On September 30, 1997, “Quinlan Road” label released “The Book of Secrets” the sixth Loreena McKennitt album. It was recorded in 1997, and was produced by Loreena McKennitt, Brian Hughes and Donald Quan. The album was certified 2 x Platinum in the US by “RIIA”.

Personnel:

• Loreena McKennitt – vocals, piano, keyboards, harp, kanun, accordion
• Anne Bourne – cello
• Aidan Brennan – acoustic guitar, mandola
• Martin Brown – acoustic guitar, mandolin, mandola
• David Rhodes– electric guitar
• Nick Hayley – serang, rebec, lira da braccio
• Brian Hughes– oud , electric guitar, acoustic guitar, irish bouzouki , guitar synthesizer, classical guitar, vocal drone
• Robin Jeffrey – Victorian guitar
• Martin Jenkins – mandocello
• Steve Pigott – additional keyboards
• Danny Thompson– acoustic bass
• Stuart Bruce – assembled drone, vocal drone
• Paul Clarvis – snare drum
• Nigel Eaton– hurdy-gurdy
• Steáfán Hannigan – bodhrán
• Manu Katché– drums
• Hossam Ramzy– percussion
• Bob White – tin whistle, shawm
• Caroline Lavelle– cello
• Rick Lazar – percussion
• Joanna Levine – viola da gamba
• Hugh Marsh– violin
• Osama – violin
• Donald Quan– tabla, timba, esraj, viola, additional keyboards , vocal drone
• String Quartet:
  • Jonathan Rees – 1st violin
  • Iain King – 2nd violin
  • Andy Brown – viola
  • Chris van Kampen – cello
• Caroline Dale – string arrangements
• Brian Gascoigne, Doug Riley – additional string arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks by Loreena McKennitt except where noted.

1. Prologue
2. The Mummers’ Dance
3. Skellig
4. Marco Polo
5. The Highwayman – lyric by Alfred Noyes, abridged by Loreena McKennitt
6. La Serenissima
7. Night Ride Across the Caucasus
8. Dante’s Prayer