Songs In The Circle of Time review

Secret Garden's twelfth studio album, Songs in the Circle of Time, is yet another gem in the oeuvre of this talented and heartwarming ensemble.  As has been the case with previous releases, this album features an array of styles that includes gorgeous melodies, upbeat tunes, and two vocal songs.
All of the supporting musicians in the ensemble perform remarkably, and they provide an exceptional backdrop for the two impressive lead performers, pianist and composer Rolf Lovland and violinist Fionnuala Sherry.  The performance on each of the thirteen pieces is uplifting, passionate and full of emotion. It's apparent from the onset that all of the musical artists have poured their heart and soul into creating this music.
The gorgeous melodies on the album include Renaissance, Fionnuala's Violin, Cathedral, Breathe, Twilight Song, Solace and Epilogue.  And then there are cheerful and colourful pieces like Irish Waltz, Session, Liberty and Stepping Up.  Finally, the two vocal songs are Lullaby for Grown-Ups featuring Espen Grjotheim, and the touching love duet Timelessly in Love featuring Cathrine Iversen and Espen Grjotheim.
Rolf Lovland is in my opinion the greatest composer of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, and this latest album once again validates this assertion.  Rolf and Fionnuala continue to perform at the highest possible level, and its quite remarkable that they have continued to do this for almost thirty years!

To conclude, this is another must-have album for dedicated fans of Secret Garden, and also a great starting point for those who are new to this exceptional ensemble.  Bravo Secret Garden for yet another remarkable musical masterpiece!

John Iverson
Shades of Classics
CKUW 95.9 FM Winnipeg, Canada