Composer/bassoonist Bill Douglas has always had an affinity for the romance of Celtic music.
On Deep Peace, Douglas has set to music poems by William Butler Yates, William Blake, Robert Burns, and Alfred Graves.
Wonder of wonder, Douglas uses a real chorus -- the Ars Nova Singers -- and perfectly smooth they sing, like angels, silk, or fine scotch.
The arrangements are delicately supportive; a soft piano joins near the end of the a cappella "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton" while "Piping Down the Valleys Wild" is set on its happy course by woodwinds and piano.
Gradually, the oboe and piano take a more active role and are joined by strings.
What brings Douglas' music above everyday church fare is his strong connection to the Celtic and the bittersweet nobility -- playful, yet sad -- of the oboe, bassoon, and clarinet.
Instrumental interludes, such as "The Wandering Moon," freshen the ear to enjoy the chorus even more.
Special acknowledgment must be given to the piano, a noble Bosendorfer Imperial Concert Grand, which is showcased on "The Secret Forest." This luxurious and unhurried album will take one's head and heart to heaven.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flow Gently, Sweet AftonBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 04:18 | 0 MB | 22 MB |
| 2 | Piping Down the Valleys WildBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 03:45 | 0 MB | 19 MB |
| 3 | The Wandering MoonBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 03:39 | 0 MB | 15 MB |
| 4 | O Earth, O Earth, ReturnBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 04:17 | 0 MB | 20 MB |
| 5 | The Secret ForestBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 04:24 | 0 MB | 18 MB |
| 6 | The Hills of GlencarBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 03:57 | 0 MB | 18 MB |
| 7 | Red Rose, Sad RoseBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 04:48 | 0 MB | 25 MB |
| 8 | Return to InishmoreBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 03:22 | 0 MB | 16 MB |
| 9 | Evening StarBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 03:56 | 0 MB | 16 MB |
| 10 | Irish LullabyBill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 04:33 | 0 MB | 24 MB |
| 11 | Deep Peace (Reprise)Bill Douglas | Bill Douglas, Ars Nova | Play | 04:22 | 0 MB | 21 MB |
| 12 | Deep Peace (Choral Version) | Bill Douglas | Play | 04:48 | 0 MB | 24 MB |
| 13 | The Voices Of Children | Bill Douglas | Play | 03:48 | 0 MB | 20 MB |
| 0 mins | 0 MB | |||||
| 54 mins | 263 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stephanie Arado | Violin |
| 2 | Ars Nova | Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals |
| 3 | Peter Cooper | Oboe |
| 4 | Bill Douglas | Arranger, Bassoon, Composer, Piano, Primary Artist, Producer, Synthesizer |
| 5 | Stephen Hill | Art Direction, Mastering |
| 6 | Bill Jackson | Clarinet |
| 7 | Thomas Morgan | Conductor |
| 8 | Bob Olhsson | Mastering |
| 9 | Rex Ray | Design |
| 10 | Jeff Shuey | Producer |
| 11 | Anne Stackpole-Cuellar | Flute |
| 12 | Brett Wallace | Cello |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |