From the mists of Avondale to the sacred waters of Glastonbury’s Chalice Well, the Emerald Harp carries you to the glens of Ireland and Britain.

The Irish Bard of the late 1100’s was required to have at his command three musical evocations:
Geantraighe – an excitement to love and laughter
Goltraighe – an arousal to valour or tears
Suantraighe – a disposition to slumber and repose

Christina’s style, a mix of pure traditional and ambient soulful dreaminess, evokes the spirit of the old bards.

Come on a magical journey from the Emerald Isle to the Isle of Avalon: sacred stone circles, groves of oak trees, Celtic crosses, fairy mounds and the trickling waters of the Chalice Well.

Note: Avondale is a picturesque place in Ireland where many mountain streams flow down into the dale.

Here’s a sound file (that you can also download) with a sample from each track

Track listing: (CLICK on the track to jump to another part of the sample…)

1. Avondale (2:59)
2. Maids of Mourne Shore (3:29)
3. Sally Gardens (3:18)
4. Carrickfergus (2:36)
5. The Chevalier’s Lament (4:20)
6. Queen’s Marsh (2:35)
7. Temple House (2:16)
8. Star of County Down (8:08)
9. Greensleeves (6:15)
10. Danny Boy 2:35)
11. Flowers of the Forest (2:49)
12. The Dark Isle (2:59)
13. Mary, Young & Faire (2:16)
14. Come Under My Plaidie (3:38)
15. Childgrove (8:09)

(Total Length: 58:50)

Musicians:
Celtic Harp: Christina Tourin
Guitar and Keyboard: David Eastoe
Flutes: William Jackson, Mark Valentine, Karen Kevra
Fiddle: Pete Sutherland
Cello: Judith Hitt
Bodhrán: Marty Morrissey

Christina’s Crystal Harp built by Glen Hill.

Recorded at and about: Beautiful Future Studio, Glastonbury, UK and Chas Eller Studios, Charlotte, Vermont, USA

Label: Emerald Harp Productions

Amazon customer review:

“This CD is BEYOND Fabulous… I had the good fortune to stumble into a harp workshop that Christina Tourin was teaching, then go to a concert of hers later that night. This is the CD I bought there – she had many to choose from – and I listened to it later.

I have just started getting into harp music in earnest, though I’ve appreciated it for a long time. Of all the harp CDs I have or have listened to, numbering about 20, this is by far the most gorgeous and lyrical. There isn’t a cheesy, over-the-top moment in it, and thankfully there’s no one cutting in to sing in it either.

It makes fabulous background music, supremely restful and gorgeous, and it’s the type of CD that everyone who hears it, a) wonders who it is; b) wonders what it is; and c) wonders if they can get one, immediately!

And this is from a cross-section of sophisticated listeners from different countries in the world (S. Africa, Trinidad, India), who probably have vastly different musical tastes.

It’s by far my favourite CD of the year, and will be a gift for many friends, as well. There’s lots more to learn about Christina – she has several websites and a number of harp CDs – but she’s a major talent and this is an absolutely incredible CD.”

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