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CD liner notes! Rather than print a lengthy booklet, we decided to put all that information online! Scroll down to learn about the tunes, read about the instruments we played, and listen to samples. To order your copy, visit our shop! |
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1.
Running Late
John Krauss, used by permission.
Thank you to John Krauss and
the Célé Dé band for this tune! We like to imagine
waking up in the morning, thinking we have all the
time in the world, so we laze around in bed. Then we
notice the time, and think "better get moving!" and
then finally, we realize we are once again "Running
Late!"
2.
Dark Island
Music by Iain MacLachlan, lyrics by David Silver ©
Essex Music, Inc.
Licensed through Easy Song Licensing.
This
was originally composed as a pipe lament by Iain
MacLachlan titled "Dr. Mackay's Farewell." It was
adopted as the theme song for the British TV series "The
Dark Island," and words were added by David Silver. The
Dark Island was filmed on Benbecula, an island in
Scotland's Outer Hebrides. The song mentions a few other
towns and islands. You can follow the travels to the
Dark Island on this map and scroll down to for a link
to the chorus lyrics so you can sing along!
3.
The Rights of Man/Loch Leven Castle
Traditional Scottish
The
Rights of Man is also known as Ceart na Cine Daona, and
High Could Cat, while Loch Leven Castle goes by several
titles (and several spellings of Leven): Biddy Mickey's;
The Humours of Tuamgraney; Julia Clifford's; Loch
Gamhna; Loch Laven (or Lavan) Castle; The Shagging of
Rafferty's Coat; Silver Street Lasses; Tom Greany's
Castle, and several other spellings of Tuamgraney, which
is a castle in County Clare. Loch Leven Castle is a ruin
on an island in Loch Leven in the Perth and Kinross
local authority of Scotland. It was said that Mary Queen
of Scots was imprisoned there. So we find it somewhat
humorous to sandwich the tune between two rounds of The
Rights of Man, which we would like to think of as rights
of (hu)mankind. You can locate Perth on this map and then scroll down to
find Loch Leven (outlined in Green) and the actual
island where the Loch Leven Castle is located.
So, what do the French Revolution, The Irish Rebellion, and the American Revolution have in common? Thomas Paine's Rights of Man. And Mary Queen of Scots? Check it out... Loch Leven 4.
She Moved through the Fair
Traditional Irish
This
Irish folk song which is also known as "Our Wedding
Day," "My Young Love Said to Me," and "I Once Had a True
Love," is about young lovers who anticipate a wedding
day that never comes. One interpretation of the story is
that she has died a tragic death, and returns as a ghost
at night to say "it will not be long love 'til our
wedding day" hinting at her tragic fate and the hope of
a reunion beyond this life. The song is in the
Mixolydian mode, which has a flatted seventh note. This
subtle shift removes some of the usual musical tension,
lending the melody its distinctive, bittersweet, and
ethereal quality. The result is a tune that feels both
familiar and otherworldly -- perfectly matching the
song's themes of love, loss, and longing. As the lover
in the song might say: I have embraced my altered
reality. Let us move gracefully within its mysterious
bounds.
5.
Hälleforsnäs
Traditional Swedish Hällefors
is a town in Central Sweden. You can find it on this map
if you'd like! This tune is a Swedish Slängpolska, which
is a couples dance that can be done in a tight circle,
and therefore danced in one's living room rather than
needing a large barn. The word "släng" means to "throw"
or "sling" or more literally "throw away." One of the
most fun parts of the dance is when the couple joins
hands, leans back and spins around, letting the
centrifugal force "sling" them around and around! Yes,
we're a Celtic band, but we know that the Celts and
Vikings intermingled early on, so we think there may be
a little Viking in all of us...
6.
The Goddesses Three
Verlene Schermer © 2025/BMI
Verlene
wrote this song as a tribute to the three female
archetypes in Irish folklore: Maiden, Mother, and Crone.
