Celtic stuff

[madger]

Since the Bronte thread was going in this direction, I thought it merited it's own thread.

I love Celtic music, the real thing, not pub stuff or Clancy Brothers (though I grew up listening to them) I like the musicians that mix modern and old, Solas, Arcady, DeDannan and of course the Chieftains, though I tend to favor their CDs with eclectic guests, Sting, The Rolling Stones, Sinead O'Connor and Joni Mitchell did some really nice stuff with them.

If you are curious about Breton music there is a group called Malicorne that uses it as a basis for their music, and, being French there is a lot of murder and tragedy in their songs. Also Alan Stivel, who they usually put in the Celtic section in the music stores, his English is atrocious, but fun, but try to find his French stuff.

Spain was originally populated by the Iberians and the Celts, the Celts were more in the north. My brother turned me on to a group called Los Celtas Cortos who use Celtic music with very modern lyrics, lots of fun.

I collect dragons, no cute stuff allowed, my ambition is to own a castle or castle-like house that I could decorate with lots of Gothicana (how's that for a new word?). Of course I'd have to have a couple of Irish Wolfhounds to throw bones to from the table ;D

[spaniard]

I love Celtas cortos! it´s an amazing group, very celtic but without being the typical soundtrack music we hear lately, designed to be nice but heartless. It´s a rock group, not Enya-ish at all. And very amusig lyrics too.

About dragons, if I had known before I would have kept that lamp I got from my grandmother when she passed away. It was a five-arm ceiling lamp, each was a dragon and instead of fire there were the lightbulbs. And the shades where made of red velvet. I wonder what was my grandmother doing with that dracula lamp but she loved it. I didn´t keep it because it was too gothic even for me. When I told my mother I wanted to keep it, she said "please, not that, whatever but that!" and my family was so against it and I didn´t have room either so I gave it away. I still keep an old book with a wooden dragon on its cover because my grandmother gave it to me in person. Believe me, my grandmom was a sweet petite woman that liked her dogs and cooking tv programs but she had some hidden surprises .

[Cassie]

Be honest with me Madger, when its time to do some serious cleaning in that castle of yours, nothing like the good ole Clancy Brothers cranked up full blast, will do, to help get the blood a pumping and the rooms a shining. Cleaning is done in 1/2 the time in my home ;D. I do enjoy other irish music, the Cheiftans, plus others, but like all of the music of today, I am just not familar with the bands names.

In a couple of weeks we will be going to Bethlehem for the Celtic Festival in our area. It mostly Bag Pipe Bands competition, and food from the British Isles, plus stands selling celtic ware. It's a a fun day for all

[sarahlee]

I love bagpipes! That gets my blood up! I crank up the "Irish Tenors" driving to auditions. Really freaks out the boomer-boys when they pull up next to me, I love the looks on their faces as they try to figure out "Spanish Lady" on volume 6! Warms up my voice too.

There's a great radio show on NPR called "Thistle and Shamrock". Fiona Ritchie is from Scotland and lately she is exploring "Celtic Fusion" music, with influences from Africa, India, and other cultures. I have heard celtic/gaelic music from Nova Scotia, the Shetlands, Brittany, traditional and new artists.

[madger]

cassie said:

Be honest with me Madger, when its time to do some serious cleaning in that castle of yours, nothing like the good ole Clancy Brothers cranked up full blast, will do, to help get the blood a pumping and the rooms a shining. Cleaning is done in 1/2 the time in my home ;D. I do enjoy other Irish music, the Chieftains, plus others, but like all of the music of today, I am just not familiar with the bands names.

I prefer Silly Wizard, a Scottish group, you won't believe what those guys marched to. But since I've given up cleaning as I find it an exercise in futility, I'll relax to Clannad (Enya's sister and cousins) while my serfs go about their work.

Have you heard Amazing Grace on bagpipes? beautiful

[sarahlee]

I cried when "Amazing Grace" was played when Spock's coffin left the "Enterprise". (I know, "DORK!")

