almost 10 years ago. I used to stop whatever I was doing to listen to him when he'd randomly appear, and friends said I was deeply entranced (in a kind of scary yet pleasant way) the whole time he was playing. This CD brings back wonderful memories and creates such a serene mood... I highly recommend it!

Beautiful!!!.......2003-04-28

I will not try to use any fancy words to describe how I feel about this. I will just say that to me it's great. Some Celtic music, as we all know is loud and boisterous and festive. Some is melancholy and beautiful, some is gentle and peaceful. This album to me falls somewhere in between the second and third "category", leaning a little bit towards the third, with a peaceful relaxing beauty in it that stirs the heart and soul.

Whether I was listening to a slow, dignified-sounding piece or one that was a little faster, but not TOO fast, they gave me a great feeling, a feeling of joy and of awe.

These tunes, as the album title says, were composed originally by the great Irish filidh (harper) and bard Turlough O'Carolan of several centuries ago who was born blind as some tell. The beautiful harp melodies, played with joy and passion and reverence, are accompanied SLIGHTLY sometimes by traditional Celtic instruments.

This album truly succeeds in parting the veil of time and taking you back through the ages. The moment I started listening to it, I could easily imagine myself walking among mist-clad emerald fields and sitting down to a great feast in the castle or great hall of a Celtic lord or clan cheiftain or tribal king, with fair maidens dancing and playing and gay festivity going on all around me, with mighty warriors coming home from battle and being embraced by the women that they love, and being invited to take part in it all. What a JOYOUS and BEAUTIFUL album this is.

Yes, I know I've said a lot, but to me it's worth it. I am only partly Irish, but Ireland is actually where the greatest part of me and my blood and ancestry comes from, so you might say this music is in my blood and heart and soul and is part of me. Even if Ireland isn't in your blood, this album might put her there, or make you think she's there. It really is lovely. The tunes are varied enough that it does not feel like one long song being played over and over again. Do you want to take a journey back in time to a beautiful land rich in legend and lore? This album will be the key that opens the doors of time for you. Enjoy it. You just might learn to love it like I did. Peace, and God bless you and yours, always.

O'Carolan's Dream
Average customer rating:

Music Blew Me Away!

His music has the soul, all musician should provide to us.

Music for Dreamers and Lovers

The most gentle, luscious Celtic music I have EVER heard!

Aryeh Frankfurter's album is serenly beautiful.

O'Carolan's Dream
Aryeh Frankfurter
Manufacturer: Songbird
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music | Baroque | Classical | General | Modern & 20th Century | Romantic | Sinfonia | Sinfonia Concertante
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000009D3X
Release Date: 1998-07-07

Tracks:

Captain O'Kane
O'Carolan's Quarrel With The Landlady
O'Carolan's Draught - Aryeh Frankfurter A
Squire Woods Lamentation on The Refusal Of His Half Pence
O'Carolan's Reciept For Drinking (Or Dr. Stafford)
Plaxty Colonel Irwin/Lord Inchiquin
O'Carolan's Cup
Lady Athenry
Roe O'Neil's Lamentation
Planxty Browne
Loftus Jones
O'Carolan's Dream

Customer Reviews:

Music Blew Me Away!.......2002-09-05

I recently had the opportunity to hear Aryeh at the Kings Mountain Art & Music Faire in Woodside, CA. I heard about 30 seconds of his live music and stepped up to buy one of his CD's. This one was recommended and I must admit this music does indeed possess special spiritual and spacial qualities. I knew I'd find the artist who would play the harp as it has always been associated- with heavenly sounds. This music is fabulous and is a bit of a departure from his previous more traditional Celtic influences. Although, I'm trying to find his Songs of Scandinavian CD through a regular source, and I'm not finding it. Don't pass this music up if you're looking for lift in your consciousness too.

His music has the soul, all musician should provide to us........1999-12-12

When I listened to private sampler, copy of Frankfurter's harp from my best friend, I've started to order this CD before tape finished. Actually, this is the most beautiful celtic music album, I've ever listened. However, more than that, his music has the soul, which all musician should provide to listener. But, we can rarely get it. I think this CD is the treasure in my life. I want to encourage you to meet this finest album. At least, you can understand why I'm so happy that I'm writing this to you. I hope you will appreciate it, like I did to my friend for his kind introduction.

Music for Dreamers and Lovers.......1999-12-08

The musical genius of Mr. Frankfurter weaves together the voices of harp, strings, and other instuments, in his own arrangements of classical melodies as well as original compositions. This music evokes what is best in all of us. Great for meditation, massage time, or rocking your toddler to sleep. Better than The Chieftains!

