Celtic Music
Celtic music is music from the Celts. The Celts were originally some tribal groups living in Central and Western Europe around 1,000 BC. After a long migration, they came to England. Their descendants are now scattered throughout Ireland, Wales, northern Scotland and the western mountains. The Celts include the Irish, Scottish Highlanders, Welsh and Cornish people. Most of them are bilingual - English and their native language (Gaelic or Celtic). In addition to what can be proved by research on texts or cultural relics, The most direct way to express their ethnic origin is by listening to their music. Typical Celtic flavor, ancient and timeless, you can hear fiddles, bagpipes, harps or accordions with two bellows. You can find this kind of music in the British Isles, the American continent, and wherever there are descendants of Celtic immigrants.
Bagpipe (Highland Bagpipe):
The bagpipe originated in ancient Rome. When the Roman army invaded Great Britain, they brought the bagpipe with them. The bagpipe was an English instrument hundreds of years before the Scots fell in love with it. For example, at the end of the 13th century, Edward I's army invaded Scotland to the sound of bagpipes. Dugard McNeill, director of the Bagpipe Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland, said: "Bagpipes used to be seen everywhere in Europe, and bagpipers could often be seen in rural landscape paintings in Brussels."
Later, many Other nationalities have gradually lost interest in bagpipes, but the Scots have a special liking for them. Today, although the bagpipe has taken root in some parts of the world, for example, there are bagpipers in the Jordanian Army, it is also quite popular in Japan, the United States and other places. But when it comes to this instrument, everyone still thinks of the Scots. Jackie Stewart, the outstanding Scottish racing driver, expressed what most of his compatriots were thinking: "No matter how many countries in the world have bagpipes, the bagpipes must be the traditional national instrument that represents the Scots."
Harp (Irish harp, Celtic harp):
Irish harp, or Celtic harp (called "clarsach" in Celtic). Approximately 90cm high and 55cm wide. Traditionally Irish harpists played with their fingernails. Legend has it that if a performer's performance distresses the listener, his fingernails will break.
Bard (Bard Dance):
The bard was a very important figure in Celtic ancient times. His first job was to praise the king and entertain the gathering. Sometimes it is praise, sometimes it is ridicule. Together with monks, warriors, and silversmiths, he represents the incarnation of ancient Celtic. In the game, the bard Edward plays the harp in memory of his lover.
There are probably a few albums of Celtic music that are commonly seen on the Internet:
CELTIC HEARTLAND Psychic Secret Realm
CELTIC DANCE
p>Celtic Experience Experience Celtic
Celtic Twilight Celtic Dawn Series
CelticSpirit Celtic Music Book
Final Fantasy IV Celtic Moon Mysterious Celtic Moon
The Book Of Secrets
The music of the music group "Secret Garden" also has a strong Celtic flavor.
Several figures related to Celtic music
Canadian female singer Loreena McKennitt
Loreena is a speaker A master of storytelling, he combines ancient poetry with traditional music. The secret book tells ancient stories and legends with her ethereal voice like light feathers floating in the air, accompanied by charming music for your ears and heart to enjoy.
Every piece of Loreena's music has unexpected new ideas. Her voice seems a little sad, and behind the sadness, people feel infinite vitality, making people look forward to it and become intoxicated in the expectation.
Harp Master Alan Stivell
Alan Stivell was born in the Bretagne region of France and is a world-class Celtic harp master. Over the past thirty years, he has worked hard to promote the fusion of Celtic folk music and new music, and has made outstanding achievements. Bretagne means Britain in French and is a Celtic area in France.
Musician Enya Enya
It seems that there is no need to say more about Enya. She is simply the spokesperson of contemporary Celtic music.
This famous An Irish musician, her music contains a lot of Celtic elements. Some people classify her music into Contemporary Celtic and Celtic New Age.
§Traditional Celtic music
Popular in the 1990s, traditional Celtic music is not Celtic music in the broad sense. In fact, it has the style of the earliest folk songs and also the style of pure music, which is the kind of pure music that is not affected by new age music and pop music. This is what distinguishes it from contemporary Celtic music.
