Customer Reviews

Fiona (Celtic Harp)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own a fair number of Celtic harp albums and have listened to more, including Patrick Ball's four previous albums. While almost all of it has been pleasant, this one is a real standout. Where many albums offer still more versions of over-familiar melodies, this one is striking in its originality. Where some performances give the impression of tinkling music boxes or technical expertise that is somehow boring, this one is riveting and evocative. Some purists may find it insufficiently traditional, but I found it beautifully imaginative. Unlike reviewers who preferred this musician's earlier albums, to me this is the most interesting and moving of them all. "Fiona" came out in 1993; I am hoping that Mr. Ball is near to producing another album. Given the progression through his earlier work, I can hardly wait to see what he does next.

As always, Ball presents spirited virtuoso performances that elucidate traditional tunes and show off the nuances of the wire-strung Celtic harp. I like this album less than some of his previous ones because I think the material isn't as strong: he's a better performer than composer, and some of the traditional material strikes me as rather uninteresting compared with tunes he's recorded before. Still, it's a lovely album, and far stronger than some of the New Age fluff that passes itself off as "Celtic" music these days.

Patrick Ball is renowned for his playing of the Celtic (Irish) harp. He is superior in every way. This CD is a joy to hear. If you enjoy Irish music, and the Celtic harp in particular, this is a CD for your music library.

It was really easy for me to fall in love with this CD because , for instance we share a birthyear(1993) and a name(Fiona). But besides just that, this music, for all that it's just an instrumental CD it has so much emotion in it and the songs we're so well arranged by Patrick Ball, Kevin Carr and Tim Britton that it's really easy to just get lost in. It's also some of the most relaxing music I've ever heard, but that might just be because it's always been my lullaby music...But, if you're a fan of Celtic music, or even if your not, you can't deny the beauty of the music in this CD, so I suggest that you buy it, you won't regret it!

Not all the discs of new age, works

Track 2 has realy magic.