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Sept. 15, 2004 Loreena McKennitt, formerly a Shakespearean actress, and still a lyric soprano/harpist who blends Celtic, New Age and just a touch of World Music, produced an amazing CD "The Mask and Mirror," in 1993 that moves the soul to ethereal realms, aids in meditation and mixes some of the world's musical development from the differing cultures into a most tastefully refined melange of balance between the physical plane and our inner selves. Eight tracks, opening with "The Mystic's Dream," one is transported in the most beautific and gentle ways through the portals of the known and unknown. This is a CD that in obtaining, you're doing yourself a favor. It is good for the soul, the mind and heart. From the opening track, which you never want to end, it is easy to relax, meditate, sleep, or just unwind from a rough day. One would be hard pressed to find a more soothing, lovely and fulfilling work of musical composition. In addition to harps, upright bass, hurdy-gurdy, theramin, guitar, bazouki, ouds, and mixed percussive instruments, i.e. not just a trap set, but tablas, and maracas. There are also synthesizer, cello, organ pipes, bass, esraj, accordion, balalaika, fiddle, dumbek, udu drums, electric sitar, bodhran, nai, Uilleann pipes, and vocals which would make the very Seraphim weep. This isn't your average CD with the typical combo of instrumentation so many of us have become accustomed to. Loreena even has the voice, focus and the pen to take "Prospero's Speech," (from Shakespeare,) and put it to music and deliver,both musically and vocally. To quote her, she: "chose Prospero's closing speech, which is delivered with the sense of the actor removing his mask as an artist...the illusion has ended and reality and God are left for us to determine for ourselves." (notes from "Prospero's Speech," from the CD.) Copyright 1993) "The Mystic's Dream," which is reason enough to seek out this CD is seven minutes and forty- seven seconds long, but you never want it to end. I want it played as they scatter my ashes and I'm so in love with it, I hope it's the music that greets me on the other side. After reading about the Sufi's and their possible tie to the Celtic tradition, she composed this song and it's one that doesn't leave the heart just lying there. One is awakened, gently, but fully, and if willing taken to its fullest potential. This is a CD where one must decide if one is willing to drop the mask and truly gaze into the mirror of soul. A gentle nudge of a challenge, and well worth the journey. ------------ About the author: Phoenix Morric is a published poet - see her under her name Deborah Holeman at WWW.Poetry.Com - where she has pieces there. She has fronted bands in Austin, Athens, Seattle and New York City. Currently she is working on her first novel and shopping for an agent. All queries, comments, please direct to: PMorric88@msn.com. Serious only, please. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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