| Jeff Danna | Primary Artist, Guitar, Mandolin, Keyboards, Track Performer |
| Krysia Kocjan | Vocals, Voices |
| Mychael Danna | Piano, Keyboards, Track Performer |
| Robert Grim | Trumpet |
| Glen Holmen | Bass, Mandolin, Upright Bass |
| Ron Korb | Flute, Recorder |
| Patrick O'Gorman | Bagpipes, Pipe |
| Kirk Worthington | Cello |
| Eric Hall | Bassoon |
| Loretto Reid | Flute, Concertina, Human Whistle, tin whistle |
| Ian Goodfellow | Pipe, uillean pipes |
| Jamie Snyder | Fiddle |
| Sharlene Wallace | Harp, celtic harp |
| Fiona Ritchie | Narrator |
| Brian Miller | Conductor |
| Stephen Hill | Producer, Mastering, Art Direction |
| Mychael Danna | Composer, Producer |
| Jeff Danna | Composer, Producer |
| John Hegedes | Digital Editing |
| Bob Olhsson | Mastering |
| Utah Symphony Orchestra | Contributor |
| John Stuart Dick | Liner Notes, Adaptation, Adaptation to CD |
| Brad Haehnel | Engineer |
| Paul Intson | Digital Editing |
| Joseph Jacobs | Illustrations |
| Jeff Taylor | Production Design |
| The Brothers O'Danna | Engineer |
Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
A lush, evocative ¿soundtrack¿ by the Brothers Danna accompanies narration by "The Thistle and Shamrock"'s Fiona Ritchie, bringing to life the legend of Deirdre with mystery, excitement, sorrow and Celtic flare. Fiona's brogue is, as ever, enchanting. Mychael and Jeff¿s melodies for whistle, fiddle, soprano, harp and plaintive pipes penetrate the heart, lingering on in memory long after the CD player has been turned off. And unlike many folk and new age compositions, this music has real complexity and depth. No excessive repetition here--the harmonies move and change, percussion varies, themes emerge and fade, and the melodies travel onward from beginning to end. This is a true symphony of sound, featuring sixteen talented solo-musicians backed by the Utah Orchestra. ¿A Celtic Tale: The Legend of Deirdre¿ actually comes in two versions: narrated, and music only. I have both--one for the story, and the other to hear every note of the gorgeous music, which fades frequently into the background in the narrated version. If you like this recording, try the very lovely and complimentary ¿A Celtic Romance: The Legend of Liadain and Curithir¿, also by the Danna brothers, and also the surprisingly similar ¿The Merlin Mystery¿ by Alkaemy.
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Editorial Reviews
All Music Guide - Heather Phares
Written and recorded by brothers Mychael & Jeff Danna between their other scoring projects, A Celtic Tale is the soundtrack to an imaginary film of the Irish legend of Deirdre. Both the album and the legend reflect many aspects of love and sorrow. The Danna brothers mix Celtic folk, symphonic, and ambient music into a distinctive and fitting setting for Deirdre's star-crossed story. Though she is betrothed to a king, Deirdre finds her true love; she and her lover are exiled. When they try to return to their land, Deirdre's lover is killed, and she is imprisoned by the king she was to marry. Love and war blend in Deirdre's story; similarly, the music combines ...