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Post by DazedOblivion on Aug 20, 2005 17:58:24 GMT 1
Topic originally posted at Kerry's Pub. Loreena McKennitt is one of the reasons that I became interested in Irish music. Although admittedly her music is not purely Irish, I still believe that she deserves an honorable mention at "Kerry's Pub." Loreena McKennitt is a marvelous musician, scholar (and businesswoman) from Canada. Though her recording career began essentially with traditional Irish music (she being an accomplished harpist), she has since experimented with a fusion the Celtic sound with the music of other traditions. The liner notes to her CDs are full of tales of travel, research into antiquity and music. Her music has been inspired by - and has paralleled - her quest for the origins of the Celts. I believe that the unique path that Loreena McKennitt has followed in search of the Celtic roots has inspired some great music. I really enjoy her work. She also achieved success after taking the brave step of starting her own record company, Quinlan Road Records, to promote her music. Her most famous song is “The Mummer’s Dance ( SAMPLE) which received a good share of airplay quite a few years ago, in about 1997. At that time, a friend of ours, having heard “The Mummer’s Dance,” gave a copy of The Book of Secrets to my wife. After listening to this CD, I knew immediately that I had entered into a completely different musical world than I had ever experienced. HERE ARE SOME LOREENA MCKENNITT LINKS:Here is the official Loreena McKennitt website: www.quinlanroad.com/Click HERE for a sample of a live performance of “Skellig” from her CD Live in Paris and Toronto. Click HERE for a sample of a favourite of mine called "Snow" from A Winter Garden: Five Songs of The Season. Click HERE for a brief article about Loreena McKennitt. Click HERE for more (but slightly “non-updated”) biographical information. It is great to see Loreena McKennitt more in the public eye of late. Shortly after achieving success with The Book of Secrets, Loreena McKennitt lived her life away from the public for several years after her fiancé, his brother and a friend of theirs perished in a recreational boating accident. You can find a link to the Cook-Rees fund for Water Search & Safety (founded by McKennitt) HERE.
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Post by *Mindy*Lynn* on Oct 9, 2006 7:22:15 GMT 1
Ok since no one has replied to this thread I must! I absolutely LOVE Loreena's music ;D I'm trying to get the rest of her cds as I only have 2 at the moment. Her voice is amazingly beautiful and she's very talented with all the instruments she plays, especially the harp. One of my fav songs ever is "The HighwayMan" I really can't wait for the new cd...november 21st yay! Amazon finally has it listed on their site along with a pic of the album cover(I really like it) and the song titles. www.amazon.com/Ancient-Muse-Loreena-McKennitt/dp/B000J3EEBY/sr=1-7/qid=1160362577/ref=sr_1_7/104-8555559-3698314?ie=UTF8&s=musicAlthough the one part I don't quite understand in their review from this guy "She's virtually abandoned the harp, which hasn't appeared on her CDs since 1991's The Visit" Uhhhh apparently he hasn't listened to The Book of Secrets because on the song "La Serenissima"(another one of my favs) she plays the harp basically the whole time and that cd came out in 1997 LOL. Next time he should get his facts straight Pssstttt Steve..I like the pics you posted especially the black & white one
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Post by DazedOblivion on Oct 9, 2006 14:54:23 GMT 1
;D ;D Hurray Mindy!!! ;D ;D Someone replied! Someone replied!! I was feeling lonely as the only Loreena fan at the forum! Thanks, Mindy!
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Post by lindaj on Oct 9, 2006 21:33:30 GMT 1
Ok.. I'm replying as well... This thread wasn't here, the other day, when I last visited the board.. But, it's great to have a Loreena Mckennitt thread.. I love her music!!! She is amazingly talented as a singer/songwriter/ harpist/ storyteller... ;D I have quite a few of her current CDs.. "The Visit", one of my absolute faves.. And, also "Mask & The Mirror", "Book Of Secrets", and, "Live In Paris & Toronto" ...I also have a DVD which was included with "Mask & The Mirror" ...I'm really looking forward to her up-coming new CD... It should be awesome!!! ;D Thanks, Steve, for all the links..
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Post by DazedOblivion on Oct 10, 2006 20:45:08 GMT 1
You're welcome, Linda. You must have just missed the topic, probably because it was buried on about page 3, and had no replies for over a year. Thank you for adding your reply!! Great to have another person here who likes her music. ;D
What do you think of the DVD that came with Mask?
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Post by *Mindy*Lynn* on Oct 11, 2006 0:51:09 GMT 1
Oh I have that dvd too Linda, although mine came with The Book of Secrets I love it because of the 2 videos and the interview with Loreena about her music.
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Post by lindaj on Dec 8, 2006 23:22:42 GMT 1
I think its the same DVD which comes with all her CDs, isn't it?? ...I love the interview you spoke of tho, Mindy... And, also the "Mummers Dance" video.. What do you think of her new CD... "Ancient Muse" No one has said yet.. LOL!!!! I've still only listened to it once... ha ha... no time!!! It is okay tho... But, much the same as her previous work... No upbeat songs, that I remember, just ballads.. It didn't make that big an impression on me from the start.. But, hopefully, I'll get more into it as I give it another listen... Luv to hear some of your thoughts as well, guys??!!!
