THE WILLOW TRIO
The Bestiary
The Willow Trio are a Glasgow-based 3 clarsach group formed in 2020. The Bestiary is their second album and features original works highlighting the harp’s versatility, combining classical, Gaelic, and contemporary styles, mainly written by members Maya MacAdam and Romy Wymer plus a special commission by Ollie Hawker. Indeed, this is largely a self-contained production as the album artwork features vibrant lino prints inspired by medieval animals, also by Maya and Romy. The carnival of fauna is also representative of the inspiration for the tracks.
All three members are accomplished musicians in their own right and this is reflected in the music they produce. If the album has an overall feel, then it is one of delicate beauty, whether the piece they are playing is an intimate reflection or broadly cinematic in scope. There is also a modern, minimalist feel across some of the album, bringing a wonderfully hypnotic sense to the experience, along with some interesting sonic experimentation in the piece written for the trio, exploring stereo possibilities as the melodies move between the three clarsachs – not an everyday experience! The album is topped and tailed by the nature celebrating ‘Oystercatchers’ and takes us through the playful feline inspired ‘Jasper, contrasting with the following ‘Gentle Giant’ written about a cat with a more mellow personality, On to the dreamscape of ‘The Mysterious Garden’ and the descriptive elegy to the now extinct Golden Toad, where the music is set to celebrate its character.
A soothing evocative listen which was enjoyed again with eyes closed and allowing the images suggested to manifest themselves. Try it, you may well like it!
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The Bestiary