Faces of the Harp: Celtic & Contemporaryby Anonymous

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June 08, 2003: Both soothing and invigorating, this is a lush, rich and varied compilation of selections from some of the best harp players and composers in the business! No matter how many times I put this recording on, listening to it is always a treat; because the harps and musical styles featured are so varied, it seems that there’s always something new. The musicians playing on this recording are many: Dennis Doyle, Thomas Loefke, Kim Robertson, Sylvia Woods, Derek Bell, Ani Williams, Julia Haines, Judith Pintar, and quite a number of harp duos: Laurie Riley and Michael MacBean, Sileas, Sedrenn, Katie LaRaye Waldren and Candace Kreitlow, Northern Lights, Alison Heymann and Alison Kinnaird, and Andy Rigby with Riley Lee. Styles range from traditional Celtic to modern and jazz, North and South American, New Age, and even Japanese, featuring both solo and ensemble harp playing, as well as harp duets and pairings with other instruments such as shakuhachi and hammered dulcimer. I passed on buying this CD several years ago in a bookstore after reading a review that said all those harps on one recording were “cloying”. Recently, after coming across it again, I decided to give it a chance and I’m very glad I did; it’s not cloying at all, and in fact has become one of the favorites in my collection! Certainly, if you don’t like the sound of harp music, you shouldn’t buy this or any other harp CD. But if you do, this one is a top pick! You won’t be disappointed. Also recommended with equal enthusiasm are “Harpestry: A Contemporary Collection” and “Celtic Harpestry: A Contemporary Collection”, both from Imaginary Road Records.