A rather
ambient
set of
Celtic
music is presented on
Celtic Moods
, culled from the previous releases on
ARC
, a few new pieces from
stable musicians with talents in the
realm, and a few licensed works from Glasgow's
Klub
label. The album opens up with a member of the
Golden Bough
group playing the fiddle, then moves into a more relaxed "musical greeting" from
Aryeh Frankfurter
's harp (the harp will become probably the most important instrument to the mood as the album progresses). Pipers make up the third main variable of the album, as evidenced by
Barbara Gray
,
Ann Gray
Fred Morrison
, and others. The sounds here are -- almost to the last -- slower, more relaxed, and certainly more reflective.
music has multiple moods that listeners take to: the slow, pensive sounds of harp and pipe, such as this album; the quick reels and jigs on fiddle and accordion; the eclectic modern sounds incorporating both. This album will really only please those looking specifically for the first grouping of
styles. The music is well performed all around, but not terribly pulse-raising. The purpose here, fulfilled, is to provide a quiet piece of
instrumental music as accompaniment for the day. ~ Adam Greenberg