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I have given it as gifts to family and friends, and plan to do so again this holiday season. Highland CathedralThis is a hauntingly beauticul musical experience.
This seems to be a combination of traditional highland tunes like "Over the sea to skye", and equally wonderful tunes that he has written himself, like "The gathering bealtaine". It is a wonderful CD and I have it loaded in the CD player right along with my a few of my other favorite CD's that I have playing a lot in the background all day long. This man is a true treasure. I have enjoyed the "Celtic Thunder" music since I first saw them on PBS. I noticed that a lot of the music that they preform is written by Phil Coulter, so on a wim I ordered this and one other one of his.
We believe in you. Never stop. I could listen to Coulter's music all day. Wonderful composer and arrangements.
Listening to this is like dreaming wide awake. A great stress reliever but not a sleeping pill. Highland Cathedral takes you to a gentler,greener place. Not just for the Irish, but for the peaceful spirit in all of us.
Entranced by legends, and music and sounds that always seem a bit better than the ones to which I am heir.And this suits me fine, whether it is that martial bagpipes of 'Highland Cathedral,' the easy familiarity of 'The Flowers of the Forest,' or the beautiful singing on 'If these Stones Could Speak' or 'Our Island Barque.' While this music will never move mountins, it can still move the listener a bit closer to comfort and peace. Like most of my generation, I am a secret Celt. Even so, I like Highland Cathedral, and probably always shall.
Add a smattering of traditional music like 'Flow Gently Sweet Afton' and 'Over the Sea to Skye.' Mix with the occasional skirl of bagpipes and the fine voice of Aife ni Fhearraigh. Phil Coulter is perhaps the best of them, although his style is more or less one step removed from Celtic film music, it's always the kind of listening that invites you to sit bake and take a weight of your shoulders.Occasionally, he shows some daring, but for the most part he is theme and variations of traditional sounds. Take soft piano and string renditions of melodic tunes.
And, perhaps, a bit too much them and not enough variation. No small accomplishment. Put Phil Coulter at the helm and in short order you have Highland Cathedral an album that can best be described as Celtic New Age - if you need to describe it at all.Enya, of course, owns this market segment, and will probably own it forever.
But once you leave her own ingenious ability to write beautiful music and sing it just as well, the drop off to second best is a bit steep.
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