Related styles:
GNR Celtic (universal Celtic music) NAT Ireland (Irish native music)
Celtic Pop (popular Celtic music) ) Irish Folk (Irish Folk)
Traditional Scottish Folk (Traditional Scottish Folk)
Contemporary Celtic (Contemporary Celtic Music) Drinking Songs (Toast Songs)
Celtic Folk Celtic Gospel
Traditional Irish Folk
Celtic New Age )
Some major albums:
The Boys of the Lough: Good Friends-Good Music [1977]
The Chieftains: Chieftains 4 [1973]
p>Shanachie: Ocean View [1990]
Natalie MacMaster: No Boundaries [1997]
The Chieftains: Chieftains 2 [1969]
Altan : Best of Altan [1997]
Main Artist List:
Altan
The Boys of the Lough
The Chieftains
Phil Cunningham
Joe Derrane
The House Band
David Kincaid
Catriona MacDonald
Kate MacLeod
Natalie MacMaster
Katie McMahon
Christy Moore
List of most mentioned artists:
The Chieftains
Christy Moore
Magical Strings
Natalie MacMaster
Anam
The House Band
The Boys of the Lough
Phil Cunningham
§New Age Celtic
Composed of Celtic themed melodies, instrumentals and songs, Adding New Age products and sensibilities resulted in New Age Celtic music. Clannad and Enya are typical representatives of this genre, but they are not just artists who stick to this music. This kind of dreamy and spiritual music entered the mainstream with Enya's "Watermark" album in the late 1980s, and gradually flourished in the 1990s.
Related styles:
Celtic Pop Celtic Fusion
Contemporary Celtic ) Celtic Gospel (Celtic Gospel)
Some major works:
Clannad: Rogha: The Best of Clannad [1997]
Maire Brennan: Whisper to the Wild Water [1999]
Enya: Watermark [1988]
Loreena McKennitt: Mask and Mirror [1994]
Enya: Shepherd Moons [1991]
Reg Keating: Celts: Celtic Lullaby [2000]
Phil Coulter: Highland Cathedral [2000]
Main Artist List:
Altan Maire Brennan Capercaillie
Clannad Phil Coulter Enya
Reg Keating Joanie Madden Loreena McKennitt
Bill Whelan
§Pop Celtic Music
Popular Celtic music is similar to traditional Celtic music in many aspects. Popular folk songs in the United States and England have their own characteristics-when the melody (may be the melody of an instrument ) is indeed uninfluenced. At the core of pop ballads, the music follows pop principles without completely breaking away from traditional forms. This style was mainly formed in the 1980s. During the 1970s, in order to revive traditional Irish folk songs, artists who had been engaged in a strong folk flavor began to gradually mix rock and pop elements into the original music (although some major players like the Pogues The artist doesn’t think so). Just as new age enthusiasts began to discover this limited, spiritual and elegant Celtic music, popular Celtic music gradually moved towards the mainstream, absorbing comprehensive and auditory-based standard instrumental music (but Celtic remix artists certainly don’t think so). Capercaillie and Clannad are the main bands that belong to this genre, this style of showmanship.
Some major albums:
rah Masen: Carry Us Through [1998]
The Corrs: In Blue [2000]
Alasdair Fraser: Dawn Dance [1996]
Christy Moore: Christy Moore [Polydor] [1975]
Christy Moore: Ride On [1984]
Capercaillie: Crosswinds [1987]
John McDermott: Danny Boy Collection [1998]
Key Artist List:
endan Begley The Black Family Capercaillie
Clannad Patrice Clementin The Corrs
Iain MacDonald John McDermott Christy Moore
List of most mentioned artists:
The Corrs Capercaillie Christy Moore
Sarah Masen John McDermott Alasdair Fraser
§Rock Celtic
Like the Pogues, a band from New York with a punk and orchestral style, and a touch of Celtic style Influenced by Irish music, the Black 47 band from the Cranberries is a Celtic rock artist who connects traditional Irish instrumental music with rock rhythms to create almost crazy and passionate, sad and romantic songs. Rock Celtic music often clearly displays the characteristics of Irish pub music, but it also has a bit of pop music, which is a kind of music that is derived from R&B and alternative rock.
