TALIESIN ORCHESTRA; "Maiden of Mysteries: The Music of Enya" (Intersound). ** 1/2
If Irish, new-age pioneer Enya's works weren't already lush, here comes the Taliesin Orchestra's new and rich variations.Yes, the orchestra has done this in the past -- 1997's "Orinoco Flow: the Music of Enya." Yes, that worked. And, yes, this one works, too.
Then again, concert master and arranger Trammel Starks has a keen ear to rearranging and producing. And he's also got ties to some of the striking musicians that can be found in the contemporary instrumental session scene -- the more notable being violinist Karen Briggs, who was last seen by Utah audiences as the first violinist for Yanni last March.
"Maiden of Mysteries" continues the "Orinoco Flow" road. It's lush, sweeping, and very melodic. But there are times when the orchestration becomes a little too much, too melodramatic.
However, fans of Enya's trademark atmospheric music will probably appreciate some of their favorite titles -- "Anywhere Is," "Bodicea," "Before the Storm," "Storms In Africa," "Only Iff' and "Evacuee," just to name a few -- dressed up in formal (musical) attire.