《Lake of Shadows》－－Phil Coulter

Review

Phil Coulter may have made his name way back when as a writer of pop hits, but since then he's practiced his craft on a broader musical canvas. Here the art becomes more intimate, dealing as it does with a most specific place in Ireland, Lough Swilly, and its associations, both warm and tragic, with his own history. In the '80s, the lake claimed the lives of both his brother and sister, but he remains drawn to it, and its pristine memories of his childhood vacations. The musical result isn't a million miles from the neo-classical Celticisms of Peadar O'Riada — who helps out here — but also tinged with sorrow, as on "The Shores of the Swilly," beautifully and sparely sung by Sinead O'Connor, which is the tale of Cyd Coulter's death. There's history in actor Liam Neeson's spoken-word piece, "The Flight of the Earls," and the mournful simplicity of the hymn "For Those in Peril on the Sea." There's also plenty of orchestral sweep to the melodies, evoking the water, which brings some of the album perilously close to new age music. Always, though, Coulter knows when to back off and not let things go too far. Even "Prayer for the Fishermen," with Roma Downey's invocation, never reaches overkill. In essence, this album is a catharsis of spirit and a memorial, and Coulter's touch ensures that it succeeds as both.
 
Tracks
1  Lake of Shadows
2  Sunlight on the Water
3  Farewell to Inishowen
4  The Flight of the Earls
5  The Star of the Sea
6  The Lough Swilly Railway
7  For Those in Peril on the Sea
8  The Lonesome Boatman
9  The Year of the French
10  The Shores of the Swilly
11  Back to the Island
12  Vive la Hoche
13  Prayer for the Fisherman
14  Take Me Home

关于Phil Coulter

　　钢琴音乐——世界上最美妙而动人的音乐。给我们舒适和安静祥和的氛围，可以让我们轻轻而柔软的踏足，……。就让我们随着这浓的可以化开芬芳的音乐，去诱发我们对于过去的记忆的如流水般的重现。

　　踏过无数的路径我是永不停歇的旅人，绚丽的梦想花园非我驻足，理由除非是在某个永恒的时空里与烙印心海的绿野无限邂逅。舞台上绽放著的永恒光芒在爱尔兰享誉名声的菲尔柯尔特(Phil Coulter)，无论在制作、曲子创作或表演上，皆创下无数的专辑及百万销售量，并在全美广受欢迎。无法仿效的钢琴演奏方式，绚烂的演出，荣获至少6项白金成绩，连美国总统柯林顿都亲自为菲尔祝贺。他同时与当红爱尔兰女歌手Van Morrison合作无数，在她眼中的菲尔是相当有才气,其音乐为表演者竖立一种无可抹灭的典范。

　　他的音乐源自于对家乡的热情，在菲尔家，音乐是灵活的任何时刻都可举办宴会的心情，于是在父亲演奏着小提琴，而母亲弹奏钢琴之唯美构图里，音乐无时无刻飘扬在家中的每个角落。尽管在菲尔往后的日子里，尝尽生命中挚爱亲人相继离他而去的哀痛，他仍乐观的体验着“生命中的某种失去并非决然，其实在你灵魂深处仍真实存在着。”

　　这是生命完美无缺的体验，品味着Phil Coulter的音乐，仿佛置身绚烂的音乐花园，与仙子嘻戏，与自然拥吻。亲力亲为的是天地的恩赐，是大地母亲的关怀。此时寂静的夜幕中，舒解一天的疲惫，倾心聆听、慵懒品味，总有一种感动涌上心头。洋洋洒洒的文字也便跃然纸上，奔腾的思绪汩汩汇成细流涓涓流泻。流畅的旋律，动情的音符，徜徉的使人酥软，早春的气息，晨雾的恬静，还有牧野的嫩绿，疏忽钻入心脾。悠然的琴声、浑厚的男中音陈述，隐隐描画着绚丽恬然的音诗篇章。就在耳边，亲近于心，就在脑际，迷乱于魂。感悟于妙不可言的音觉，沉醉于蹁跹的语舞。

　　Phil Coulter的专辑很多，具体可以参看Phil Coulter官方网站：http://www.philcoulter.com/。在国内出版的专辑主要有五张，即：《绿野仙迹》、《月光慕情》、《忘情海潮》、《旖旎天空》和《梦回晨曦》。另外还有部分专辑被其他音像出版社翻版，内容基本相同。这五张专辑实际上都是Phil Coulter的精选专辑，并不是Phil Coulter官方出版发行的。虽然如此，这五张专辑包含了Phil Coulter的钢琴音乐精华。

试听：Lake of Shadows

试听：Sunlight on the Water

试听：The Year of the French

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