神秘园1998年在中国举行了巡回音乐会。陶醉于中国文化的瑰丽,他们因而萌发了这张专辑的创作意念——这是一次文化交融的音乐旅程。
专辑中的"Moongate"一曲的名字据说来自中国园林中的圆形拱门,"Children Of The River"更可以说是特地为中国而作的,甫一开场悠远清脆的竹笛声就引人神往。至于专辑其他曲目更不乏令人再三回味的佳作:"Prayer"是感人肺腑的人声作品, 水准之高毫不逊色于Nocturne,也是我最爱的曲子;"Elan"是典型欢畅的 爱尔兰歌舞风格;"Dreamcatcher"源自于凯尔特和印第安人共有的“捕梦”的古老传说;"Divertimento"是华丽巴洛克风格的室内乐,令我惊喜又意外;最后一曲"Dawn Of A New Century"更是神秘园少有的大气魄的交响合唱曲,通过对新世纪到来的美好祷告,明确道出了世界大同,文化融合的专辑主题。
专辑的曲子赋予了丰富的文化内涵,每一首曲子背后都蕴含着一个故事,更耐人寻味。曲目之间的风格对比鲜明,更具特色,更加耐听。在神秘园数张专辑中,这张是我个人 比较中意的一张。
(合唱 Chorus)
Let your arms enfold us
Through the dark of night
Will your angels hold us
'Til we see the light?
(独唱)
Hush, lay down your troubled mind
The day has vanished and left us behind
And the wind whispering soft lullabies
Will soothe, so close your weary eyes
Repeat Chorus
(独唱)
Sleep, angels will watch over you
And soon beautiful dreams will come true
Can you feel spirits embracing your soul?
So dream while secrets of darkness unfold
(旁白)
Imagine,
Our planet floating silently in space.
Around it, a white dove flies forever circling.
Every one hundred years, the dove's wing gently touches the face of the earth.
The time it would take for the feathered wing to wear this planet down to nothing is eternity.
Within eternity time passes.
Within time there is changes.
Soon the wing of the white dove will touch our world again.
The dawn of a new century.
Time for a new beginning.
(合唱)
Now is eternity.
At the break of dawn of a century.
A thousand years of joy and tears.
We leave behind.
Love is our destiny.
Celebrate the dawn of a century.
Let voices ring, rejoice and sing.
Now is the time.
Now is eternity.
Love is our destiny.
Dawn of a century.