Harptasia - English Translation
Welcome! The fact that you’ve found this secret page means you have my CD Harptasia. Thank you so much for your support!
Here, you'll find the English translation of the CD booklet. You can also download it as a PDF using the button below. Make sure to keep the beautiful illustrations from the booklet nearby as you read, to fully immerse yourself in the story.
Please note: this translation is for personal use only. It is not permitted to share the text or PDF with others, online or offline.
Introduction
Dear reader,
Welcome to the enchanting world of Harptasia. This CD is not just a random collection of pieces, but a conceptual whole where music, interpretation, and storytelling come together.
Music has the power to transport you to a world far removed from reality. A world where you can lose yourself and dream freely. But chasing a dream also brings doubts. Can I really do this? Am I good enough? That inner struggle between desire and insecurity is something many people can relate to, and it is exactly that feeling I wanted to capture in this CD.
In this booklet, you will find my story. It is a guide that takes you through the music. So close your eyes and drift away to a world that welcomes you with open arms.
With Harptasia, I hope to inspire you to let go of your fears and embrace the unknown, because only then can dreams become reality.
Wishing you much joy in reading and listening,
Michelle Sweegers
Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Dream
Like a satin blanket, twilight falls over the world. The sky turns a deep shade of blue. Through the window, you watch the last traces of daylight fade away. It has been a long and heavy day, and now the fatigue takes hold of you. You decide to turn in early tonight.
You crawl under the soft covers and feel the warmth embracing you. The room grows quieter, but your mind is restless. Thoughts swirl and tumble over each other. You turn to your left, then to your right, onto your stomach, then your back. As you try to settle in comfortably, you feel your body slowly begin to relax. Every muscle comes to rest. Your eyes grow heavy and with a deep sigh, you drift off. Your thoughts fade and the world around you seems to slip further and further away.
Suddenly, you are no longer in your bed but standing before a massive and imposing gate. Its silver edges shimmer mysteriously in the soft pale light of an unknown world. With a sense of curiosity and excitement, you stand before it, but doubt creeps in. Do you dare to go further? Do you dare to open the gate and step into the unknown?
Fear takes hold for a moment, but then you let it go. With all your strength, you push the doors open. The hinges creak obediently and you ready yourself to explore the secrets and wonders of this mysterious world.
Chapter 2: The Mirror Lake
The gate has opened. You step into a world that feels both strange and familiar. The air is filled with the scent of colorful flowers, and you feel a soft breeze brush against your skin. In front of you appears a shimmering, winding path, and you decide to follow it. You walk past open fields and across gently rolling hills. In the distance, a deep valley unfolds, where the surface of a still lake sparkles in the sunlight. The water is so clear it perfectly reflects the clouds and the tall trees surrounding it. Small ripples dance across the glasslike surface. Drawn in by the scene, you carefully sit down at the water’s edge.
Your gaze drifts over the lake. Instead of your reflection, mysterious images begin to appear: a field full of flowers, a hand releasing a bird into the sky, an old willow tree. Just brief flashes, and then they vanish again. Suddenly, from the depths, a silver fish emerges. Its scales shimmer like tiny stars in the soft daylight. As it glides gracefully through the water, the lake begins to tremble. The images shatter, and your own reflection comes into view. A version of yourself as you wish to be, shaped by your deepest longing.
And yet, something tugs at you. Is this truly what you want? Or do you long to return to the gate, to what is familiar? The silver fish swims one final circle and slowly disappears into the depths of the lake. You remain seated for a moment longer, listening to the silence. As if you have found an answer without ever asking a question.
Chapter 3: The Dance of the Fairies
Night begins to fall. The long shadows of trees glide across the lake like whispers. You look up and see the winding path appear once more at the edge of the forest, now lit by a string of glowing orbs radiating a mysterious light. You stand and walk toward the first orb. But as you draw near, the glow dissolves into the darkness, only to reappear a few steps farther down the path. Without realizing it, you are drawn deeper and deeper into the dark forest.
When you reach the next light, everything suddenly goes pitch black. No new orbs appear and a wave of panic washes over you. A cold shiver runs down your spine and it feels as though a shadow is passing over you. Have you wandered into a nightmare?
But then a circle of radiant light begins to form around you. As your eyes adjust, you realize the glowing orbs have transformed into enchanting beings with large graceful wings, dressed in robes of soft silver silk, and adorned with garlands of flowers and butterflies. They gaze at you with dreamy eyes as if trying to tell you something. But you cannot understand until one by one they begin to dance around you in the magical glowing circle.
Chapter 4: The Shadow
The dance of the fairies is over and they disappear into the dead of night. It is quiet around you, but you feel that you are not alone. A suffocating feeling comes over you and behind every tree a shadow seems to appear. Like a bird in flight, you try to escape the danger that is chasing you. But this time there is no path to guide you. You run and you run and you run, but you do not move forward. Your feet feel like lead and seem to be pulled into the ground. In blind panic, you close your eyes, begging for a way out.
