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'An instrumental cycle of Runrig songs played (except for one whistle track) on solo recorder with orchestral-style arrangements, in effect this is a musical 'work' in its own right. The recorder is played with the kind of passion and expressive power more usually associated with saxophone or uillean pipes.' .... Jane Shilling, writing in The Times, also described it as 'a CD of unearthly beauty.'
'It's absolutely beautiful'.' .... Robbie Shepherd, BBC Radio Scotland
'A wonderful CD' .... Gerald Garcia, international concert guitarist
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'Your playing is magnificent' .... Calum MacDonald, Runrig
I took the most melodic and lyrical of the earlier Runrig songs, together with a few older traditional songs and played them in my own (I think quite Gaelic) way. To quote Larry Adler, I play the recorder 'as if I was singing it', and I recorded the solos with the Gaelic words in front of me.
I know my music has a strong atmosphere, it always takes me to inner places. Many people have told me that this album evokes Skye for them. I haver personally never thought of it as 'mood music' in the sense of background music. As I say on the album notes 'to get the real feeling of it, turn the volume up!'
The powerful accompaniments are played by Sabine Barnes-Rauch, who lives in Skye and often works with me. The album was produced by Chris Harley and first released on Vital Spark Records in 1994. In 1999 it was digitally remastered and re-edited to give the album a greater sense of flow. I made the breaks between tracks as brief as possible and changed the running order. Also I extended six of the tracks and omitted several short unaccompanied ones. The present 2001 version is the same, except that it is now on the Solas label.
1. An Ataireachd Ard (the high surge of the sea) 2. Chi Mi'N Geamhradh (I see winter) 3. Cearcal a' Chuain (the ocean cycle) 4. Solus na Madainn (the morning light) 5. On the Edge 6. An Ros (the rose)/Griogal Cridhe 7. I'll Keep Coming Home 8. The Old Boys 9. Sguaban Arbhair (once more to be young) 10. Foghar nan Eilean 78 (island autumn) 11. Tuireadh Iain Ruaidh (lament for Iain Ruaidh)/Elegy 12. Mairi/Tillidh Mi (I will return) 13. Skye 14. An Ubhal as Airde (the highest apple)
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