Related styles:
STL Folk-Rock (STL rock ballad) Celtic Pop (popular Celtic music) Contemporary Celtic (contemporary Celtic music) Aboriginal Rock (original Celtic music) Special music)
Some major albums:
Tears for Beers: Tears for Beers [1994]
The Waterboys: This Is the Sea [1985]
p>The Waterboys & Mike Scott: Whole of the Moon: The Music of the Waterboys & Mike Scott [1998]
The Pogues: Essential Pogues [1991]
The Waterboys: Fisherman's Blues [1988]
The Pogues: If I Should Fall From Grace With God [1987]
The Young Dubliners: Rocky Road [1994]
Main Artist List:
ALT An Cat Dubh Black 47
The Cranberries Tom Donovan Hothouse Flowers
Van Morrison Von Morrisson The Pogues
The Waterboys The Young Dubliners
§Celtic Gospel
Celtic Gospel is a song of blessing, both traditional and innovative, in a Celtic style Come to acting. Usually, Celtic gospel is expressed in a traditional way, but in the 1990s, a period of contemporary Celtic music, some Celtic gospel also used that method.
Some major albums:
Various Artists: Kindle My Heart: Celtic Songs of Worship [2001]
Various Artists: God Above, God Below: Celtic Songs of Worship [2001]
Eden's Bridge: Celtic Worship [1997]
Eden's Bridge: Celtic Praise [1998]
Sheila Walsh: Celtic Lullabies and Gentle Worship [2003]
Various Artists: Celtic Harp Christmas, Vol. 2 [1999]
Eden's Bridge: Celtic Journeys [2000]
Main Artist List:
Celtic Cry Eden's Bridge
List of most mentioned artists:
Eden's Bridge
Details
When it comes to "Celtic" (some people translate it as "Celtic" or "Celtic") music, many people intuitively equate it with Ireland. In fact, it is not Irish. Patent, simply because many of the most successful artists or groups in the field tend to be from Ireland. In fact, Ireland is only one of the places where the Celtic people are active.
To understand this kind of music, we must first understand the term "Celtic". The Celts, one of the oldest peoples in Europe, emerged about five thousand years ago. They first lived mainly north of the Alps. Later, their distribution range expanded, from the British Isles to the Balkans, and often In the position of rulers, what the Greeks called "Kertu" and the Romans said they were "Gauls" were in fact Celts. Because they were quite strong in culture, all European countries were deeply influenced by them. Unfortunately, due to overpopulation, tense social relations, and too radical expansion of territory, starting from the second century BC, they gradually turned from prosperity to decline, and were affected by the Roman Empire and After being attacked by Germanic tribes and others, they lost their advantage as rulers, and even their culture was assimilated by the Roman Empire. Only Ireland and Britain were relatively intact.
The Celts were tall, fair-skinned, strong, martial, adventurous, and quite superstitious. They had many ancient legends full of fantasy. Therefore, from the past "King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table" to "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings", which have become famous far and wide in recent years, are full of mysterious and legendary colors that are very "Celtic". In addition, because in Ireland and Scotland, their current main living spaces, economic resources are relatively scarce, and they have been subject to a lot of political suppression, we can find that while they are romantic and bold, their culture, especially In terms of music, it often presents a sad and tragic color. In order to pursue the chance of survival, they immigrated "overseas" in large numbers. From the United States, Canada, and Australia, Celtic culture gradually spread with the footsteps of those immigrants. After briefly understanding their historical background, it is not difficult for us to understand the various special emotional factors in Celtic music.
In the minds of many people, the Celts are the Irish nation. This may be the impression given to the public by the independence of the Republic of Ireland in 1922. In fact, the Celts were originally some tribal groups living in Central and Western Europe around 1,000 BC. They came to England after a long migration, and their descendants are now scattered throughout Ireland, Wales, northern Scotland and the western mountains.
The Celts include the Irish, Scottish Highlanders, Welsh and Cornish people. Most of them are bilingual - English and their native language (Gaelic or Celtic), but they are often descendants of the same race from different regions. There will be significant differences in language. In addition to text or cultural relic research that can prove the origin relationship between them, the most direct way is to listen to the music they played on the small harp and bagpipe. That kind of ancient, long-standing music has become a link between Celtic peoples in different regions. cultural ties.
