Loreena McKennitt and other Celtic music

[Pearly Di]

I rarely post the same thing on the messageboards as on my Live Journal but I looked for a Celtic thread here and could not see one.

Last night I bought Loreena McKennitt’s latest album An Ancient Muse.

I love it!

It has a strongly Eastern flavour, including the joyful "Sacred Shabbat". "The English Ladye and The Knight" is simply gorgeous, vintage McKennitt, with its dreamy, sad, medieval tone.

One of my friends on Live Journal wrote an excellent review of the album. I think I like it a bit more than she did - she prefers Loreena's Celtic sounds to her Eastern ones. But even if you are not familiar with Loreena's music, I thought it was worth quoting in full what my friend had to say about one of the tracks on An Ancient Muse, “Kecharitomene”:

“Kecharitomene” is a piece much like “Marco Polo” from The Book of Secrets, the sort of traveling nomad music I’ve come to expect from McKennitt. It’s a two-part melody that builds with more and more instruments and harmonies. The best moment of the song, and one of the highlights of An Ancient Muse, is that moment dead silence in “Kecharitomene” before the main themes are played with the full range of orchestration. Listen for the full stop just before her band goes nuts.

I’ve not listened to any of Loreena’s previous albums except The Visit and The Book of Secrets (both of which are superb) but I think An Ancient Muse is also going to become a firm favourite, with its rich beautiful music and the thoughtful simplicity of Loreena’s lyrics. Her lovely music takes me far away to distant shores, Arthurian castles and ancient deserts ... but it's not just hazy Byzantine fantasia ... there is a message and a plea to care for the earth as well. Talk about an Elvish quality!

I am also a big fan of a Christian Celtic band called Iona. I’ve followed their work since 1990 and their music has managed to penetrate the secular folk mainstream because they are so brilliant and innovative (I saw one of their albums in HMV last night). They’re more jazz/rock fusion than Clannad, and there’s this gutsy, earthy, powerful undercurrent beneath their haunting, ethereal melodies. Loreena McKennitt’s use of instrumentation and percussion is impressive, but Iona use an even greater range! And their lead vocalist, Joanne Hogg, has the voice of an Irish angel.

I can't wait to buy their latest album, The Circling Hour:

http://www.iona.uk.com/newindex/2004_pages/home.htm

[truehobbit]

I wouldn't call McKennit or Clannad (and hence probably not Iona either, though I don't know them) "Celtic", but I like a lot of that kind of music (unless it gets too "rocky" ).

Some years ago a student of mine asked me if I liked Celtic music and did I have CDs, he'd swap for some Enya, which he loved. So I gave him a CD with Irish music - fiddles and pipes and a bit of singing - and he was quite disappointed.
Although there were some lovely slow and silent pieces on the CD none of it was as purposefully 'ethereal' as Enya - I loved the Enya I got in return, and have been collecting more from her, and McKennit, too.
I'm listening to this sort of thing more than to 'real' folk-music, because the real thing is a bit alien - all the Enya's and McKennits IMO provide a toned-down folk-music, adapted to modern listening expectations.
A bit like the Chinese food in European Chinese restaurants...


So, yes, I like McKennit, at least what I've heard from her, which isn't so much (not sure I'd like eastern style as much celtic style, though) - I just wanted to point out that I don't think it's "Celtic" music.

[Pearly Di]

I grant that the term 'Celtic' can be a broad umbrella, Hobby, but Clannad are definitely a Celtic band, they're IRISH. And their early stuff was very much based on traditional Irish music.

I think Iona can be classed as a Celtic band too. Loads of Irish influences in their music, and they are very influenced by Celtic spirituality. Less 'pure' than early Clannad, sure, but Joanne Hogg is an Ulster woman born and bred.

McKennitt may produce a less authentic type of folk music but her musicianship is considerable, IMO.

I tend to prefer Loreena to Enya. Enya's music is too synthesised and synthetic for my tastes, although there are some tracks on her early albums I like.

The 'real thing' can't be beat. I've heard a genuine session in an Irish pub - in County Donegal - with local people playing Irish reels on guitars, violins, flutes etc. Wonderful.

[Alatar]

Well Clannad are at their roots trad band. Their later albums are more exploratory than the earlier stuff, but that does not make them any less genuine. Music doesn't stand still and Clannad are genuine trad musicians who are developing Irish music as a living art as opposed to a snapshot of the past. Other artists and groups like McKennit or Altan are doing the same thing. As an Irishman I consider Enya to be as valid a representation of Irish music as the Chieftains. I don't have to like it, but I can recognise its validity.

I accept that Celtic music is not just Irish music, but since Clannad are Irish I chose to concentrate on that form.

