Cynthia Cathcart, harp
John Emrich, Drums, Udu, Marimba and Percussion
Mike Scott, The Great Highland Bagpipes
Tim Whittemore, Didjuridu
Eric Cathcart, Bodrhrans, Flutes and Whistles
Alex and Brian Cathcart, Children's Laughter

"Alchemy of a Rose" by Cynthia Cathcart is a watershed album of wire harp music that really shows how amazing the wire harp can sound. A seemingly extinct instrument since the end of the 18th century, the wire harp, or clarsach, has been making a steady comeback over the past two decades thanks to historical research and the handiwork of dedicated craftspeople. Cynthia Cathcart discovered her love for the instrument when she was given one that had been owned by a dear friend who had passed away. In the liner notes to the CD, she says that both she and the wire harp really chose each other. Her passion for the instrument and its place in Scottish and Irish music comes through in every track on the CD. Cynthia doesn't bury her harps in over-production, but rather lets them speak for themselves in a sometimes haunting, sometimes playful way. In fact, after buying her CD, I dusted off my own harp and found myself playing along. My favorite track is the Brian Boru March.
This will be the CD that brings the wire harp into the 21st Century.
— Charley Montroll

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