Unfortunately, the collection and compilation of Celtic folk music in modern times is extremely incomplete. It was almost after the entire recording industry system became mature and perfect that Celtic music received attention. Tenor John McCormack was the only relatively famous early recording star of Celtic origin at the beginning of this century. McCormack studied vocal music in Milan in his early years. He made his first recording in London in 1904 and began to perform regularly in London Abbey Gardens. In his repertoire selection, McCormack gradually added works adapted from Irish folk music: "Trouble Boy", "Irish" "Immigration" and "You Smile Like the Sun", these works became Irish folk songs widely known around the world due to his singing. McCormick has recorded hundreds of albums, with total sales of more than 20 million copies. His effective combination of Irish folk music and classical music traditions inspired and inspired many Celtic successors, one of whom was Delia Murphy.
Delia Murphy continued to expand in McConmack's direction, and her song "The Flying Wheel" written by John Francis Waller was so delicate that The Irish local accent and ancient Gaelic accent, supplemented by harp accompaniment, soon became the representative style of Irish music in the first half of this century. Murphy is not limited to the adaptation of Irish folk music. Through a series of songs such as "If I Were a Blackbird", "Cooking Song", "Goodbye Mike, Goodbye Pat", "Laura Kleiner", etc., Murphy has The national music is skillfully blended with elements of American Broadway and jazz. After World War II, Murphy carried out some song translation work, translating Celtic into Italian, and then promoted excellent Irish folk songs to the entire Europe.
However, for a long time, most of the world-famous Celtic-flavored works came from the descendants of Celtic immigrants who were far away from the center of Celtic culture and scattered across the American continent, such as the singer Dennis Day, harpist Emily Mitchell, multi-instrumentalists Kate Smith, Robert White. Of course, there are also celebrities in the classical music world who come and go here, such as the Robert Shaw Chorus, the Boston Pops Orchestra led by Arthur Fried, guitarist John Williams, and flutist James Galway; John Teffner, who lives in the UK, also published a modern symphony "Celtic Requiem" based on Celtic tradition using classical techniques. These artists adapted Celtic folk music to create "distinctive" works that are often understood as popular expressions of classical music. When it comes to artists who are truly rooted in Celtic culture, we still have to look at the local residents from the British Isles.
The Chieftains were formed in the 1960s. When the band was formed, most of its members were already some of Dublin's best folk artists. They play traditional music on ancient instruments, which generally include: elbow-arm bagpipes, fiddles, wooden flutes, tin whistles, double-bellows accordions, harps and sheepskin drums, which are also the most common musical instruments in Ireland. What is particularly valuable is that they reproduced the charm of the Irish dulcimer (timpan), a very ancient Celtic folk instrument, and used the clear tone of the oboe to play in harmony with it. This ancient arrangement ensures that the traditional music they perform is not sacrificed to modern tastes at all, but is reborn in its true nature. The formation of the Chieftain Band was first inspired by the young composer Sean O. Riada. Riada tried to adapt folk songs into concertos and established a group called Ceoltoiri Cualann to conduct experiments. Later, the group's member, fiddler Martin Fee, together with Patty Moroney, Sean Potts, and Michael Turbury, became the original members of the Chiefs. Later, members such as Sean Kenny and Derek Bell joined.
Regardless of whether the album is published or performed live, Chief does not have to worry about the loss of Celtic-Gaelic charm, and at the same time he is able to break the performance constraints of previous folk traditional bands. They change the beat in the middle of the music to add variety. They can switch from the single four beats of the reel to the double or triple beats of the jig, and then to polka or a slow slow dance. (slow air), these attempts triggered a series of changes in folk bands. Among the Chieftains' 25 albums, the repertoire is mainly traditional music. These works are important information for understanding Irish Celtic culture. Another part of the works is a collaboration with rock and folk artists of different styles and nationalities, from music to music. By experimenting with chapters, harmonies, and rhythmic beats, ancient harp music from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries can be combined with twentieth-century blues music. This gives American musicians far away from the center of Celtic culture a lot of inspiration. New ideas. Among them, the albums "The Chieftains" one, five and seven, "Early Hot Breakfast", "Heartbeat of Ireland", and the movie soundtrack "Barry Linton" have become the chief's most outstanding collection of works.