Enigma
The melody strucure of this piece always sounds like somebody giving you clues about a certain subject. You have to try and solve the riddle. It feels like this, but not quite, and it looks like that, but than in a different way...
 | To listen to a sample of this tune, please click here |
Shebeg and shemore
This first piece ever written by Turlough O'Carolan is actually called Sí Bheag's Sí Mhór, meaning The little fairy hill and the big fairy hill. After turning blind from smallpox at the age of 18, Turlough O'Carolan became a professional harpplayer. His first employer, George Reynolds from Co. Leitrim, advised him to write his own music. Many compositions were to follow, still being played by folkharpers and other contemporary musicians.
Antidote
Originally, this composition was intended to relieve a person from his grieve or to soothe a lovesick mind. The melody turned out sounding better when played slowly, resulting in a rather melancholic sounding piece of music. Hopefully, it can still serve it's original purpose!
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To hear a sample of this melody, please click here
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High tea
Imagine that someone invites you to come over to have a cup of tea. When you show up, it turns out that you are being invited to experience this rather traditional, somewhat posh way of spending the afternoon. After getting used to the idea, and once being adapted to the situation provided, you find yourself enjoying it thoroughly and feeling highly amused!
Granddaddy's humming
Out and about with his granddaughter, the violin player from our last cd, Gentle, stumbled upon this intriguing melody and came up with this wonderful tune. Luckily, he decided to give it to us to play with and we ended up with this arrangement. Dedicated to one of our most loyal listeners, Berry Idema from Bergen, Holland!
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Alan McLachlan
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I will wait for you*
Although I am ahead, I enjoy being here much better if I hold back and wait for you to catch up with me. Going through this experience together gives me much more pleasure. Would you like to join me and continue together?
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| To hear a part of this melody, please click here.
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Mosquitoe dance
This melody came up during the tuning of the harp while playing at an outdoor art-market. The title explains itself really; just imagine an early summer's evening close to water, watching the mosquitoes bounce up and down in the air. It is too fast for Ed to play this piece properly really, but at least hereÕs one of the better attempts at it!
O'Carolan's receipt
After studying this O'Carolan composition during breaks so often, we got so much used to hearing it performed solo on the harp, that we decided to record it just so for this cd. Another beautiful piece by that famous harpplayer from back then...
Margôt Limburg
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Drink to me only with thyne eyes / Cliffs of Dooneen*
Those who hadn't noticed our preference for romantic pieces, should realize by now what we're all about. Some people might call it sentimental, but tell me, what's wrong with beauty, love and harmony? Here's to all that!
Green Light
The core of this melody reminds us of the way cars accelerate when the traffic light turns green. While changing gears they start moving again, forced to hold back for the car that doesn't pull up quite so fiercily as they do...
Watch the speed limits!
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Nocturne
So Chopin used this name for one of his pieces, does that mean we can't?! Thinking of our two beautiful sons when they are asleep, we hope that this melody will acccompagny lots of people resting. To prevent you from missing the rest of this cd, at the end we play it with some more speed.
Planxty Wilkinson
We picked up this tune from Dennis Doyle, an American harper that recorded many lovely tunes. This particular one we found on his album Hybernia. (i.e. the name the Romans gave to Ireland)
Furusato in Japanese Kanji-notation: 
My favourite Japanese harpstudent Tomohisa, with whom I spent many nice hours, taught us this tune. With pride, we dedicate this recording to him! The song Furusato is all about a 'nostalgic memory of one's old home'. A very reflective melody, simple and straight to the heart - just the way we like it.
Bridget Cruise / Planxty Drew
Since both these O'Carolan melodies are rather short, we linked them together in one recording. After tuning one string to an F while playing in the key of G (where there are no F-notes used normally), you get this particular effect when that note is played Ð a simple but brilliant trick to draw the listener's attention. Planxty drew is a nice sounding tune that is challenging to practice at the same time.
The story so far
Once again, time for peace and tranquility.
George Brabazon II*
Coming to the end of this cd, one more semi-uptempo O'Carolan composition. Always good fun to play- and hopefully, to listen to as well.
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Proud daddy Eddie
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The last rose of summer
For those that cannot sleep yet, here's another evergreen from that vast repertoire of romantic goodies. May you all feel at ease, relaxed and be without pain.
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