We use the word Crone in spite of its negative
connotations. We choose to celebrate the aging process
and focus on the positive as we welcome this final phase
as much as we welcome maidenhood and motherhood. And we
recognize that all three phases may be present in us at
any or all times... In Mayan mythology, Ixchel is the
goddess of the moon, and its cycles, and is associated
with the three phases of womanhood as well, as the
waxing, full, and waning phases of the moon.
 7.
O'Carolan Maiden-Mother-Crone
Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738) We
put together this set of O'Carolan tunes to represent
the three archetypes of womanhood. Although our title
shows the order in which the three archetypes are
usually presented, we are playing first the crone, then
the mother, and finally the maiden. Here are the titles
and a bit about each woman:
8. O'Gallagher's
Frolic/Battering Ram/Give Me Your Hand
Traditional Irish/Traditional Irish/Rory
Dall O'Cahan (c.
1600s)
O'Gallagher's
Frolic and Battering Ram are two traditional Irish
jigs that are great for dancing. We like to follow
them with the beautiful waltz, Give Me Your Hand (in
Irish, Tabhair dom do Lamh), a tune from early 17th
century by Rory Dall O'Cahan. He wrote it while in
Scotland where he had a disagreement with Lady
Eglington, after she had apologized. This beautiful
tune is one of the most widely recorded pieces of
Irish traditional music.
9. Passage Lynda MacNeil © 2025 Lynda MacNeil Composed
in 2016 by Lynda MacNeil, this piece captures the
poignant emotions of a mother forced to leave her
homeland with her young child in search of a new
beginning. The music drama resonates deeply with
Lynda's own family's experience immigrating from
England to the United States.
10.
Sliabh na
mBan (Mountain of the Women)
Traditional Irish. Nature sounds by Ivo Vicic
Licensed though Upbeat.io
Sliabh
na mBan, pronounced "Sleeve nuh mahn" and also
alternately spelled "Slievenamon" means
Mountain of the Women. The actual mountain is 2365
feet high and is located in County Tipperary,
Ireland. The plain surrounding the mountain
includes three towns: Fethard, Clonmel, and
Carrick-on-Suir. You can see where this is located
on this map. To gain context
scroll up to the Great Britain map. In
Irish folklore, the mountain is said to have
portals to the Otherworld.
11.
This Too Will End
Verlene Schermer © 2025/BMI Verlene
wrote this song in response to so much that is happening
both nationwide and worldwide. But it can also be a very
personal song, so it is up to the listener to decide how
the song speaks to them. "This too will end" is a
rewording of the ancient Persian adage about
impermanence, "this too shall pass." It reflects the
temporary nature of the human condition, that neither
negative nor the positive moments in life last. The
phrase originated in writings of the medieval Persian
Sufi poets and was also used in a speech by Abraham
Lincoln before he became president.
12.
Fairy Dance
Traditional Scottish
This
Scottish folk reel has been attributed to Nathanial
Gow, as it was included in Gow's Collection of
Scottish Music. The collection includes strathspeys,
jigs, and reels that were published between 1784 and
1822 by Niel and Nathanial Gow, father and son
fiddlers. There is some debate as to whether he
composed the tune or just noted it down as an existing
tune. The tune is known by several titles, including:
Arrane Queeyl-Nieuee; Car Ny Ferrishyn; Fairies'; Old
Molly Hare, Quick Scotch, and others.
13.
Siúil
a Rúin/Seven Nations Army
Traditional Irish/John White © Peppermint Stripe
Music.
Licensed
through Easy Song Licensing.
Siúil a Rúin is a
traditional Irish ballad sung from the perspective
of a woman mourning her lover's departure to join
the military, expressing her steadfast devotion
and willingness to support him. The song is
notable for it's macronic structure, featuring
verses in English, and a chorus in Irish Gaelic.
The title translates as "go, my love" with "siúil"
serving as the imperative "walk!" and "a rúin"
being a term of endearment. Seven
Nations Army is a modern rock anthem by Jack White
of the American duo The White Stripes. The song
narrates the experience of someone who after
hearing townspeople gossip about him, decides to
leave, but later returns, driven by loneliness.
The
fusion of these two iconic songs originated during
a Gaelic Muses rehearsal several years ago.
Initially, the group experimented by overlaying
the unmistakable Seven Nations Army bass riff
beneath Siúil a Rúin. The arrangement evolved
further when Celtic Moon suggested incorporating
the lyrics of the verses, with Lynda and Verlene
each singing their respective melodies,
culminating in a powerful, harmonized finale.
14. One Too Many/Jump at the Sun/Cleveland
Park
Ian Ball/Jack Kirkpatrick © Squeezer Music/Ivan Drever
Used by permission.
These
three tunes are a high energy set of jigs that work
well together. One Too Many was composed by Ian Ball
in 1994 and recorded by Belshazzar's Feast in 1996.
Jump at the Sun was composed by the concertina and
button accordion player, Jack Kirkpatrick, and
Cleveland Park was composed by Ivan Drever of the
band Wolfstone. Even though these are not
traditional Irish, they are played in Irish sessions
around the world. This set is one of our favorites.
Lynda especially enjoys playing the Cleveland Park
Melody!
15.
Clair de
Lune/Rendezvous with the Moon
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)/Verlene Schermer ©
1998/BMI
Claude
Debussy composed Clair de Lune, which means
"Moonlight." And in light of the "moon," Lynda
thought we should introduce Verlene's song
Rendezvous with the Moon with a bit of the Debussy.
The original recording of Rendezvous with the Moon
is on Verlene's 3rd solo CD, Rendezvous with the
Moon, recorded simply with harp and solo vocal. We
have the addition of keyboard piano and strings,
plus Lynda's lead vocals starting on the 2nd verse
so that Verlene can sing a new harmony composed just
for Celtic Moon!
16.
All Blues and a Slip Jig
Miles Davis © Jazz Horn Music Corp.
Licensed
through Easy Song Licensing.
And a Slip Jig by Verlene Schermer ©
2025 Verlene Schermer BMI
All
Blues was composed by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. We
love the tune, so Verlene decided to "celtify" the
tune with a slip jig! A slip jig is a tune with
three sets of three rather than 2 sets of three as
there are in a standard jig. With All Blues being in
9/8, it was natural to slip in a slip jig!
17.
Last of the Wilds
Tuomas Holopainen © Poloska Publishing, Ltd.
Licensed through Easy Song Licensing.
Last
of the Wilds (Finnish: Erämaan Viimeinen) is a single
by the Finnish symphonic metal band, Nightwish, and
composed by Tuomas Holopainen. When writing the song,
Tuomas envisioned a scene reminiscent of a tavern
brawl from a thousand years ago, with Finland and
Ireland on opposing sides -- each represented
musically in a lively contest. In his words: The
track conjures images of people dancing on tables
and playing ancient instruments, with music evoking
a playful rivalry that ultimately ends in
camaraderie.
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About
the Instruments You
can read all about the instruments we play in Celtic
Moon on our About the Instruments page! And
here are the details about what we played on each
track on the album:
1.
Running Late
A
calm harp intro leads to an uplifting, then driving
melody with piano and fiddle.
Verlene:
Harp, Fiddle
Lynda:
Keys
Listen
to a sample:
2.
Dark Island
Our
two Triplett harps play like one. The lyrics are
nostalgic of childhood. The vocals are both earth
grounded and angelic.
Verlene:
Harp, Lead Vocals
Lynda:
Harp, Harmony Vocals
Listen
to a sample:
3.
The Rights of Man/Loch Leven Castle
This
set of Scottish hornpipes are given a spirited
treatment with mandolin and piano.
Lynda: Keys Verlene: Mandolin
Listen
to a sample:
4.
She Moved through the Fair
A
harp solo sets the mood for this Mixolydian fantasy
with a piano hypnotic ostinato providing the
backdrop for dreamy vocals and echo harmonies.
Lynda:
Keys, Lead Vocals
Verlene:
Harp, Harmony Vocals
Listen
to a sample:
5.
