A Night With Secret Garden

For the uninitiated, "Secret Garden" is the fantastic duo of Rolf Lovland, (composer, keyboards), and Fionnuala Sherry (violin). He's Norwegian, she's Irish, and together, they have created some of the most remarkably heartfelt and melodic music of recent years. Combining elements of celtic, classical, new age, and pop, this is music for the romantic visionary. That said, let it be known that this DVD is an extraordinary look at the group, on and off stage. In addition to the hour and a half concert, (which I believe is 30 minutes longer than the VHS version of the same show), you also get 2 different thirty-minute documentaries, a complete discography with brief audio samples of every track on the albums, 2 music videos, biographies, photo gallery, an optional running narrative for the concert, and a really cool 3-D animated intro before any of the above comes on the screen. The concert itself is nothing short of phenomenal. If you are a fan of their albums, rest assured that nothing is lost in the transition of these songs to a "live" setting. (Yes, the original CDs made use of a full orchestra, but the smaller one used in the concert is equally effective. Choral group, "Anuna", makes an appearance, as well.) I love to see an artist become totally "lost in the moment" during a performance, and that's what you are treated to, here. It's obvious that Rolf and Fionnuala love what they do. With a complete concert, and so many "extras" included, this is truly a bargain. I can't recommend it highly enough. By the way, the track listing included on a previous review was not complete, and was probably based on the VHS version. Here is the complete song listing for the DVD version: 1. Intro 2. The Rap 3. Song from a Secret Garden 4. Pastorale 5. Children of the River 6. Sigma 7. Nocturne 8. Steps 9. Passacaglia 10. Sona 11. Poeme 12. Moving 13. Adagio 14. Windancer 15. In Our Tears 16. Elan 17. Prayer 18. Heartstrings 19. Dreamcatcher 20. Celebration 21. Ode to Simplicity 22. Hymn to Hope 23.Dawn of a New Century