The most gentle, luscious Celtic music I have EVER heard!.......1999-08-17

I just sent this email to Aryeh. It conveys so well how I feel about his music that I thought I'd share it here, too:

"I heard your harp as I walked towards Fisherman's Wharf recently on my very first visit to San Francisco, and I turned to my sister and said, "Where is that wonderful music coming from? Let's find it!" We followed our ears (and hearts) to Ghirardelli Square and watched and listened to you play your beautiful music. I was totally entranced. I have been in love with Celtic music for several years, and I own an extensive collection of Celtic music CDs and other "world" music. But your masterful playing of the harp moved me in a way I haven't felt before.

I bought "Lest the Harp Strings Unravel" that day, and I've listened to it at work and at home every day since I got back to Florida. It amazes me that I never tire of it, even if the same CD plays over and over again for 10 or 12 hours. Just hearing the gentle, luscious strains of your harp transports me back to the Bay and that gorgeous day in the City.

I think now that I must have more! I'll definitely be ordering more of your music - for myself and others. Thanks for playing it for us."

Aryeh Frankfurter's album is serenly beautiful........1998-12-19

I own several of Aryeh's albums. His music is hauntingly beautiful. Of all my albums, his are my favorite. I can listen to them all day, day after day. I am currently purchasing this album for a dear friend and her newborn. I can think of no better music to refresh the mother and calm the infant, allowing them both to enter into a most beautiful musical world.

Average customer rating:

An artist with lots of potential

Guitarist

Manufacturer: Eroica Classical Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000K0O8
Release Date: 2001-08-01

Tracks:

Canarios
Sunburst
Choros No. 1
Prelude No. 4
Koyunbaba: 1, Moderato
Koyunbaba: 4, Presto
Bridget O'Malley, For Guitar
Lord Inchiquin, For Guitar
Prelude
Forest in a Dream
Suite for Lute in E Minor, BWV 996: Bour
Eleanor Rigby
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Sunday Morning Overcast

Album Description

An eclectic collection of classical guitar music from Renaissance to modern and original works.

Customer Reviews:

An artist with lots of potential.......2004-05-09

Jonathan Adams' preformance of Sanz Canarios is what first drew me in. It's full of joy and energy with variations of color and volume that no other artist that I have heard do canarios which includes John Williams (very straight forward and very fast), Yepes (slower but still straight forward), Parkening (fast and full of energy similar to Admas' in many ways but not as colorful. Adams is the only performer who uses variation in color that make the piece even more interesting. This goes the the entire CD as well. The only draw back is that Jonathan Adams does not quite have the polish of the other artist mentioned. What Adams lacks in polish he makes up for in passionate performances. He plays an exicting Koyunbaba movements I and IV, I just wish he had included the entire piece.

The recording is variable but very good. It's too closely miked on the New Age type of music and slightly to close for the classical selections.

I would love to hear more of this artist hopefully playing more classical works and complete works not just movements of works and have a little bit better recording by placing the mics a little further away from the guitar with more room ambiance.

Tracks:

Cantigas 7 and 2238, From the Court of Alfonso X
Scollay's Reel/King of the Fairies/Old Grey Cat/The Dance Goes On
Winter's Falling Light
Sinfonie and Musette from l'Isle de Delos
Callanish/Under the Full Moon
Anna's Garden
Home Fires/The Burning of the Clavie/The Burning of the Clavie Reel
Lake Skybelow
Folia Variations
Sgt. Early's Dream/Tune for Kieran
Fanny Poer/Mary O'Neill's
Aisling
Lady of the Lake
Miss Maxwell/Bridget Cruise/O'carolan's Welcome
Fair Maid of Barra/Dream Angus

Customer Reviews:

A joyful experience.......2003-07-23

Buy this NOW. This has to be one of the loveliest, most life affirming discs you'll ever hear. The five members of Ensemble Galilei are exceptional mistresses of their instruments, - fine musicians not just fine players. The music is varied, though with a preponderance of bounce and rhythm. The sound is simply wonderful, open, lively, analytical in the best sense, - with a fine acoustic at all times. Above all, this disc will make you feel good about life, the celts, the isles, the courts, and everything else. Superb.

