West over the Sea by Gentle Songs & Slow Ayres
West over the sea takes us to a zone where time stands still - archaic stringed instruments and voice with harper Helen Davies on Celtic harp and singer Agnethe Christensen on Baltic cittern. The timeless beauty of texts and music with roots in the mists of the Scandinavian heritage. Buy this album now CD: £12.00 + p&p |
| 1 | Unst boatsong, Shetland | 1:36 |
| 2 | Clerk Colven, Scotland | 6:01 |
| 3 | My Ladie Laudians Lilt, Scotland | 3:53 |
| 4 | Balladen om Hildina, Shetland | 14:09 |
| 5 | Da Day Dawis, Shetland | 2:43 |
| 6 | The Selkie o'Suleskerrie, Orkney | 6:49 |
| 7 | Eilí gheal chiúin Ní Chearbhail, Ireland | 2:41 |
| 8 | King Orfeo, Shetland | 4:28 |
| 9 | Da Hömin, Shetland | 4:05 |
| 10 | Suantrái, Ireland | 3:20 |
| 11 | Taladh Chriosta, The Western isles | 15:52 |
| Total Time | 65:45 |
CD Notes "West over the Sea" was a phrase used by the Vikings when they journeyed to foreign lands, and this programme presents songs and instrumental music from regions that were once under Scandinavian rule. Many traces of Scandinavian influence can be found in language, place names and music of Shetland, the Orkenys, the Western Isles of Scotland and Ireland. In West over the Sea we meet dangerously seductive mermaids, treacherously beautiful seal-men, a revengeful woman, the Northern light and King Orfeo. Further notes about the songs featured on this CD are included in the CD booklet. Credits Instruments: Kantele from
Lithuania, Celtic harp "Donegal" by Salvi Harps |
| Instruments: | Voice, harp & kantele |
| Genre: | Traditional |
| Format: | CD |
| Our Ref: | A0202 |
| MCPS: | ClassCd734 |
| Label: | Classico |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Origin: | Germany |
 Gentle
Songs & Slow
Ayres is a duo with the Swedish-Danish alto Agnethe Christensen
and the Welsh harper Helen Davies. Both have a classical education
but have their musical roots in the folk music of Wales and Sweden.
They present programmes with songs, ballads, ayres, lullabyes,
dances and laments from the British Isles and the Scandinavian
countries – northern music poetry from the sagas of the people
to enchanting dance music – a folklore salon with Celtic
harp, Baltic cittern (kantele) and song. |
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She has held the post of solo harpist with orchestras in Sweden (Operan, Göteborg) and Ireland (RTE, Dublin), and from 1983-1989 she taught both classical and Irish harp at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. As secretary of CaÌrde na CruÌte (the Irish Harp Society) she was one of the instigators of the highly successful Irish harp summer school which takes place in Termonfechin (Ireland) every year. Now based in Copenhagen, Helen's main work is in the field of contemporary
improvised music, blending acoustic and electronic sounds, with
trumpet player/composer Palle Mikkelborg. |
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| Gentle Songs & Slow Ayres | Agnethe Christensen | Helen Davies | |
| Click here | Click here | Click here | |
| Web site | www.gentlesongs.dk | agnethe.homepage.dk | none |
Agnethe
Christensen comes originally from Sweden, studied at the
Royal Danish Conservatory and specialized in renaissance and
medieval singing with Andrea von Ramm in Basel and furthermore
in Rome and Paris. Well known for her unconventional interpretations
of modern and classical works, and with intriguing vocal clarity,
she presents a thrilling exponent for the recent wave of, and
exploratory marriage between, contemporary, folk and early vocal
music. In 2001 Agnethe was invited to join the medieval ensemble
Sequentia which performs worldwide, specialising in reconstructions
of old nordic poetry.
Helen Davies studied harp in her native Wales, and holds the degree
of Bachelor of Music from the University of Birmingham.