And then… silence.
When you open your eyes, the forest has vanished. It is as if you have sunk through the ground and landed in another reality. Away from the suffocating, dark atmosphere that surrounded you. But your flight leads you to a timeless world. An old Gothic cathedral stands before you. Dilapidated and dark. You push open the creaking doors and enter the nave. There, in the cold space, frightening sounds of the organ echo with a force that makes the floor tremble. Every note reverberates through the immense space and seems to strike directly at your soul.
The Shadow appears and you flee desperately. But wherever you run, the sinister tones and dark voices of the organ always find you. The moment comes when you desperately want to wake up, but the oppressive sounds keep you trapped in this nightmare.
Chapter 5: The Fall of the Past
You managed to escape the dark cathedral through a secret passage. But behind the heavy door there was no room, only emptiness. Before you knew it, the ground beneath your feet gave way and you fell down. Now you lie flat on the cold earth. Above you shines a bright white sky that almost makes you squint.
For a moment, you thought you had woken up, but no. You are still trapped in the strange, dreamlike world of Harptasia. The threat seems a little further away, but you still feel the echoes of that imposing organ reverberating through your body. You try to move, but it feels as if you are stuck inside your own body.
You close your eyes and try to imagine yourself taking a relaxed walk in the forest. Birds are chirping happily and your inner child comes alive. Here and there you hop a little, simply because you can. Every time fear lurks nearby, you quickly push it away. Back to the cheerful, childlike forest thought. But then — BAM! A shock runs through your body. You fall! Or not? You are still lying flat on the ground.
Eyes closed. Try to think of something else, something nice from the past. A simple, innocent love that warms your heart. But just as you surrender to it, you feel that threat rising again. Quick, hide it away. But there it is again, that distorted memory. Becoming stranger and crazier and louder. BAM! Another shock! You fall again! Oh no, wait… not really.
One more try. You need to get your thoughts in order. Something else, anything, as long as it’s not that dark hole in your mind. You think of a wheel that keeps turning, like in an old-fashioned puppet theater. The puppets dance happily along, although some look a bit misshapen. Sometimes the wheel stutters for a moment, but then the puppets keep going. You spin, spin, and — YOU FALL! Or do you?
Chapter 6: The Death March
With a loud bang you startle upright. The bright white light has disappeared. The path appears before you once again. Where it once twisted, it now stretches straight ahead. Around you is absolute darkness. The dark tunnel seems to extend endlessly. Fear tries to paralyze you, but you do not give in. With hesitant steps you begin to walk forward.
A heavy, somber march sounds around you. The air grows more oppressive. Every breath is a struggle, yet you keep going. Something inside drives you forward. An inner strength that wants to know what awaits at the end of this path. Then suddenly the march falls silent. The silence that follows is unbearable. Without the rhythm of the music you feel lost and aimless. A sharp, unplaceable pain grips your throat. A swirling anger rises within you. You gasp for air but it seems as if the world’s air has been sucked away.
When you look up, you see the silhouette of the Shadow that is chasing you. Your gaze meets the empty black sockets of its eyes. To your surprise, a strange calm descends over you. The storm in your mind quiets. Your breathing slows. A small smile forms around your mouth. An overwhelming sensation of hope and trust flows through you and the Shadow disappears. The path becomes more open and lighter. The trees around stand motionless like petrified guardians. They say nothing but their presence is palpable. They seem to look at you silently, as an invitation to continue.
Chapter 7: The Final Dance
You find yourself in a place where present and past merge. Here, where old melodies and new ideas come together, it feels as if time is rewinding. You see the old cathedral emerging, remember the flight through the dark forest, the enchanting dance of the fairies, and the fascinating mirror lake with the silver fish. Before you unfolds the final chapter of your dream journey. The large imposing gateway has given way to a modest golden arch, as if Harptasia is quietly retreating.
This is the moment of closure, a final dance in which all these experiences come together. A dance in which you relive every fragment of your journey. Every step and every turn reflects the wisdom that this magical world has revealed to you. And now, as the gate slowly closes, a deep truth is revealed. It is a whisper the fairies have wanted to share with you all along. The Shadow that chased you was not an enemy, but a reflection of your own fear. The fear that your dreams are too fragile, too afraid to fail. But the true magic of Harptasia lies in embracing that fear.
Back in reality the dream fades, but the lesson remains: it is never too late to chase your dreams and never too early to let go of fear.
I hope the music of Harptasia will continue to guide you. Even when the gate closes and the everyday world calls again. It is only when you dare to follow your dreams that you find the freedom you have always sought.
Credits
Main Artist / Producer: Michelle Sweegers
Recording & Mixing: Martijn Hak
Mastering: Da Goose Mastering
Recording Location: Trypoul Studios
Photography: ByMarije Photography
This album was made possible in part by:
Sena Music Production Fund | Café In De Kleine Werelt | Bouwinfosys | Kaarden B.V. | IMAGEAU
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