Average customer rating:

My Gentle Harp

My Gentle Harp

Manufacturer: Centaur
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000IMU8
Release Date: 1999-04-01

Tracks:

My Gentle Harp
Sheebeg And Sheemore
Carolan's Dream
Carolan's Draught
Lament
St. Anne's Reel
Eleanor Plunkett
Carolan's Welcome
Carolan's Concerto
The Clergy's Lamentation
Carolan's Quarrel With The Landlady
Down By The Sally Gardens
Off She Goes
Annie Laurie
Hugh O'Donnell
The Minstrel Boy
Star Of The Country Down
Morgan Magan
The Spinning Wheel
The Harp That Once Thro Tara's Halls
Hewlett
Sliabh Gallion Brae
Lord Inchiquin
Mary From Dungloe
The O'Rourke's Feast
Londonderry Air

Customer Reviews:

My Gentle Harp.......2000-02-18

Very relaxing celtic harp tunes

Average customer rating:

For the Aspiring Celtic Guitarist...
Excellent.

Celtic Music for Guitar

Manufacturer: ADG
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Message of the Sea: Celtic Music for Guitar

ASIN: B00000FDG1
Release Date: 1998-11-24

Tracks:

Road to Listonvarna - The Morris Dance - Traditional
Wo Betyd Thy Waerie Bodie - Lute Piece
Nynth Gwcw - Traditional
Heartland Air - Allan Alexander
Variations on an Untitled Lute Dance - Lute Piece
Separation of Soul and Body - Turough Carolan
Corne Yards - Lute Piece
Thomase Burke - Turlough Carolan
Rug Muire Mac De Dhia - Traditional
Morgan Megan - Turlough Carolan
Castles in the Sky - Traditional
Carolan's Welcome Home - Turlough Carolan
Sheebag Sheemore - Turlough Carolan
Carolan's Ramble to Cashel - Turlough Carolan
The Queen's Dream - Turlough Carolan
Comben Market - Ellen O'Grady - Traditional
A Lilt - Rori Dall
Carolan's Quarrel With the Landlady - Turough Carolan
I Never Knew I Loved Thee - Lute Piece
Mrs. Farrel - Turlough Carolan
Linda's Love - Allan Alexander
I Serve A Worthy Ladie - Skene Manuscrip
Dermott O'Doud - Turlough Carolan
Cremonea - Turlough Carolan
The Butterfly - Traditional
The Clergy's Lamentation - Turlough Carolan
A Port - Rori Dall
Cary Jane - Allan Alexander
Mrs. O'Neil of Carlane - Turlough Carolan
Blackthorn Stick - Traditional
Carolan's Memories - Allan Alexander

Album Description

Celtic Music for Guitar by Allan Alexander contains 31 songs transcribed for guitar mostly originating from Ireland and Scotland as well as three charming original pieces written in the Celtic style by Allan. Listen to the haunting melodies of the Irish Harper O'Carolan, take a musical journey with dances that were written more than 400 years ago and experience Celtic traditional music in a solo guitar setting by one of the masters of this musical genre.

Customer Reviews:

For the Aspiring Celtic Guitarist..........2005-08-07

I must admit,this review is of both the CD and the accompanying book of transcriptions. The selection is quite unique, ranging from the renaissance lute manuscripts of Scotland purely traditional (and much more recent-most of the jigs, reels, and airs of today's Celtic music might sound primal, but they date from the late 1700's-early 1800's)tunes such as 'The Butterfly'. Most of the work-about three quarters-is taken from the work of 17th century blind Irish harpist Turlough O'Carolan. O'Carolan's work has a distinctive sound for the most part, equal parts baroque and Irish folk, with a few songs leaning strongly one way or the other. So be warned, this is NOT the Celtic music you would hear from traditional groups such as the Cheiftains or Altan, nor is it classical or baroque in the style prefered by Bream or Williams. It is instead a blend of, to me, the best of both genres, combining the sophistication and delicacy of early classical music with the haunting soulfulness of Celtic music. It is also a glimpse at the earliest known examples of music from Scotland and Ireland, predating the dance numbers that are recorded more today.

As a guitarist, I thoroughly enjoyed working through the book. The selections are all beautiful and impressive to hear, yet many are very, very easy to perform. Most of my playing has been acoustic rock and folk with a flatpick, so I was very pleasantly suprised to find that some of my favorite pieces from the recording were not only within my grasp (after a reasonable amount of practice!) but even primer-like, the notes by the author making each song learned a lesson in technique. The transcriptions are also in tab, which is a big plus for me and I'm sure many others. It IS good to be able to read music, I suppose (I can decipher, myself, but not sight read), but standard notation was not designed for fretted instruments, and anyway, tab was always traditionally used lutes by composers such as J S Bach, anyway, so can even be considered more 'correct' for the guitar. Just be aware that the tunes here are more archaic than what is normally heard. Tony McManus wannabes will have to go elsewhere, I'm afraid.

Excellent........1999-04-04

An incredible recording. The music is rhythmic and driving. The arrangements and original compositions are exciting. This is something for lovers of Celtic music who want some originality while still enjoying the classic celtic melodies.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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