On their second album, duo Secret Garden play with the conventions of Celtic and neo-classical music, weaving in unexpected elements like Spanish guitars and Eastern European folk melodies as their muse dictates.
Norwegian pianist Rolf Lovland composes striking instrumentals for which Fionnuala Sherry's violin supplies the lead voice.
Just about every song here features a lavish orchestral arrangement, but it's Sherry's violin that speaks loudest and touches the heart most tenderly.
Her fluid, emotive technique shines on tracks like "Appassionata," and is made all the more admirable knowing that she was recovering from serious injuries and in great physical pain during the recording sessions.
The overall mood is weighty, heart-centered, providing a supportive background for personal reflection.
The beautiful melancholia lifts a bit in tracks like the polyrhythmic intoxication of "Windancer" and "Escape," which evokes Gypsy caravans and circus performers run amok.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | StepsRolf Løvland, John Tate | Secret Garden | Play | 04:03 | 9 MB | 26 MB |
| 2 | PoèmeRolf Løvland, John Tate | Secret Garden | Play | 05:01 | 11 MB | 23 MB |
| 3 | Hymn to HopeRolf Løvland | Secret Garden | Play | 04:20 | 9 MB | 21 MB |
| 4 | MovingRolf Løvland, Fiachra Trench | Secret Garden | Play | 03:23 | 7 MB | 20 MB |
| 5 | First Day of SpringRolf Løvland, Fiachra Trench | Secret Garden | Play | 04:46 | 10 MB | 23 MB |
| 6 | ReflectionRolf Løvland | Secret Garden | Play | 03:02 | 6 MB | 13 MB |
| 7 | WindancerRolf Løvland, John Tate | Secret Garden | Play | 03:43 | 8 MB | 21 MB |
| 8 | AppassionataRolf Løvland, John Tate | Secret Garden | Play | 04:27 | 10 MB | 22 MB |
| 9 | EscapeRolf Løvland, Fiachra Trench | Secret Garden | Play | 03:36 | 8 MB | 23 MB |
| 10 | SanctuaryRolf Løvland, John Tate | Secret Garden | Play | 04:22 | 10 MB | 21 MB |
| 11 | CelebrationRolf Løvland, John Tate | Secret Garden | Play | 03:58 | 9 MB | 20 MB |
| 12 | HomeRolf Løvland | Secret Garden | Play | 03:26 | 7 MB | 11 MB |
| 13 | IlluminationRolf Løvland, John Tate | Secret Garden | Play | 04:23 | 10 MB | 21 MB |
| 52 mins | 120 MB | |||||
| 52 mins | 271 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rolf Løvland | Composer, Producer |
| 2 | Secret Garden | Primary Artist |
| 3 | John Tate | Composer |
| 4 | Fiachra Trench | Composer |
| 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). |