Traditional Celtic and Mediterranean music arranged lyrically and powerfully, for the harp, accompanied by traditional world instruments and vocals.

13 MP3 Songs
WORLD: Celtic, FOLK: Modern Folk



Details:
Panta Rhei: classical Greek for " all things are in constant flux," (Heraclitus, c.540- c.480 BC).  Heraclitus is known for illustrating the persistence of unity through change by the analogy of the river: 
"upon those who step into the same river, different and ever different waters flow down"

The phrase "Panta Rhei" perfectly describes folk music; the constant of distilled music passed down through time is marked by each generation that encounters it.

Diana Rowan plays the folk harp, specializing in combining Celtic and Mediterranean music with classical and contemporary compositional techniques. Born in Ireland, she developed a love of Celtic music early on; moving to Belgium she started lifelong studies in classical piano; during her teenage years she lived in Cyprus, and discovered a love of Mediterranean music. Sensing a powerful connection between these three seemingly disparate musical genres, she unites them on this recording.  
Passion, melancholy, and mystery are the threads that weave these genres together.

Reviews
This first offering by Berkeley resident Diana Rowan is a delicious piece of work, both in arrangement and performance...
"Panta Rhei" is a brilliantly conceived program, mixing the familiar and (for most of us) the exotic, shifting from contemplative to dancelike, to romantic, from solo to ensemble, from vocal to instrumental. Upon hearing each selection, one never has the thought, "oh, another one of these." It is, of course, excellently mastered, and beautifully packaged...
- Mitch Landy, Folk Harp Journal Fall 2004

The CD does exactly what I've always wanted someone to do with the Nova [Diana's custom-built harp]...touch it, feel it, start playing it, and guide it out into the open, then turn it loose and hang on. My intuitive connection with this harp always has suggested that it needs to be let free, to take you on a journey, to change on a whim, then take off again.
- John Westling of Sandpiper Instruments, and the maker of Diana's harp

The spirit of these diverse tunes are realized further by the talents of a host of other wonderful, local musicians including Karl Franzen on guitar & whistles; Gari Hegedus and Paddy League on bowed tambur, mandocello, oud, lyra, & violin; Peter Maund on percussion; and vocalist Sonja Drakulich...Diana celebrates the allure of the islands and the dynamic cultures that thrive along the sea through a well-arranged selection of song sets with intriguing names likes "The War & Peace Set", "The Teasing Set" and "The Holy Trinity".  The rich textures of folk music from Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Eastern Europe weave a subtle spell as Diana draws on contemporary as well as traditional arrangements...this CD is a treat. 
- Shawna Spiteri, harpbeat Fall 2004