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Celtic Christmas CDs |
| The Barra MacNeils -- The Christmas Album II |
Updated December 20, 2007
I'm not a big fan of Christmas music, but I know some folks are. This page describes a few of the better Celtic Christmas CDs. If you are looking for holiday gift suggestions that can be played the other 11 months of the year, check out my suggested Gift CDs page.
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The Barra MacNeils --The Christmas Album II (Cape Breton 2006)
This is quite a traditional Christmas CD both in its content and style. The arrangements by the Barras are beautiful, the musicianship is impeccable, and the harmonies lovely. Highlights for me is Stan Rogers' "At Last I'm Ready for Christmas" and Lucy's gorgeous singing on "Ave Maria". The CD is traditional enough to please the older folks and lively enough to not drive the younger set to distraction or worse. Recorded at Kyle and Anita MacNeil’s home on the Mira and Soundpark Studio, Cape Breton, NS.
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Waterson:Carthy -- Holy Heathens and the Old Green Man (Topic 2006). If you are not familiar with Waterson:Carthy this may be a good place to start. For introduction, they are arguably the finest folk singers in England -- Martin Carthy, his wife Norma Waterson, their daughter Eliza Carthy, and Tim vam Eyken. Each is a sensational singer in their own right, and together there is a magic borne of decades singing together. This is by far the most unusual CD on this list. It is a collection of carols and songs for all seasons of the year, although most are related to Christmas and New Years. The only carol that I had heard before is "While Shepherds Watched", but Waterson:Carthy do it in such a strong, a capella version, it was a new experience altogether. Some of these carols and songs are quite dark and come from Gnostic or gypsy traditions. I have had a very hard time getting this out of my CD player ("I'll just listen to it one more time..." (Very highly recommended if you are looking for something a little different).
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The Barra MacNeils -- Cape Breton Christmas (DVD) (Cape Breton 2003) Live Christmas Concert, as seen on television, plus a visit to Cape Breton, interviews with the Barras at home at Christmas and a Barra MacNeils music video. |
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The Barra MacNeils -- The Christmas Album (Cape Breton 1999) This is the pick of the bunch. The album has a truly wonderful, intimate feel. It is easy to imagine that you are in the houses of the Barras celebrating in a happy, informal way. I think it is the best thing the Barras have done. (Highly recommended)
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Telyneg with Robin Huw Bowen - Christmas in Wales / Nadolig yng Nghymru (Welsh 2001) The Welsh have been combining harp music and spoken word for hundreds of years. Folk tales and poetry combined with music are reminiscent of an evening's entertainment in the days before television. Robin Huw Bowen, joined by the actress Eiry Palfrey and singer/guitarist Heather Jones offer a taste of Welsh culture and music. The centerpiece of this CD is Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales. Other poems and stories show the listeners what the holidays were like 50 years ago in Wales. In between the stories and poems there are tunes from Robin Huw Bowen, master of the Welsh national instrument, the triple harp. 1. Christmas Bells / Clychau'r Nadolig2. A Happy Christmas / Nadolig Llawen 3. At Christmas Time / Tra Bo Dau 4. Never Again 5. The Magi Jig / Jig y Doethion 6. Prayer for a New Mother 7. The Christmas Rose 8. Idris Davies Selection 9. Suai'r Gwynt 10. Hornpipes / Pipddawnsiau 11. The Nativity Play 12. Diniweidrwydd 13. Bodlondeb 14. A Child's Christmas in Wales - Part 1 15. A Child's Christmas in Wales - Part 2 16. A Child's Christmas in Wales - Part 3 17. A Child's Christmas in Wales - Part 4 |
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The Ennis
Sisters -- Christmas at Ennis
Road (Newfoundland 1998, self-published) From Newfoundland, these three young
sisters bring us a lovely album of less-well--known and original Christmas
songs featuring the wonderful harmony singing which has made the Ennis Sisters
one of the most popular acts in Canada. (Highly recommended)
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The
Chieftains -- The Bells of
Dublin (RCA Victor Irish 1991). A fairly traditional CD from The
Chieftains, though it does include the likes of Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello,
Marianne Faithfull, Nanci Griffith, and Rickie Lee Jones. The more conservative
sector is represented by The Renaissance Singers and The Voice Squad. A mix of
Irish tunes and songs, Breton songs, and classic Christmas carols. Very nicely
produced and just the right combination of enthusiastic fun and respect for
religious music of the season. (Highly recommended) |
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Ashley MacIsaac
& Friends -- A Cape Breton
Christmas (Cape Breton 1993, self-published, re-released in 2001). This
is a fine, varied CD that features not only much of Ashley's excellent
traditional fiddling, but the excellent guitar and piano work of Scott
Macmillan, a superb version of the French carol "Il Est Né" sung by
Aurelie Cormier, a Gaelic version of "Silent Night" and the reading from Luke.
In addition to some Cape Breton classics, there are Cape Breton version of the
Night Before Christmas, Go Tell it on the Mountain, Away in the Manger, God
Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and Auld Lang Syne. (Highly
recommended) |
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Do You
Hear...Christmas with Heather, Cookie and Raylene Rankin (Cape Breton) The
three sisters famous for their work with "The Rankin Family" pick out some
Christmas songs. As big a fan or The Rankin Family as I am, this CD is a bit
strange, particularly in the arrangements of the songs. Worth getting, but set
your expectations lower than with other Rankin's CDs.
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An East Coast
Christmas (Maritime Canada 1999) This compilation of musicians from Newfoundland, Nova
Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick. The album consists of 15 songs and 1 set of
fiddle tunes. The songs are folky ballads generally with a religious theme or
nostalgic Christmassy spirit. There is some nice stuff here, but it doesn't
hang together very well, and is nowhere near as good an album as the Barra
MacNeil's
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a thistle & shamrock christmas
ceilidh (2000, Green
Linnet) This is a nice compilation album, but it doesn't seem to have
anything at all to do with Christmans. Instead it is just another repackaging
of tracks from existing Green Linnet albums. Not an album to get if you want to
feel seasonal. :-( |
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Celtic Christmas (Silver Anniversary Edition, BMG/Windham Hill 2001). This is clearly a Windham Hill CD--music to relax to. This is not toe-tapping music. However, if you want something very subdued instrumentals, there are some excellent, mainly Irish, musicians on this CD, inclding Maire Breatnach, Maighread and Triona Ní Dhombhnaill, Steve Cooney, Mairtin O'Connor, Paddy Glacknin, Liam O'Flynn, Karan Casey. Despite this talent, this album is way too subdued for my taste, to the point it becomes indistinguishable from other Windham Hill releases, but y'all might like. |
Please send me your comments or suggestions: jim@sfcelticmusic.com
