In many ways the father of Irish music as week think of it today, Sean O'Riada was a talent who wasn't about to let himself be limited, and on this, the last album he made before his death at 40 in 1971, he took the traditional folk music into the drawing room, playing it on an upright harpsichord -- once the instrument of the landed classes. That several of the pieces come from the compositions of the blind harper, O'Carolan, is perfect, given that the man was, in some ways, an 18th century analogue of O'Riada, bringing a new dimension to Irish music. But it's only one of the elements here. Because of the qualities of the harpsichord, the slower airs, like "Aisling Gheal" or the beautiful "Mo Ghile Mear" (which O'Raida wanted played at his funeral), come across best. But it was also an instrument used for dancing, and "Cuil Aodha Slide" and "The Kerry Slide" remember that. While some of the instrumental settings are of songs with strong political undertones, the most fascinating piece here (other than the O'Riada-composed "Aon La Sa Mhuileann," which slips in and fits with the tone of the disc) is "Suite," where O'Raida demonstrates the development and adaptation of a tune, in this case "Tuirne Mhaire," a 17th century piece that took on different colorations through the years, and he looks at them all. Even the choice of keyboard is deliberate here, an old instrument, and far from perfect, so that even the sound of the keys being depressed comes across, making the sound far more human -- in keeping with the very human music of Ireland. O'Riada died long before his work was done, but as a farewell this is both beautiful and touching. ~ Chris Nickson