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Post by *Mindy*Lynn* on Dec 10, 2006 4:15:25 GMT 1
Yep it comes with all the reissued cds out now But i'm gonna end up with multiple copies since I don't have all her cd's yet. I also love the interview and The Mummers Dance video...that's what got me into her music. I personally love An Ancient Muse I haven't gotten to listen to it a whole lot..well as much as i'd like to I like The Gates of Istanbul...the music is great. Not enough harp playing though, I think she only plays it on one song, I can't quite remember. I wish the bonus track would've been on all cds though because I really do like it. Well it's actually not on the cd but on a seperate one by itself lol. I can't wait though for this PBS concert that's supposed to be on early next year ;D LOL I had to have my password sent to me because it's been a lil while since I signed on
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Post by DazedOblivion on Dec 10, 2006 22:26:29 GMT 1
What do you think of her new CD... "Ancient Muse" No one has said yet.. LOL!!!! I've still only listened to it once... ha ha... no time!!! It is okay tho... But, much the same as her previous work... No upbeat songs, that I remember, just ballads.. It didn't make that big an impression on me from the start.. But, hopefully, I'll get more into it as I give it another listen... Luv to hear some of your thoughts as well, guys??!!! I haven't bought it yet, Linda. I was waiting to buy it. The short samples at the retail sites left me wondering what to think, since I hardly heard any singing. I wanted to wait to hear what you think, since we have lot of musical taste in common. Let me know after you listen again. Thanks! Yep it comes with all the reissued cds out now But i'm gonna end up with multiple copies since I don't have all her cd's yet. I also love the interview and The Mummers Dance video...that's what got me into her music. I personally love An Ancient Muse I haven't gotten to listen to it a whole lot..well as much as i'd like to I like The Gates of Istanbul...the music is great. Not enough harp playing though, I think she only plays it on one song, I can't quite remember. I wish the bonus track would've been on all cds though because I really do like it. Well it's actually not on the cd but on a seperate one by itself lol. I can't wait though for this PBS concert that's supposed to be on early next year ;D LOL I had to have my password sent to me because it's been a lil while since I signed on Thanks for finding your password and providing us with your information, Mindy. So you are saying that EACH of the bonus DVD re-releases has inside the exact same DVD?? And she only plays harp on one track? Hmmm... I am looking forward to the PBS concert as well. (Also the Jewel one... but that is for another thread).
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Post by *Mindy*Lynn* on Dec 11, 2006 4:18:45 GMT 1
Yes it's the No Journey's End dvd which you can buy seperately to begin with. I want to find the cd's without the dvd though because I certainly don't need so many copies! If anything i'd buy one of the cds with it just to have an extra copy but I don't need like 4 of them lol. If I remember correctly she does play harp only on one song but there's a lot of other instruments on the cd so it's ok
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Post by lindaj on Dec 11, 2006 18:31:31 GMT 1
You can send a copy to Steve, Mindy?!!! ..hee hee!!! ;D ...I think, you can buy the CDs seperately tho... I did that, cos I knew the DVD was the same in all of them... But, it "is" nice to watch.. What's this I'm hearing about a PBS special?? I sure hope we get it on our PBS station... Hmmm... It comes from Seattle, & is called KTCS... Anyone heard of it?? It's not the greatest station... LOL!!!! But, if you all let me know round-a-bouts when it's on, I can keep checking the program guide.. Thanks!! I'm gonna try and listen to her new CD abit more..
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Post by *Mindy*Lynn* on Dec 12, 2006 3:55:21 GMT 1
LOL, you can buy them without the dvds but I do want to get one more just to have a backup copy And the concert is supposed to be coming on in January from what i've heard but that could change at any time. She did 3 concerts in Spain in September and one was taped for PBS ;D I'm sure when it gets closer to the date her website will send an email and i'll keep you notified She is going on tour next year but in europe as of right now.... north american tour dates haven't been verified yet. I'd love to see her in concert but even if she does tour here i'm sure it will be nowhere close enough to where I could go anyways.
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Post by DazedOblivion on Dec 22, 2006 16:22:56 GMT 1
I was doing some Christmas shopping last night and I was in Barnes & Noble, so I thought I would go take a look to see the An Ancient Muse CD (special B&N edition). There was only one left, so I decided to buy it. I listened to it last night, and it's much better than the sound samples would lead you to think. I really enjoyed it. It's like, with each track, you're getting a glimpse into some far off time in a far off place. It's difficult to describe. One feels like Indiana Jones lifting the lid to some magical box of music that has been buried and lost to time for hundreds of years. The cover art and packaging of this album are really great too, I think. I suppose Loreena McKennitt's muisic is not for everyone, but I happen to really like her stuff.
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Post by lindaj on Jan 14, 2007 21:45:38 GMT 1
I have to give this CD another listen... ;D I do really love her music too... Is it just me tho, or does anyone else have a little difficulty in understanding what she's singing about, if they can't read along with the lyrics?? ;D
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Post by DazedOblivion on Jan 15, 2007 10:44:19 GMT 1
Yes, I without the printed lyrics, I always seem to have a hard time. I have a hard time learning lyrics without seeing the words in visual form. I am not a good auditory learner. In fact, I'm always finding that I need to re-learn songs that I have been singing wrong for years! This is compounded in the music of Loreena McKennitt, since one of her signature trademarks is to set famous poems to music, as she does on the new album with "The English Ladye and The Knight." This is a poem by the Scottish poet Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832): It was an English ladye bright, (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,) And she would marry a Scottish knight, For Love will still be lord of all.
Blithely they saw the rising sun When he shone fair on Carlisle wall; But they were sad ere day was done, Though Love was still the lord of all.
Her sire gave brooch and jewel fine, Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall; Her brother gave but a flask of wine, For ire that Love was lord of all.
For she had lands both meadow and lea, Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall, For he swore her death, ere he would see A Scottish knight the lord of all.
That wine she had not tasted well (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall) When dead, in her true love's arms, she fell, For Love was still the lord of all!
He pierced her brother to the heart, Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall, So perish all would true love part That Love may still be lord of all!
And then he took the cross divine, Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall, And died for her sake in Palestine; So Love was still the lord of all.
Now all ye lovers, that faithful prove, (The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall) Pray for their souls who died for love, For Love shall still be lord of all!So THAT is what the song is about!
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