Loreena McKennitt, my favorite Celtic musician, hails from Canada. She possesses one of the most melodious voices I have ever heard. Her early albums reflect her Irish heritage, while her later albums mix Celtic motifs with those of the Middle East and India, among others.
I have seen her in concert once--back in November 1994, at Smith College in Northampton, MA. I found out about the concert too late to obtain tickets to her show in Boston the night before, so I drove almost 3 hours each way to Northampton to see her, on a Wednesday night! I was very tired the next morning at work!!
Both of her shows in Massachusetts that year (Boston and Northampton) were sold out. The performance I attended was riveting, with her beautiful voice filling the auditorium--it took my breath away. During her concert, she interspersed her music with personal reflections regarding the writing of the songs, especially her inspirations while travelling across the globe. It amounted to mini-lectures between songs, which made for a very interesting and thoroughly enjoyable night!
McKennitt performs with a variety of classic instruments, such as the harp and the oud. She writes her own songs (sometimes with others), and often uses traditional poems as songs, arranging the music for the pieces. As of Spring 1998, she has seven albums out, and each one is absolutely wonderful. She is revered as a musician in the Pagan community, as many of her songs contain Pagan influences (especially "Ancient Pines" and "Tango to Evora," conceived and recorded for the National Film Board of Canada's GODDESS REMEMBERED and THE BURNING TIMES, the first and second videos, respectively, in a trilogy directed by Donna Reid). Two of her albums contain mostly Christmas songs (To Drive the Cold Winter Away [1987] and A Winter Garden [1995]).
If you haven't yet had the opportunity to experience McKennitt's music, by all means, do so!! The only song I've heard so far to get radio play (at least in Boston) is "The Mummer's Dance," from her latest album The Book of Secrets. However, a different, more dancier version of that song is played on the air. The one in the album is more mellow.
A visual chronicle of McKennitt's albums.
Surf The Loreena McKennitt Full Circle Webring!!!
Image used for background was obtained from McKennitt's 1989 album, Parallel Dreams.
Photo at top of page obtained from McKennitt's 1992 album, The Visit (photo ŠAnn Cutting).
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visitor since May 17, 1998.
This page last updated on April 5, 1999
Author= Maureen A. Barlow
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