[spaniard]

I have a neighbour that makes flutes and he has to test them with the same tune. We had that same tune playing once and again for about 12 hours every day and he refused to make his workshop soundproof. We were about to sue him but we tried a much better and cheaper option, we found a cd with scottish bagpipes, put our speakers outside and set them at the maximum volume. We asked for permission to the other neighbours because it was going to be very loud and they didn´t mind at all, they were very tired of that jerk and his flutes too and thought it would be very amusing. One sunday at 9 pm (yeah, at night!) he got ready to play his flute, we heard his shy first notes and suddenly the whole Scotland was there, I bet you could even see William Wallace and Rob Roy ;D. All the neighbours went outside to enjoy the show and we couldn´t stop laughing seeing his face through the window.

He tried to test his flutes but had to quit because couldn´t hear his own thoughts and he finally made that workshop soundproof. We won with the help of a hundred men in kilts, ha!

[sarahlee]

Great story Spaniard, Alba ga bragh! (Hope I got that right)

[psyke]

By celtic are you including like Irish stuff?

[madger]

psyke said:

By Celtic are you including like Irish stuff?

Of course, you can't get much more Celtic than the Irish ;D

The Celts were pretty far flung, Northern England (Scotland) Ireland, France Northern Spain.....

I started this thread because the Bronte thread was heading in this direction, I don't know if I named it accurately though, I meant to include medieval and Gothic culture.

[spaniard]

'celtic' would suggest one of the biggest mysteries of all mankind...what's beneath the kilt?

[psyke]

So true i mean there is hardly any (if not any i should say) clothing under the kilt, so the irish ah i could tell storys!

[janetcatbird]

Being an American raised on PBS, my first big exposure to Celtic culture was, of course, Riverdance. I loved it, and even if I my own self can't dance out of a paper bag, it's terrific to watch. I don't know how much is glitzed or glammed up for a stage show, but it looked cool. I saw the touring show when it came through last fall, quite impressed. Dance aside, the music is great. I have the soundtracks for Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, and Feet of Flames. (Oh hush about those last two. Michael Flatley may have an ego the size of Montana, but he is a good dancer and again, the music is great.)

And I have heard "Another Irish Drinking Song" as done by Da Vinci's Notebook. I don't know about the group except they're a cappella, but the song is hysterical, playing on every stereotype and silly demise you can think of. (" 'Cleanliness is godliness' me uncle Pat would sing/ He broke his neck a slippin' on a bar of Irish Spring. Irony was what befell me great grand-uncle Sam/He choked upon the very last potato in the land.") The very end verse I just have to put here:

(Slow, sad lamenting soloist:
Someday soon I'll leave this world of pain and toil and sin
The Lord will take me by the hand to join all of me kin
Me only wish is when the savior comes for me and you...

He trails off, to be joined in an enthusiastic shout by everybody:
He kills the cast of Riverdance, and Michael Flatley too! HEY!


For those of you who saw "Riverdance" and remember the music, the vocal group is Anuna. I do not have any of their music, but I do have Katie McMahon's solo CDs. (McMahon is the soloist who sang "Home and the Heartland" and the actual Riverdance intro.) Her CDs are very nice Celtic/Renaissance pieces, she has a lovely voice. Also, she is a skilled harpist so she gets to show that off. CDs are After the Morning and Shine, both of which I can reccomend.

--Catbird

[janetcatbird]

BUMP!!

Bonnie Rideout was in the area and gave a concert tonight. Hooray student discount! I hadn't heard of her before but I like Celtic music and it got me out of the dorm. The audience was a bunch of little old blue-haris and senior-citizens so it wasn't quite lively enough, but the music was great. I opted not to buy a CD, but she's an amazing fiddler. Her band was also quite good, and they were joined by the Washington Pipe Band (bagpipes and drummers from DC), so it was very thrilling and toe-tapping.

As to the kilt question: I heard that if you ask a Scotsman "What's worn under a kilt?" the proper answer is "Worn?! Everything's in fine workin' order!" Ain't nobody gonna tell us, huh?

And if interested, in early season 2 of the mothership, when Logan is attending the funeral of partner Max Greevy, there are kilted bagpipers at the funeral/burial service.

--Catbird