While there is a strong taste of melancholy in this set, listening to it is indeed entering a beautiful garden, hidden from the rest of the world.

"Awakening" is an inviting introduction to the set, with an enchanting Norwegian flavor. "You Raise Me Up" is more celtic, with unaccompanied violin and Uilleann pipes, very spiritually envigorating. "Silent Wings" gives us a dialogue between reed instruments and the violin. A natural vocal beauty carries "Greenwaves." "Invitation" is an energetic jig which breaks the somber mood and is liable to set your feet to dancing.

With the classically inspired "Duo", we have a conversation of sorts between violin and cello. "Belonging" is a pastoral

This CD is for the emotionally sensitive, the spiritually attuned. Otherwise, the beauty here will fall on deaf ears. I first discovered Secret Garden at the suggestion of those who knew of my love for Enya's music, and that love hasn't diminished one whit, but Secret Garden has found their place in my musical intelligence, enhancing my perception which is heightened by soulful music.

The duo of Secret Garden have once again crafted an emotionally charged and incredibly moving recording. They seem to be incapable of making a bad album, in my book. "Once in a Red Moon" is more subdued overall than previous albums; The Amazon.Com reviewer is correct in saying that there is more melancholy present this time around, but that's not a criticism at all. This is music from the heart, and it shows. Highlights are numerous, but "You Raise Me Up" deserves special mention, with it's soaring guest vocals by Brian Kennedy, Tracey Campbell-Nation, and the choir, Anuna. It's a breathtaking, and tear-inducing, moment. And of course, the "Global C" experiment on the final track "Elegie" is an intriguing idea, and one that I wish I'd had enough sense to take part in when I first saw it mentioned on their website. (66 pianos from all over the world,playing at the same moment on the concluding chord of the song.) As usual, Fionnuala's solo violin floats along effortlessly, while Rolf provides his usual array of memorable melodies and excellent musicianship on the piano and keyboards. Highly recommended.(If you are new to Secret Garden, however, I would start with either "White Stones" or their debut, "Songs from a Secret Garden" before getting this one, only because of the aforementioned melancholy running through this CD. It's beautiful, but you might want to hear them on a couple of their more celibratory or uptempo tracks, too, before diving into "Red Moon".)

I first heard "You Raise Me Up" at a women's conference and fell in love with it. I was leary of buying the CD, mainly because I am not a fan of "new age" or celtic music, but being unable to buy just the single, and loving that song so much, I broke down and bought the whole thing. It was one of the best moves in my life! Now I want to get all of their music, as well as some selected sheet music. The vocals are so clear, the lyrics compelling and thought provoking, and the accompanying music adds such an ethereal quality, that I feel that I have been transported to a time and place unlike anything I could describe. It is as if I am standing on a hillside, with arms outstretched and eyes lightly closed, as gentle breezes slide past me, overlooking the tall, graceful grasses that sway to and fro. I am at peace and contentment fills my soul. And when I hear the "Gates of Dawn" I can easily visualize the raw power of the beginnings of time and the awesome power of creations in the making. I would HIGHLY recommend that you purchase this CD.

When I learned that Secret Garden had come out with a new CD, I immediately went to Amazon to listen to the on-line music samples. But, while these come in quite handy if I'm trying to track down a tune I'm already familiar with, thirty -second sound snippets just don't do a new album justice. I just can't hear enough to be sure I'm going to like it. I came away thinking that the CD wasn't going to be a good buy for me, despite the favorable reviews.

But then I visited a regular music shop, where I got to hear the CD at length. About two minutes into Track #2, "You Raise Me Up", I knew I had to buy it. I'm a big fan of Uilleann pipes, and this song features them. Imagine a tune vaguely like Danny Boy, sung gospel style, first solo, then with a full chorus. I was wiping away tears as I headed for the cash register! The pipes remind me of "Hymn To Hope" on "The White Stones" CD, by far my favorite Secret Garden melody.

Two other songs I like a great deal on the new CD are "Greenwaves" and "Gates of Dawn", both featuring Scottish singer Karen Matheson. She has a lovely voice, especially when she hits the high notes. My other most favorite track is #5, "Invitation", a very lively, purely instrumental tune with great percussion. This gives the CD a nice balance, saving it from being overly melancholy. Another good one is "Fairytale", for the same reason.

After having listened to this CD some five times, I would rank it about equal to "The White Stones" as my favorite Secret Garden work. Odds are, if you like the one, you'll like the other.

A final note: when I first heard the music of Secret Garden, it struck me as rather odd that a Norwegian pianist/composer (Rolf Lovland) would team up with an Irish violinist (Fionnula Sherry). The musical styles turn out to be very compatible. One reason, I've recently learned, is that Dublin, the capital of Ireland, was a Danish colony about 900 years ago. The Danes and the Norwegians are very closely related, being both descendants of the Vikings. Eventually the Dublin Danes "went native", merging with the Irish. So it follows that Irish music has had a Nordic influence for a very long time.

Secret Garden seem to be able to reinvent themselves from the same ingredients; like a rubik cube, you don't see quite the same face everytime you turn it.

The first few melancholic tunes from their first track, "Awakening" would bring you to the same spot that Secret Garden had lovingly brought you in the past through their previous albums. As you close your eyes and set your mind soaring high through the notes, you realise that they would bring you to a different place this time - a place that has reached its maturity, a place that is more spiritual and has a beautiful "soul".

That is why I love Secret Garden, because their songs are not just pretty Celtic/Nordic tunes, but they also convey a sense of depth and height; they bring you soaring high - they have hearts and a core. This is especially true when you listen to [2] "You Raise Me Up" or [4] "Greenwaves".

"Once in a Red Moon" is long overdue and it does not disappoint at all - on the contrary, it has broken a new ground and would satisfy Secret Garden afficionados and many more music lovers!

Discover this album, close your eyes, light some candles and let yourself soar high with each tune ...