The Fairy Ring by Mike Rowland

According to Mike Rowland, the composer and performer of The Fairy Ring, "There is a message from nature within the Fairy Ring expressing new hope for a closer cooperation between man and the nature kingdoms.  By the use of gentle piano and synthesized strings the music slowly unfolds a world of peace and tranquility.  The effect is almost magical."

Mike Rowland apparently has a masters degree in electroacoustic music which I didn't know was an academic subject but at least one program exists at the University of South Florida.  Who knew.  The track listing is very imaginative. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.  It consists of an acoustic piano accompanied by synthesized strings.  It is great for meditation and apparently that is where it was first used. Fairy Ring was his first composition.  From his website, "Created from inspired music, and recorded on a series of reel to reel tape recorders the first cassettes had neither label nor design, and Mike's first customer was a Yoga teacher who kept asking for more and more tapes for her students. The Fairy Ring has sold over a million copies worldwide and is still one of the most important albums of healing music today."

Again from his website,As many of you will know Mike's music is inspired and created through listening to his inner voice, to the voice of music that speaks within him. Each of his titles takes you on a journey filled with inspiration. The music is classical, orchestral and with his beautiful piano playing appears in many films and teaching videos across the world. It is used by teachers, by hospitals, by doctors preparing patients for surgery, as well as Shirley Maclaine for her video "The Inner Workout"." 

Mike and his wife Jana Rowland, a composer and musical practitioner, collaborate on many projects and have created workshops with music for Developmentally disabled youth.

Fairy Rings are a natural phenomena as a ring or arc of mushrooms but there are lots of myths and legends about the rings.  One Scottish poem stated this about the rings:

He wha tills the fairies' green

Nae luck again shall hae :

And he wha spills the fairies' ring

Betide him want and wae.

For weirdless days and weary nights

Are his till his deein' day.

But he wha gaes by the fairy ring,

Nae dule nor pine shall see,

And he wha cleans the fairy ring

An easy death shall dee

I guess the fairy rings were dangerous.

But beautiful

The music is eeffective for relaxation and is useful for self meditation and self hypnosis.  You can do imagery work with it but it is not for just listening enjoyment.  It is almost repetitive with no outstanding melodies.