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Musicians
Cormac Breatnach: Susato Whistles Low-D & high A
Annette Cleary: Cello
Rachel Factor: Harpsichord
Eamon Sweeney: Baroque Guitar (Ivo Magherini 2006 after Tessler 1620); Classical Guitar (Joaquin Garcia 1998)

Track Listing

  1. Silent O’Moyle [arr. M. Esposito/Sonamus]
  2. Tabhair dom do Lámh Ruairi Dall Ó Catháin ( early 17th century) [arr. Sonamus]
  3. Rain Drops + The First of May (International Workers’ Day) Cormac Breatnach [arr Niall Ó Callanáin + Sonamus]
  4. Cecilia Connellan  Thomas Connellan (c.1640–1698)
[ Rachel Factor]
  5. Guardame las vacas Luys de Narváez (fl. 1526–49) [arr. Eamon Sweeney+ Cormac Breatnach]
    Carolan’s Welcome Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (1670–1738) [arr. Sonamus]
  6. Rakes of Westmeath [Burk Thumoth arr. Sonamus]
  7. Mr O’Connor 1 + 2  Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (1670–1738) [arr. Sonamus]
  8. Pléaracha [Burk Thumoth arr. Sonamus]
  9. Ballinamore [Burk Thumoth arr. Sonamus]
  10. Loftus Jones Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (1670–1738) [arr. Sonamus]
  11. オープニング – part of “Prologue” as recorded in “Celtic Moon” (Final Fantasy IV) composed by Nobuo Uematsu (Square)”
  12. Charles O’Connor Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (1670–1738) [arr. Sonamus]

Michele Esposito (1855–1929) was an Italian-born composer, conductor and pianist who lived most of his professional life in Dublin. The harper, Ruairí dall Ó Catháin, spent most of his life in Scotland and is reputed to have attended the Scottish Court of King James in 1602. Tabhair dom do lámh (‘give me your hand’) was written as proof of his reconciliation with Lady Eglinton in 1603.
Two traditional-based reels were composed by Cormac many years ago. The 1st , an attempt to score the percussive soundings of raindrops, the 2nd, in honour of International Workers’ Day. Thomas Connellan was a celebrated harper-composer of the seventeenth century. He was born at Cloonmahon, County Sligo, and died in Scotland.
Luys de Narváez, Spanish court viheulist and composer to Philip II, composed Guardame las vacas on a famous and beloved chord sequence – the Romanesca. Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (Turlough O’Carolan), ‘the last of the bards,’ was a blind, itinerant harper, composer and singer. Many consider him Ireland’s national composer Carolan’s Welcome follows a harmony very similar to the Romanesca sequence.
Burk Thumoth published two books, “Twelve Scotch and Twelve Irish Airs” in c.1742 and “Twelve English and Twelve Irish Airs” in c. 1743-5. J. Simpson published the first edition in London.
Celtic Moon is based on the Nobuo Uematsu/Máire Breatnach composition for the Final Fantasy IV ‘Celtic Moon’ CD (1991).