Avalon: A Celtic Legend

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It's nothing new for David and Diane Arkenstone, the core members of New Age quartet Enaid, to be inspired by mythology; the appropriately timed Music Inspired by Middle Earth is proof enough of that. Avalon is another collection in a similar vein, a compendium of instrumental pieces that take their titles from landmark events and concepts within the classic story. This CD is somewhat less driven by narrative, and occasionally, the music appears to refer to nothing in particular. The opening "Road to Camelot," a dance-appropriate piece with a medieval flavor, leads into "Enchantment," which features wordless vocals and a slower, more ethereal mood. While "The Spirit of Excalibur" and "The Round Table" put the listener on firmer ground, this collection has a less universal flair, tending rather toward personal interpretation. In that sense, it's vintage David Arkenstone; not, perhaps, a groundbreaking work, but diverting enough in its own right. --Genevieve Williams

Avalon: A Celtic Legend,Enaid,Neo Pacific,Celtic Fusion,Celtic New Age,New Age,New Age / Meditation,Pop

Tracks:

Road To Camelot
Enchantment
Avalon
The Spirit Of Excalibur
Merlin's Secret
Lady Of The Lake
The Round Table
Guinevere's Tears
The Wedding
Arthur's Farewell

Amazon.com

It's nothing new for David and Diane Arkenstone, the core members of New Age quartet Enaid, to be inspired by mythology; the appropriately timed Music Inspired by Middle Earth is proof enough of that. Avalon is another collection in a similar vein, a compendium of instrumental pieces that take their titles from landmark events and concepts within the classic story. This CD is somewhat less driven by narrative, and occasionally, the music appears to refer to nothing in particular. The opening "Road to Camelot," a dance-appropriate piece with a medieval flavor, leads into "Enchantment," which features wordless vocals and a slower, more ethereal mood. While "The Spirit of Excalibur" and "The Round Table" put the listener on firmer ground, this collection has a less universal flair, tending rather toward personal interpretation. In that sense, it's vintage David Arkenstone; not, perhaps, a groundbreaking work, but diverting enough in its own right. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

Mystical Tranquility.......2006-12-08

I adore this CD!! The perfect music to decompress on the ride home after a stressful day at work!! I'm giving it to friends as Christmas gifts!

Easy listening for King Arthur junkies.......2006-08-07

"Avalon: A Celtic Legend" is a pleasant, upbeat collection of songs with a distinctly medieval flavor. Composed by David Arkenstone ("Music Inspired by Middle Earth," "The Celtic Book of Days"), each song on this CD depicts a scene from the life of the fabled King Arthur.
The simplicity of the songs makes them good as "background music," but not as suitable for serious listening. They tend to get a little repetitive after a while, so make sure you have something else to occupy your mind while you're listening. (I often play this CD while I'm lifting weights or working on an art project, for instance.)
Overall,this CD is a good investment. Although not as spellbinding as "A Celtic Romance" or "Celtic Mysteries II," "Avalon" is a refreshing recording and a relaxing addition to any Celtic lover's collection.

Great CD!.......2005-02-21

Excellent CD, the more I play it, the more I enjoy it! I wish I had bought it a long time ago.

Very appealing and inspiring!.......2002-12-05

Melodies and instrumentations influenced by the traditional music of the British Isles are rendered with a modern sensibility that is part New Age, part epic soundtrack. These lush, engaging compositions by Diane and David Arkenstone combine acoustic and electronic instruments, as well as occasional vocalise and whispered texts by Diane (whose name spelled backwards creates the pseudonym "Enaid"). This recording could easily be a companion work to the Arkenstones' "Music Inspired by Middle Earth"; it is equally appealing, telling a different story, but with similar textures and techniques. I find both recordings to be quite evocative and inspirational, and if they were old vinyl LPs, I'd have worn the grooves out by now. If you aren't familiar with David and Diane Arkenstones' work, start with these two CDs, and if you're already a fan, you're sure to love these top-notch additions to the repertoire! David's earlier release, "The Celtic Book of Days", also has British Isles theme and is quite enjoyable. Other similarly evocative "soundtracks" to historical and fantasy legends include Mychael and Jeff Danna's "A Celtic Tale: The Legend of Deirdre" and "A Celtic Romance: The Legend of Liadain and Curithir", as well as Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning's "Byzantium: The Book of Kells and St. Aidan's Journey", and "Music of Celtic Legends: The Bard and the Warrior". Buy them all and put them on a multi-CD mixer for hours of compelling journeys through time and mood!

Simply beautiful!.......2002-07-30

The first time I heard this CD was through browsing the New Age section of a Borders bookstore. It is one among others that they have displayed for sample listening. The front cover caught my attention. After listening to the first track, I told myself that this is definately a *must have* CD. The music is simply so beautiful that I stood there and listened to the whole CD. The enchanting music makes you feel as if you are actually there in the time of King Arthur. There are just no other words to describe this. If this CD is not part of your collection, then you are definately missing out!

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