Órla Fallon – “Morning Has Broken”.

Hey people! 🙂

It’s not morning here anymore, not even for my always jet-lagged brain 😀 – today it happened to be very early – but I hardly post anything in the morning and I would like to share this song with you, so why care about timing, especially that there are so many different timezones and you don’t have to view this today but could be any other day, in the morning or not.

I’m sure most people know the Cat Stevens classic, and yes, unsurprisingly, this song is a cover of it. I don’t really like the original, for no particular reason really, it just doesn’t really speak to me. And yes, it’s probably too common for me to like it, lol. This cover by Órla Fallon is so beautiful though, I fell in love with it instantly when I heard it.

Órla Fallon is one of the former member of an Irish all-female group called Celtic Woman, she was a singer and a harpist there. I really love her harp, and her voice, makes for a very angelic combination. I do not like however that from what I’m observing right now, Órla is stretching more towards the country end of the folk music spectrum, and away from the folksy, Celtic, pure folk, that she was doing with Celtic Woman and solo.

I think she makes this song sound exactly as it should sound – sweet, refreshing and happy in a deep, calm way. – Synaesthetically, this song in her version has a very vivid and distinct raspberry flavour to me, and I love raspberries so it’s just so cool. I think it’s especially Órla’s harp that makes it so perfect. I wonder if other people see it similarly. So here it is, and I hope you enjoy.

Lynn Saoirse – “Mervyn Pratt”.

Hey people! 🙂

Let’s listen to some more Celtic harp today! I have a lovely little tune for you by an Irish harpist Lynn Saoirse who plays Celtic harp. It is called Mervyn Pratt. I did a little bit of research to learn who the title character was and found out that there was a Pratt family in Ireland who owned the Cabra Castle, which is now a hotel, and there were a few Mervyns born into this family. I really like the whole album from which this song comes – The Seas Are Deep – and Lynn Saoirse’s harp play is great!

Celia Briar – “Pretty Girl Milking A Cow”.

Today I have a beautiful Celtic harp piece for you, as I’ve been listening to a lot of Celtic harp lately. I mean, I always do, but recently it’s been more than I had done it in a long while.

Celia Briar is a harpist from New Zealand, plays Celtic harp. She used to tour a lot and have a lot of concerts in different countries, but I don’t know if she still does. She’s also collaborated with Irish flautist Bev Whelan. I’ve heard that she currently resides in the UK. This piece comes from her 1995 album which is all very beautiful, I couldn’t decide which piece to choose for this post, to the point that in the end I decided to choose at random. 😀 Hope you enjoy. 🙂

Question of the day (21st September).

What frivolous thing do you really want, but couldn’t possibly have? My answer:
I understand frivolous as something you want, but don’t need at all, just a whim.
In my case, that would be a harp. I mean my own harp. Preferably a Celtic harp, though there are still lots of kinds of Celtic harps, but I don’t know which one I like the most. And if you don’t know me well enough, no, I don’t play harp. And even if I wouldn’t ever learn to play it, I would take great pleasure in just having it. I consider people who are privileged to have (not rent) their own harp very lucky in life. What would it be for you? 🙂

Aine Minogue – All About Eve.

Hi guys! 🙂

Aine Minogue is my most favourite harpist in the whole world and one of my most favourite female singers. She’s so soothing. I’ve already showed you one of her instrumental pieces called “Brigid’s Feast”. If anyone of you like Enya, I’m sure you’ll love Aine, if you don’t know her yet. I can say that her music has pulled me through a lot for many years, it always gives me what I need the most. It soothes me, helps me escape from the reality, or gives me the space to think more on things, elevates my mood or keeps me company when I’m depressed, helps me overcome or let out my feelings, inspires me or helps my mind to clear itself from all thoughts. Her voice is so ethereal and beautiful and so is her accent, and I absolutely love her harp. When I’m in the mood, I can listen to her for hours, and so I do today.

The song I want to show you comes from aine’s newest album called “Eve”. It’s inspired by Eve as an archetype of femininity, or biblical Eve, or whoever/whatever she can be for AIne and for us. The song itself is particularly inspired by the movie “All About Eve”.

As for Aine, she comes from Ireland, from co. Tipperary, but now she lives in New England.

Question of the day.

You’re getting to build the house of your dreams, so…
If you could chose one original piece of art/craft/artefact for your home what would it be?

My answer:

To match the Celtic feel, I would fill the house with all kinds of harps, particularly Welsh ones as my dreamhouse would be in Wales. I would learn to play Celtic harp and I would invite lots of harpists and harpers to my house, make some sorts of harp festivals and I would also design harps on my own. That could be a lot of fun.

You? 🙂

Song of the day (13th February) – Siân James – Dod Dy Law.

Recently, when I was posting the song by Gwilym Bowen Rhys, I found the same song in this stunning interpretation of Siân James. And although I still just LOVE it in Gwilym’s version, this is so absolutely great I just couldn’t resist to not share it with you, even if it’s the same song I shared with you just a few days ago, but in different version.

I think partly why I love this version so much is because Siân James is a harpist and as I told you guys some time ago, I am crazy about harp, especially Celtic harp. But her voice is so beautiful and captivating as well.

I’m curious what your impressions will be like.

Track of the day (1st February) – Aine Minogue – Brigid’s Feast.

So, did I ever mention on here before how crazy I am about harp? Well, Celtic harp mainly, but also harp in general. I think I didn’t do it, so I do now. I really really love harp. Welsh triple harp, Irish Celtic harp, classical harp and even autoharp and other kinds of harps. Well I probably haven’t heard them all, but all of these I’ve heard, I love, or at least like.

So today I come to you with a piece from the repertoire of Aine Minogue – who is an Irish Celtic harpist, currently living in the US. She is also singing frequently on her albums, her music is extremely soothing, dream-like, but her voice is also very soothing and unique so her harp, voice and other instruments make a really great mix. I sometimes just can’t stop listen to her.

this is an instrumental. I chose it firstly because it’s just so beautiful, so much of harp, such beautiful, but simple harmonies, etc. but also because of the fact that it is a perfect track for yesterday. That’s why I am so sorry I didn’t manage to show you it on time.

Yesterday, besides the fact that it was my birthday, 😀 it was also the feast day of saint Bridget of Kildare, who is an Irish saint, but centuries ago, Celts honoured one of their goddesses, Brigid, on this day. Actually, some people say that Brigid and saint Bridgt are one and the same person, just that the first  evolved in the latter in people’s minds when Catholicism started to dominate Celtic beliefs. Brigid’s feast day was also called Imbolc and marked the beginning of spring.

Brigid was the goddess of the hearth, poetry, healing, childbirth and unity.

OK, so here’s this stunning piece of Aine’s music: