Op. 04 CELTIC DREAMS
A Collection of 15 Original Pieces For Guitar, Flute, & Percussion
Composed and Arranged by Mark Hughes
The pieces comprising the Celtic Dreams collection were inspired by many hours spent perusing the music of the old Irish harpers and a wide array of traditional Celtic folk music performances, featuring fiddles, hammered dulcimers, flutes, recorders, tin whistles, harps, and various percussion instruments.
The development of the Celtic Dreams collection was energized by conversations with local fiddlers and Celtic dance enthusiasts. These pieces were originally intended for use as dance accompaniments. However, I hope that some will find their way into the hands of instrumentalists who will give them a spirited public performance.
Celtic Dreams contains pieces arranged and scored to maintain a traditional “feel”. Flutes, tin whistles, and guitars alternate in carrying the primary melody and harmony lines. Multiple guitar voices create counter melodies and counter rhythms, and at times accent the melodic and harmonic lines by adding unique tonal colors. An acoustic bass part fills out the bass line. The percussion parts are scored for a contemporary drum set, including, bass drum, large and small toms, snare drum, and hi hat cymbals.
The research for Celtic Dreams rekindled my interest in traditional folk styles, which have been revived by so many capable performers. In developing and scoring these pieces, I found a very natural musical voice. The result has been a combining of the feel of the native music with my personal compositional style. In this collection, listeners will hear that which harkens to another place and time, but I hope the music also captures the energy, the joy, and the life, which makes it âof the presentâ and gives it the power to touch us in such a unique manner.
Preview or Download Any of the Tracks From Op. 04 Celtic Dreams A complete list of the pieces in the collection is provided in the Op. 04 Celtic Dreams Content List. You can preview or download any pieces from the Op. 04 Celtic Dreams collection from SoundCloud.