Search - Dordan :: Celtic Aire

Dordán, an Irish quartet, plays a brand of acoustic Celtic music that bridges traditional and classical heritages, conveying a dignified mood of mature good cheer. The group's organic instrumentation--fiddle, flute, whistles, viola, cello, harp, and guitar--plus occasional, understated percussion--yields suites, reels, and odes that are delicate and precisely played, with nary a note out of place. You'll find no rollicking jigs or reverb-enhanced journeys into the mystic on this, the group's second U.S. release. You will discover one of Celtic music's preeminent whistler-players (Mary Bergin) and thoughtful interpretations of works by Handel ("Gigue"), Mozart ("Ridente La Calma"), and Turlough O'Carolan ("Sir Arthur Shaen"). The disc's standout selection is the first of its four vocal tracks, "Coilin Phadraic Sheamais," an a cappella working-class tale (sung in Gaelic) that involves mesmerizing, chantlike harmonies. --Terry Wood