Making of the Music

Looking back, this entire project began in 1999, when I wrote a piece called “Return to Me”. It had a Celtic, yet almost Civil War feel to it, with a tinge of American Indian. It’s hard to explain, but it seemed to remind people of these three things all at once. I included this piece on a little 1999 Christmas CD that my husband and I put together for family and friends. The response was so encouraging. Everyone suggested that I write more of this type of music.

Well, after the New Millennium, I decided to sit down and write more. Not knowing where this violin music would lead me, I simply wrote for the sake of writing. My new collection of pieces began to take me further and further down a Celtic path, and I noticed that each piece seemed to weave itself into the last, until a concept was born. I found it to be unique in the way that it was Celtic, but also reminded me of the early American influence on the music that was carried far over the seas from Ireland and Scotland before the Civil War. Not quite Appalachian, but easily adaptable. Not quite Traditional, but very reminiscent of Traditional. Not quite classical violin, but not really fiddling. Simply inbetween. I didn’t allow it to worry me that it was not truly this or that, I just let it happen the way it happened. This was unusual for me, in the sense that when I was writing music for the Country music industry, being “commercial” seemed to be the main priority. When trying to appeal to the masses and trying to gear one’s writing towards being radio friendly, one can get lost from being honest and authentic. This was the one thing I would not allow myself to do while writing this music. I didn’t care if this music was commercial or not. My main objective was to let the music take me on it’s own journey…

And so it did. I was thrilled to touch upon Ireland, Scotland, and early America. I found that I was being led back even farther at times, to an ancient time. A time when Druids and standing stones encompassed England. This didn’t worry me, either. I just let it happen. I became enthralled with reading the history of these lands, their cultures, their legends, their folklore. The more I read, the farther the music took me. In my reading of the Celts, I grew to understand their oneness with nature, and how important a role it played in their lives and in their beliefs. I wanted to include the sounds and emotions of nature in my music. Summer fields filled with birds and bees, sea birds above ocean shores, twinkling stars, enchanted forests, nights of frolic among the elves, ravens swooping and sweeping through the skies, and even Druids keeping watch over the sacred groves of the ancient oaks.

When my collection came to what felt like the end of a chapter, I titled it “Spirit of the Celtic Violin”. I knew that in the times to come, I would be compelled to write another chapter, and the journey would continue….

And so it did.

For years I have wanted to compose an instrumental work. Finally, in 2000, I buckled down and decided to do it. “Spirit of the Celtic Violin” was the end result, a collection of compositions that partially lend themselves to the more traditional style of writing, and partially branch out into a new age style of writing, without restriction. I enjoyed this project so much as a writer and performer, that in 2002, I started my second collection of works, titled “River of Dreams”.

This time, I decided that “River of Dreams” should lean entirely on what I wanted to write, as opposed to trying to stay within any guidelines. Writing Celtic Music or New Celtic Music, as I like to call it, already encourages the imagination to wander. I set out to do just that, and a natural evolution began to take hold. “River of Dreams”, I believe, goes a step beyond “Spirit of the Celtic Violin” in drawing the listener into my own musical world. This time, I found that voices, both real and synthesized, played a major role in the music I was creating. By weaving voices throughout the music, and using them as I would another instrument, it added a depth that I hadn’t really focused on “Spirit of the Celtic Violin”. I’m happy with this evolution between the two projects. “Spirit of the Celtic Violin” has a more ‘open’ sound, more sparse and traditional, whereas “River of Dreams” has been given a slightly ‘thicker’ and more orchestrated and ethereal approach. Both styles portray the music equally well, and allow me to express my music in more than one way, even with the same musicians.

I hope the listener will enjoy both CD’s equally, and perhaps notice the ‘evolution’ between the two. It truly has been a musical journey through an ancient realm, and has taken me into new age territory. My journey continues, and I invite you to join me. I also offer the sheet music for violin along with the CD’s, so you can experience it for yourself first hand. Not only has writing allowed me to express myself through music, I am hoping that I might inspire others to write. I have found little else to be as rewarding as writing the music of one’s very soul, and then recording it for others. Sharing one’s self through music is as much a gift to the writer as it is to the listener.

After “Spirit of the Celtic Violin”, and “River of Dreams”, which led me into far away lands, on an adventure with peoples of long ago, I began my journey home. After time spent with druids, Saint Brigid, (the Celtic Goddess and daughter of a druid, who later was accepted by the new arrivals of Christianity and sainted), after ancient Celtic celebrations under the full moon, magical nights with elves and faeries, misty evenings on the coastal shores of Ireland, longing for the return of a lost lover at sea, and after visiting mighty fortresses and castles in Wales, I finally began writing “Luna Wings”..

This collection of compositions slowly led me back from ancient times and gently brought me home to the mysteries of my own life and times. From the beauty of seeing a rose blooming in the snow, to the Jack in the Pulpits that nestle and hide in the woods of upstate New York, to places I’ve been that enchanted me, like Bridal Veil Falls above the beloved town of Telluride, Colorado, where I can still remember picking wildflowers in the early spring and placing my “Bridal” bouquet upon the remnants of the melting winter snow. Here under the same heavenly skies that hovered over me throughout my ancient travels, I found myself marveling at the lunar eclipse, and the seven sisters that still dance above me, even as they have for all time.

I pay tribute to the fantasy of Celtic folklore on every project. The “wee” people, as they are sometimes called, such as elves, faeries, and pixies, have always made an appearance in my music. This musical journey has taken me from darkness to light, druids to faeries, happy to somber, and back again. I hope it will do the same for you.

The title theme, “Luna Wings”, is the only time I actually sang throughout the making of this Trilogy, other than ooo’s and ahh’s in the background. I saved this for last. I wrote this song after my only encounter with two huge luna moths in the middle of the night. They floated down from the wooded hills and graced me with their presence through the night. The moonlight bounced off of them in such a way that they seemed to glow in the dark. Their wing spans were more than five inches across, and they reminded me of faeries. After reading about these amazing creatures, I found that their short lives are spent finding their only mate, and then mating until their energy reserves are expended and they die. It was a magical experience I will never forget.

After these six years, my New Age Celtic Trilogy is complete. I am so happy to be able to share my journey with you now.

Here are the musicians who helped in the making of the music

 
For Spirit of the Celtic Violin CD

 Artists

• Gene Rabbai
  Piano and keyboards
• John Mock
  Whistle, concertina, bodhran,uilleann pipes
• John Gardner
  Drums and percussion
• Matt McKenzie
  Bass
• Ron De La Vega
  Bass/cello
• Wendy Windsor-Hashiguchi
  Hammered Dulcimer
• Julie Maverty-Hudson
  Flute, Sopranino and Bassett recorders
• Russell Kortright
  Guitars, mandolin,keyboards, bass
• Arlene Faith
  Voices, violins, fiddles

 Artists