Customer Reviews

A Touch Of Tranquility

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Wonderful and soothing music with a bounce. A wee bit of Ireland in a musical arrangement!

Over the years of acquiring a knowledge and modest collection of traditional Irish/Celtic music, the name of Phil Coulter went through my ears on many occasions. I'd never heard his music -- or even what his place in Irish/Celtic music is -- until this very day, when I ripped this CD into my iTunes after acquiring it from a thrift shop with other Irish CDs. Phil Coulter is obviously a gifted and interpretive pianist, and this 2005 CD release of a 1992 Shanachie Records release is an overview of his work. There is also a "Very Best Of" double CD available. This collection is comprised of solo piano work, augmented with percussion, strings, woodwinds, and the occasional guitar. It distills the often simple melodies of Irish music into sometimes bombastic arrangements, with melodies handled by the right hand or an outside instrument. It reminds me of the arrangement style of the Christian artist Carman. This collection is recommended for those folks who like instrumental piano music and don't already have Phil "Mr. Tranquility" Coulter's other work; a true highlight is The Clancy Brothers' Liam Clancy's moving narration of a Civil wartime letter over a more "folky" fiddle/guitar/piano piece called "Dear Sarah", from the PBS documentary miniseries "The American Civil War". Otherwise, it's all solo piano-type fare with often overly dramatic arrangements. If you're seeking instrumental Irish music, I recommend Derek Bell and The Chieftains instead.