A Celtic album with a difference: medieval and renaissance sounds without any of the syrupy harmonies and electronic sounds that often pass as Celtic . From the beautiful Scottish cradle song Balulalow to Nos galen and Auld lang syne , this album promises to be different; and genuinely inspired by the Celtic muse! The first track on this album provides a perfect introduction to the high standard of music-making that has existed in the Celtic lands over the ages. This Musick fyne , as they called it, was the product of court and church, composed by the monarch s refined and skilled musicians, or by members of the religious households the builders of a magnificent heritage of abbeys and ancient churches. In this music ( Balulalow , Nou let us sing and All sons of Adam ) we can hear hints of the sophistication and style of the creators of the many splendid fortresses and homes of the Celtic lands. It is easy to imagine a musical evening featuring a programme such as this one, being performed in one of Scotland s great houses, whether in the great hall by a roaring fire ( Deck the hall with boughs of holly ) or in a more intimate, but still grand, drawing room, where the harpist could play ( Jesu, joy of man s desiring ) or, in a large house the organist could be heard intoning the glorious melody of Auld lang syne . Or the piper would play songs to herald the Christmas season, because Christmas is often a time to celebrate more than the birth of Christ. It is time of cold winters, with snow on the ground, a time to keep warm, be of good cheer and sing the darkness away, as we look forward to the coming of Spring and longer days of sunshine and warmth.