Beautiful and stirring settings of airs and tunes from Ireland, Scotland, Britain and Brittany, artfully played on dulcimer, hummel, electric dulcimer MIDI dulcimer, harp, guitar & more. Includes a stunning setting of O’Carolan’s immortal Si Beg Si Mor (The Faery Hills) performed by Mark’s groundbreaking band Southern Light.
“The Faery Hills” creates a warm soothing atmosphere perfect for chilling out after a stressful day. Very Nice indeed.” — John O’Regan, Garryowen, Limerick Ireland
Mel Bay Publications asked me to write the massive “Complete Collection of Celtic Music for Appalachian Dulcimer” sometime in the early 1990’s. At the time, I was playing mostly original music either as a solo or with my band Southern Light. You can hear samples of that music here on Bandcamp.
During one of my conversations with the company, I learned that they wanted a companion CD for the book. This presented a couple of problems. In the first place, I had over a hundred tunes arranged; there was no way to fit all of them onto a CD. Worse, there was no budget, so I couldn’t round up some of my musical pals and play the music live in the studio like all of my previous records.
So that meant I’d record in my home studio, and play everything myself. I realized that I could incorporate a recording of the Irish harp tune “Si Beg Si Mor” that I’d made with Southern Light back in 1990.
So that gave me a sound to go for using non-traditional arranging ideas and electronic instruments in a folk context.
I sent cassettes around to musical friends just to let folks know what I was up to. Imagine my surprise to learn that a small New York label, Wizmak, wanted to release it!
Thanks to Bandcamp, here is your chance to here “The Faery Hills."
Originally released 1996, Wizmak Records.
credits
released January 1, 1996
Mark Nelson: dulcimer, hummel, electric dulcimer, MIDI dulcimer, guitar, harp, synthesizer, bodhran, bones
with
Wendy Karden - flute, wind synthesizer (Si Beg Si Mor)
Karl Mansfield - piano, bass (Si Beg Si Mor)
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