Highland Cathedral

1	Highland Cathedral 4:29
2	Holy Island / David Leonard 4:41
3	Tranquility / Aoife 4:01
4	The Flowers of the Forest / Frank Gallagher 3:45
5	Over the Sea to Skye 4:09
6	The Cathering-Bealtaine / Different Drums Of Ireland 3:23
7	If These Stones Could Speak / Different Drums Of Ireland 5:19
8	Going Home 3:27
9	The Enchanted Glen / David Leonard 4:35
10	Pilgrids Way / Different Drums Of Ireland 5:00
11	Flow Gently Sweet Afton 4:00
12	Coultergeist / Dermot Byrne 4:20
13	In Loving Memory / David Leonard 3:26
14	Our Island Barque / Aoife 4:11

Barnes & Noble

Rare is the album that's so good you can hardly stop drinking it in. Irish composer Phil Coulter's HIGHLAND CATHEDRAL is just such an album. Coulter taps the sturdy stuff of old Protestant hymns, touches the mists of Irish laments, and grabs the rushing pulse of primal Irish drums. His weaving of solo piano, string orchestra, voices, and Irish instruments is a thoroughly noble effort. "Highland Cathedral" begins with a touching piano solo and is then delicately augmented by violins and strengthened by basses. On later verses, Coulter adds solo bagpipe and then a pipe band, finally topped by a church organ. "Going Home," an arrangement of a Dvorák theme, was written in tribute to golfer Payne Stewart. A lone piper braves the wind and rain (just as one walked the lonely fairway at Stewart's service); with simple piano and string accompaniment, Coulter retains the original's sublime intimacy. Featured on a number of songs is the lovely voice of Aoife: Her vocalise is victorious on the march "Tranquility," moving on the historical ballad "If These Stones Could Speak," and determinedly reverential on "Pilgrim's Way." Coulter occasionally invigorates the album with fun, such as the pounding drums of "The Gathering -- Beltane" and the humorously mischievous "Coultergeist." But hymn gets the final word. Written to dedicate the bark-shaped church in Donegal, and sung by Aoife, "Our Island Barque" could become one of the greatest hymns of all time. Typically for Coulter, the piece builds from a wheezy church organ to a transformative climax with the heart-melting harmonies of the Voice Squad. If you've lost faith in music -- if you've lost faith at all -- listen to this album. Carol Wright

All Music Guide

Phil Coulter's Highland Cathedral collects more of his lush Celtic fusion pieces, which blend traditional instruments such as uilleann pipes, whistles, piano, accordion, and strings with contemporary-sounding synths. "Our Island Barque," "Going Home," and "The Enchanted Glen" define the album's lilting, relaxing feel, and Aoife's delicate vocals on "If These Stones Could Speak" and the title track add another soothing, ethereal dimension to Highland Cathedral, an album that will please Coulter fans as well as anyone fond of atmospheric, new age-inspired Celtic music. Heather Phares