Hälleforsnäs
It's
a call to dance featuring Verlene on the Swedish
Nyckelharpa and Lynda on the melodica and harp.
Verlene:
Nyckelharpa
Lynda:
Harp, Melodica
Listen
to a sample:
6.
The Goddesses Three
Verlene
plays guitar and sings the lead on this tune. Lynda
plays the lovely keyboard accompaniment, taking the
lead on the intro and interludes and sings harmony.
Verlene:
Guitar, Lead Vocal
Lynda:
Keys, Harmony Vocal
Listen
to a sample:
7. O'Carolan Maiden-Mother-Crone Composed
by the famous harper, Turlough O'Carolan, you'll
hear Verlene's beautiful harp on melody and Lynda on
keys with some strings added into the first tune.
Verlene:
Harp
Lynda:
Keys
Listen
to a sample:
8. O'Gallagher's Frolic/Battering Ram/Give Me Your Hand Guitar
percussion starts this driving tune in Em.
Battering Ram switches to G major, and in the
waltz, "Give Me Your Hand," Lynda switches from
guitar to piano. Verlene provides all the
energetic and gorgeous melodies on fiddle.
Lynda:
Guitar, Keys
Verlene:
Fiddle
Listen
to a sample:
9. Passage A
22" ocean drum by Remo starts this tune, with
orchestral strings setting the stage for the
passage by ship from one country to another.
Dramatic vocals and dramatic violin encapture
the emotional journey of leaving one's country
of birth and traveling to a new land.
Lynda:
Keys, Vocals
Verlene:
Ocean Drum, Violin
Listen
to a sample:
10.
Sliabh
na mBan (Mountain of the Women)
This
piece features two harps along with nature
sounds that take you on a walk along the
mountain trail. The opening water sounds of
this tune were recorded by Lynda during a
winter hike at the Wachusett Reservoir in
Boylston, Massachusetts, while visiting
family. The birdsong, wind in the leaves, and
brook sounds are by Ivo Vicic and licensed
though Upbeat.io.
Verlene
& Lynda: Harps
Listen
to a sample:
Guitar
and melodica introduce this tune adding a
whimsical tone to a this song of hope.
We're loving the "French Cafe" vibe on this!
Verlene:
Guitar, Vocals
Lynda:
Melodica
Listen
to a sample:
12.Fairy Dance The
magical sounds of the celeste and mandolin
introduce this dance of the fairies. Is it
safe to have a dance? The fairies wonder...
Lynda:
Keyboard/Celeste
Verlene:
Mandolin
Listen
to a sample:
13.
Siúil a Rúin/Seven
Nations Army
Trad
and Rock. Harp and Keys. War and Devotion.
Let's rile up ourselves and the crowd!
Verlene:
Harp, Vocals
Lynda:
Keys, Vocals
Listen
to a sample:
This
high energy set of jigs are great for dancing
-- and great fun to play!
Verlene:
Fiddle
Lynda:
Keys
Listen
to a sample:
Debussy's
Clair de Lune with piano and strings sets the
scene for the Rendezvous with the Moon. The harp
continues the magic while the lyrical singing
expresses the love for the creative process that
the moon inspires in us.
Verlene:
Harp, Vocals
Lynda:
Keys, Vocals
Listen
to a sample:
16. All Blues and a Slip Jig This
cool jazz tune's groove is played on piano,
with our two part vocals covering the horn
parts. We've slipped in a slip jig for the
instrumental.
Lynda: Keys,
Vocals
Verlene:
Fiddle, Vocals
Listen
to a sample:
17.
Last of the Wilds
The
Nyckelharpa and Roland Keyboard pad patch
set the mood for this epic Nightwish tune.
After the haunting introduction, the piano
takes over the rhythm with the Nyckelharpa's
strong melodies. Then a sudden rhythm switch
to a waltz pattern with a vibraphone sound
patch combined with some FX take the
listener back in time. A quick change back
to driving rock with a nyckelharpa
improvisation finishes it off.
Verlene:
Nyckelharpa
Lynda:
Keys
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