Will Millar
Celtic Seasons Of Enchantment
1998 - Chacra CHACD 052 CD
Track List:
Maghmell - The Pleasant Plain:
The Pleasant Plain
The Hills Of Navan
The Red Branch Hail
Beltain (Spring):
Patrick's Silver Dagger
Among The Hazel Woods
Ossian In Tir Na N' Oge
The Children Of Lir
Crann Bethadh: The Tree Of Life
The Coulin
Mabon... Autumn Equinox (September 21):
The Queen Of The Western Land
Spirit Stones
Fairy Child Waking
Samhain: The Celtic Year Begins (November 1):
The Fairy Wind
Lament Of Etrinn
The Devil Among The Virgins
Lagan Enchantments
The Druids Winter
Dalraida:
Among The Hazel Woods (Reprise)
Yule Feast At Dunseverick
Dance Of Lughnasah:
The Piper Sidhe Bodb Derg
Credits
ALL THE COMPANY OF GREAT MUSICIANS ARE:
Derek Bell: Irish Harp
Patrick Davey: Uilleann Pipes (elbow pipes), Wooden Flute
David Gogo: Blue Guitar with a green tinge
Tom McGolderick: Fiddle
Kiernan McHugh: Harmonica
Trefor Owens: 5-Row Button Accordion
Phil Newns: Grand Piano
Johnny Scott: Acoustic Guitar
Nuala Towill: Cello
Will Millar played and wove the thread for this Celtic Tapestry with his Irish Whistles of all shapes and sizes, Lude and Bodhràn. John Ellis from Melodeon Studios in Chemainus, BC, Canada, joined Will Millar in Ireland with his "enchanted portable recording studio".
Here's a big hand across the water: Thanks to Colm Sands of the fine Spring Recording Studio in Rostrevor, County Down, and his brother Tommy Sands and their lovely families for all the hospitality and help in finding the best equipment and players. To Marcus Jamieson of the great Hilsea Bed and Breakfast overlooking the Sea and Coastline of Ballycastle, County Antrim, where we held our "midnight court." Come visit! Cheers! to John Watt, the Singing Farmer, who is our main man in North Antrim!
Producer: Will Millar, John Ellis
Mastered by Jean-François Chicoine
Engineer: John Ellis
"Blessing of Trees" (cover Illustration): Amy Seyfried
Celtic Moon Calendar: Rand Walsh
Sleeve Notes
Just underneath the surface of everyday worries and the rush of modern living, there is a quiet place.
It is a much sought-after refuge, a post of wonder we used to know as a child, a fragrant garden full of warm memories that we need to explore every so often. How can we escape to that place where we can discover some enchantment once again?
The Irish farmer-poet James Kavanaugh spoke in his poem Pegasus about his soul being like an old horse, "offered for sale at 20 fairs." After years of flying to find a trace of that enchantment in the world he finds the answer,
"So I said to my soul — my horse, Halters off. never more will they go on.
No more haggling with the world, on the south side of ditches there is grazing in the sun.
And when I said these words he grew wings upon his back,
And now I can fly home to any land m imagination ever knew."
I would like to think that as you let the music spin you will find your thoughts travelling to other times and quieter places. Hopefully you will Find that warm side o the ditch, where you can lie down for a while in the long grass and rediscover some of that enchantment and grow wings upon your back. And fly with the music to any place your imagination yearns for.
Will Millar