Track Listing

1. Mystic's Dream
2. Bonny Swans
3. Dark Night of the Soul
4. Marrakesh Night Market
5. Full Circle
6. Santiago
7. Ce He Mise le Ulaingt? (The Two Trees)
8. Prospero's Speech

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9129 in Music
• Released on: 2006-11-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

From Amazon.com
McKennitt's travels through Spain and Morocco flavor this album with a distinctly Mediterranean tinge, from the opening "The Mystic's Dream," with its dancing percussion arrangements, to "Marrakesh Night Market," to "Full Circle" and the instrumental "Santiago." "Marrakesh Night Market" is an especially strong performance, with an interesting musical texture; the balalaika, udu drum, and dumbek are played alongside a synthesizer. As usual, McKennitt has set a poem to music, this time Yeats's "The Two Trees," with a lovely introduction on the Uillean pipes. There's also "The Bonny Swans," a traditional lyric, and the CD closes with Shakespeare, as McKennitt sets some of Prospero's words from The Tempest to her own music. Excerpts from McKennitt's journals, included in the CD booklet, make for interesting reading as they shed some light on her source material and inspiration for writing each song. --Genevieve Williams

CD Description
Although grounded in Celtic mysticism, Loreena McKennitt ranges beyond her roots in THE MASK AND THE MIRROR, searching for the confluence of Christian, Jewish, and Islamic cultures. As its title suggests, "The Mystic's Dream", which opens the album, is a highly visual piece that moves from Gregorian monasteries to Moorish markets, employing tabla, oud, and Uilleann pipes.
In "The Dark Night of the Soul", McKennitt sets her voice to a 15th century love poem by St. John of the Cross. The verses were addressed by the mystic to God but could just as well be from one lover to another.

Customer Reviews

A beautiful work
Loreena McKennitt's performance has the ability to transport an inaccessible, difficult traditional lyric directly into your heart, and splash it's original meaning in glorious technicolor. Verses which - for my modern mainstream tastes at least - lie dead on the printed page, are brought to life by the combined conviction of Ms McKennitt's singing and her diverse original music.

Shakespeare, W.B.Yeats and "St John of the Cross" are not high on my reading list - with my education, I just don't "get them" ~ but I've glimpsed a little of their genius courtesy of The Mask and the Mirror.

The style of music is difficult to categorise; for this recording think mystical, Mediterranean, traditional, Moroccan and Spanish all in one! It's not easy to integrate traditional instruments with modern electronics, but this is a good example of Doing It Right. The musicianship is first class.

This recording is a beautiful work. I'm sure it will capture your imagination and heart if you give it the chance - I strongly recommend that you do!

I'm rating it at 4 out of 5 because some of the tracks are just "very good", whereas others are genius.

Enchanting journey to the heart of music
I have given this CD as gifts to at least 4 or 5 of my dear friends, since this musical journey cannot be missed by anyone seeking enjoyment and refuge in a wonderful and juicy place where Loreena takes us and then leaves us to dance with a mask in the mirror.

Simply . . . stunning!!
I have to admit that I am well and truly under this ladies spell. Loreena takes you there and back again! Wherever that may be? The way in which blends ethnic and "conventional" styles is remarkable. The melifluous lyrical flow is truly spellbinding. I find it hard to pin her music down as there is so much of everything. Folk, Celtic, Ethnic/World, Baroque, Medieval, Madrigal et al, all put together with divine craftsmanship. Lorenna's voice is so pure and clear it seems to wash over you like waters from heaven. She is also a very fine musician! I will not single out any track from this gorgeous album it is a complete work and will, I'm sure satisfy time and time again. Like I said, I'm biased! But once you have this talented and accomplished lady in your head, she is there to stay!!!! "The Mask In The Mirror" is a reflection of grace and beauty. Buy it; try it, then buy the rest of her albums!!! (I don't think you'll be looking for your money back!!)