[vison]

I've been a fan of Loreena McKennit since she was busking in the Toronto subway system: she used to lug that harp around. THAT'S dedication!

I am a trifle disappointed in "An Ancient Muse", but not TOO disappointed. It's still wonderful and maybe it will grow on me, I've only had a chance to listen to it twice and that with the kids in the car, which is not conducive to enjoying that kind of music!! However, they used to weep along with me on "The Highwayman" when they were younger, begging me to stop the CD before Bess pulled the trigger.

I agree with Pearly Di on Enya, it's pretty but rather too ethereal, nice background music but nothing to engage the emotions. Hearing what McKennit did with "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" will explain very clearly what the difference is!!!

Loreena McKennit is from Winnipeg, I think. At any rate, long, long, long ago she was interviewed by the much lamented and legendary Peter Gzwoski on CBC radio and he played her version of "The Lady of Shallot" and I guess it was a revelation to millions. Or nearly millions. At that time she said she was working on putting Tolkien's poetry to music and I often wonder what became of that project.

One of the best concerts I've ever been to in my life was Loreena McKennit's last trip out West and I hope she comes back soon.

Canada's maritime provinces are chockablock with Celtic music, and so is Newfoundland (no, Newfoundland is NOT regarded as a Maritime province and no, I don't know why). It seems every pub has some kind of live music and the bands range from "pure" folk to country-folk, all tinged with that Celtic flair. The peculiar Ashley McIsaac is from Nova Scotia and so is his lovely fiddlin' cousin Natalie McMaster and they are only 2 from that tiny place.

[Pearly Di]

Loreena was thinking of setting Tolkien's poetry to music??????

Oh, I hope she does some day! She'd do a GREAT job!

I am absolutely smitten with An Ancient Muse. I played it all through again last night and I think it's gorgeous. Perhaps it will grow on you. I know that a number of her fans are disappointed that her harp-playing doesn't feature: they wanted more Celtic stuff on the album. But I really like her Eastern-influenced music.

Speaking of Newfoundland, I came across a band recently called Great Big Sea, who hail from there, and who do Scottish/Gaelic folk stuff. Do you know them, Vison? I've not checked out their sound yet but I was intrigued.

How very odd that Newfoundland isn't a Maritime province! I mean, it's right on the Atlantic, for pete's sake.

[baby tuckoo]

Beginning next weekend is the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, and I would sell my left knee to be there. Such great bands. The Poozies. Solas. Clannad.


And Railroad Earth, an American band. I love them, but the Celtic connection is a little hard to see, but maybe not. Hard picking, fiddle, pipe . . . maybe so. Maybe they just wanted to play Glasgow.



God, so would I.

[axordil]

I am very glad that McKennit is recording again. When her fiance died in 1999, it seemed to really (and understandably) throw a body block at her composing, even more than her performances. Good for her...and for us.

[vison]

Her best album, IMHO, is "Book of Secrets". Hard to beat. I've played "An Ancient Muse" a couple more times, and yes, it's very nice, but I still think the Book of Secrets is better, more exciting. IMHO.

I've thought of writing to her and asking about the Tolkien stuff. I think, of everyone, she would do the best job.



(Only Tolkien was not fond of the Celts . . . . )

[axordil]

I have a mental block about "The Highwayman," I'm afraid. My second wife loved it and played it a lot. A LOT.

I do like it when she goes a bit Middle Eastern. Marco Polo and Night Ride across the Caucasus are the most obvious examples for me...I should have known how things were going to be with aforementioned spouse when she and her dad both said they thought of belly dancers while listening to the latter, while I thought of dervishes...

[Lhaewin]

I have a mental block about "The Highwayman," I'm afraid. My second wife loved it and played it a lot. A LOT.

I am going along with your wife, Ax. I don´t know, how often I played "The Highwayman".

A mental block? You should maybe send the grey cells to a well-deserved rest and let the music affect you.

I also like the oriental pieces and I am using them for my post-natal courses. They are suitable for belly dance, especially with a veil.

[axordil]

The music is fine. But the verse is a tad...um...lavender.

To wit:

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the ghastly trees
the moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon the cloudy seas
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor

And the metaphors came riding, gliding, sliding, the metaphors came alliding, into the old inn door.

[Primula Baggins]

I had to memorize that one in junior high.

It's sooooo romaaaantic.

[vison]

Yes, some of McKennit's work is good to belly dance to. I did it myself in my brief but spectacular career as a belly dancer.

Very brief, not very spectacular.

But fun.

Especially when my friend Donna got into a row with our teacher and offered to duke it out with her in the parking lot. I kid you not.

Donna is one tuff chick.