MARTHA GAY AND MAX DYER: Heartstrings

Martha Gay and Max Dyer

Heartstrings

© 2007 Cantiga (689076503044)

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Cantiga harpist Martha Gay and cellist Max Dyer take you into a magical realm with the ancient tunes they have performed together for over 15 years. Heartfelt and extraordinarily peaceful playing from two world class musicians.

notes

"Heartstrings" is the culmination of fifteen years of mutual music making. Max and I have played together in the Renaissance Festival group since he joined the band in 1990. Through the years we have have also performed as a duo - just harp and cello - and have always wanted to capture the spontaneous and special magic that happens whenever we collaborate.
So here we have recorded some of our favorite tunes as if in concert...playing for you. You can hear us thinking, exploring and just having a grand old time!

Enjoy!

Martha Gay

MARTHA GAY is a founding member of Cantiga, America's premier Renaissance Festival band. She attended Rice University and Oxford University where she majored in archaeology and has made her life in the Renaissance Festival circuit since the 70's. She studied harp with Mildred Milligan and with Derek Bell of the Chieftains.

MAX DYER plays cello in every context from opera and chamber music to folk, jazz, and world music. He looks forward to playing with Cantiga each year at the Texas Renaissance Festival, as well as at various concerts. He works behind the scenes producing Cantiga's recordings and maintaining the webpage. As a classical cellist, he performed for three years with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and has played with Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet Orchestra since 1984. During the summer of 2004, he was solo cellist with the Broadway musical "The Lion King" and has recently been selected to join the performer’s roster for Cirque du Soleil. As a studio musician, he has recorded for many major labels as an orchestral player and as an improvising cello soloist on Grammy nominated albums.

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  • Beautiful and inspiring. I play it a lot.
    author: PJ McKenny

    There's no bad mood in the world that can't be lifted with this beautifully played,expressive recording. It's lovely to hear these two musicians thinking together.

  • author: Ted Young

    Martha's Harp and Max's Cello complement each other like a gentle Chardonnay with a silky Brie. Together, they bring a whole new light to our favorite early music pieces. On the surface, you will hear wonderful melodies and beautiful arrangements, but deeper down you will find a level of expression only found when perfectly matched musicians, such as Martha and Max, meet. If it can bring such tranquility to my turbulent soul, it surely can bring peace to anyone.

  • a concert quality CD. A must own.
    author: Countess Mary

    Martha Gay and Max Dyer have produced a seamless, almost flawless CD. The fact that the recording was done in a minimum of sessions adds to the concert-like quality of the recording. Old favorites such as "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "Childgrove" take on a new, enhanced meaning here. My particular favorites on the CD are "Princess Royal" and "Ja Nuns En Pris." Both bring tears to my eyes each time I hear them. This CD is a must own for lovers of Renaissance instrumental music. Martha and Max should be extremely proud of this recording.

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