Search - Celtic Woman: A New Journey - Live At Slane Castle on DVD

Excellent!

Cherise Everhard | Michigan, USA | 02/02/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Slane Castle is the perfect backdrop for the second Celtic Woman concert on DVD. The castle is all lit up and the Celtic WomEn are in top form. This was the first appearance of Hayley Westenra as the newest member of CW. I have to admit when I heard she was joining the group, my first thought was "if it's not broke, why fix it?" I will tell you now, happily, I was wrong. I really enjoyed listening to her sing and thought she made a nice addition to this group of extraordinarily gifted women.

The music is as wonderful as I had expected and I watched the DVD twice today. I had the opportunity to see Celtic Woman in concert this summer. There were several songs that they performed that night that I had never heard them sing. I remember thinking, I hope they are going to record these. They did.

The one song I really wanted them to record was "At the Ceili" a fun little song about women going to a Ceili (party) and seeking out men. It is upbeat and impossible not to want to clap along or tap your foot. Meav, Lisa and Orla sing that song and they really look like they are having a good time doing it.

Another favorite was the "Pacific Slope." Mairead is playing her fiddle, with the accompaniment of two dueling bodhran players. I love when they do that. The audience is clapping along, while Mairead is dancing around barefooted. She is quite the performer.

I really expected to hate the song sing out, because other reviewers talked about how cheesy it was. I didn't hate it. It's a little chipper, but it didn't make me want to hit the skip button or anything.

This is a wonderful DVD and Slane Castle is a beautiful backdrop. I only gave it 4 stars because of the repeat of songs from the previous DVD and CD. They once again performed Orinoco Flow, Danny Boy, Somewhere and You Raise Me Up. While I love those songs, I was sorry to see them appear again. The arrangement and everything remained the same. I would have preferred four new songs.
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Angel Voices & Irish Magic!

Norma Brock | Texas | 12/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The music, the setting, the MAGIC! I was lucky enough to be at Slane Castle for the filming of this DVD. It was truly a magical experience. As usual, all the girls were phenomenal! The castle in the cool damp air, the lighting, the fire & smoke, the beautiful gowns, the angel voices - it was a fairy tale come true! The DVD captures that magic and takes me back to Ireland. Thank you Lisa, Orla, Chloe, Mairead, Meav & Hayley for bringing such beauty to this world! David Downes is truly the musical genius of our time!"

Amazing

Albert L. Molthan Jr. | Independence Missouri | 12/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a lover of all types of music. When flipping through the channels of the TV one night I came upon the PBS airing of Celtic Woman. I was immediately captured by the celtic music and the beautiful voices of all of the women in the production. I think that the Celtic Woman show has been one of the best kept secrets in the music world. I immediately ordered four of their CD's and DVD's. The addition of Haley to the program has really improved the show in my opinion. By the time the show was over, I was in love with all of the women in the production. If you like angelic voices, unbelievable harmony, and a wonderful variety of traditional and classical songs, you will absolutely love their DVD."

Second concert, second masterpiece

Professor E. Knight | Miami, Florida | 02/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Celtic Woman: A New Journey by [...] ~ Miami, Florida

They are young, they are beautiful, full of life and full of talent: The Celtic Woman just released a second album: "A New Journey"

In their first concert, they were only five girls: four vocalists and a violinist, a wonderful creature fallen from Heaven for our utmost happiness. If Paradise exists, I picture it full of angels like Máiréad Nesbitt (not necessarily 77 for each warrior...) playing harp or violin! This is a small blonde with wonderful long hair (I would swim across the Atlantic just to see that hair!) who reminds me of all the poets I have read evoking the nymphs of the woods: She hops, she jumps, she smiles, she turns like a spinning top, while mastering her fiddle like Paganini. She alone would justify the purchase of this DVD.

But there is more. A fifth vocalist (Hayley Westenra) has joined the original four (Chloë Agnew, Órla Fallon, Lisa Kelly and Méav Ní Mhaolchatha). All of them are lovely, have great voices, and sing in great harmony.

The concert opens with a presentation of the six girls plus David Downes, the Musical Director. This is followed by a beautiful view of Slane Castle in Ireland, where the concert is staged, under a violin melody played by angel Máiréad. All five vocalists soon join her in a beautiful song with a rich orchestration.

Unlike André Rieu's concerts, where numbers are often separated by André's jokes or explanations, there is no wasted time here. The public is still applauding that the next number is already rolling. The whole concert is thus only 1h30; a plus for businessmen in a hurry... All others will be able to run it twice after dinner, as I did myself last night. A supplement shows lovely views of Ireland and Slane Castle.

You will hear immortal songs like the "Orinoco Flow" (Number 5), "Scarborough Fair" (No. 8, interpreted by the newcomer: Hayley Westenra), "Over the Rainbow" (No. 10), followed by "Beyond the Sea" (11), "The Last Rose of Summer" (No. 17), "Somewhere" (the famous song from "West Side Story", No. 22) and this masterpiece called "You Raise Me Up", which closes the show.

Most numbers are richly orchestrated with plenty of drums and a choir in the background, like "Caledonia" (No. 3), "Newgrange" (No. 4), the "Orinoco Flow", "Dúlaman" (No. 6), At the Céili" (No. 12), "Sing Out" (No. 15) or "Spanish Lady" (No. 18). These few numbers alone would justify the purchase of this DVD, but I think I already said that about Máiréad...

There are a few notable exceptions like "The Blessing" (No. 7), interpreted by Lisa Kelly with a discrete piano melody by David Downes, "Lascia Ch'io Pianga" (No. 13), a languorous classical melody with lots of violins in the background or "Carrickfergus" (No. 14) interpreted by Órla Fallon while she plays the harp, or "Panis Angelicus" (No. 16), interpreted by Chloë Agnew accompanied by a violoncello and soft violins, with a discrete choir jumping in later on. And let's not forget "Shenandoah" (No. 19), a violin solo by Máiréad (no jumping this time: she is grave like a grown up person) with David at the piano.

Remember the famous "Over the Raimbow", created by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939 and wonderfully interpreted by Suzan Erens in André Rieu's "The Flying Dutchman"? Well, you will hear a new version "a cappella" by four of the girls. And, trust me, you won't miss the orchestra. They will do it again with the famous "Somewhere".

When I was fifteen (many, many, many moons ago...) my professor of classical guitar in Havana used to say that the best number is always the one that closes the show. Well, this is still the case. Just like the first concert, this one ends with the same number: a masterpiece written by Rolf Loveland and Brendan Graham and made famous by Josh Groban titled "You Raise Me Up": "I am strong when I am on your shoulders, you raise me up to more than I can be."

But, after all, didn't Oscar Wilde say it already in "The Portrait of Dorian Gray"?: "Aimer c'est se surpasser" said the French translation that I read with my students in Paris ~ To love is to transcend yourself.
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