Aoife (album)
Encyclopedia
Aoife is the second album
released by Irish
singer Aoife Ní Fhearraigh
. It consists of a wide selection of Traditional Irish songs, and its lyrics are entirely sung in Irish
. In the sleeve notes, Máire Brennan - the world's most prominent Celtic artist wrote the following: For those of us who have a love of the Irish Song Tradition, this is an invaluable recording that is an essential addition to every record collection. Aoife is the finest young singer that has come to my attention for quite some time.
This disc is at its best with the slower ballads, which are richly mounted, and give the best opportunity for Ní Fhearraigh to linger with the melody. The placing of the occasional countertempo piece like the question-and-answer work "Cailin a' tSleibhe Ruaidh" lends balance to the disc, and gives one a feel for the diversity of the vocal tradition from Ranafast which those who have labored in love on Aoife have sought successfully to preserve and share. I recommend this work to those who cannot get enough of what the Gaeltacht has to offer, and I look forward with great anticipation to future offerings from this artist.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
released by Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
singer Aoife Ní Fhearraigh
Aoife Ní Fhearraigh
Aoife is an Irish singer and composer, born in Gweedore , northwest County Donegal. She performs Traditional Irish and New Age music, in the style of other musicians native to the Donegal area like Clannad, Moya Brennan, Enya and Altan...
. It consists of a wide selection of Traditional Irish songs, and its lyrics are entirely sung in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. In the sleeve notes, Máire Brennan - the world's most prominent Celtic artist wrote the following: For those of us who have a love of the Irish Song Tradition, this is an invaluable recording that is an essential addition to every record collection. Aoife is the finest young singer that has come to my attention for quite some time.
Review Excerpts
Rambles: 1996, by Gilbert Head:This disc is at its best with the slower ballads, which are richly mounted, and give the best opportunity for Ní Fhearraigh to linger with the melody. The placing of the occasional countertempo piece like the question-and-answer work "Cailin a' tSleibhe Ruaidh" lends balance to the disc, and gives one a feel for the diversity of the vocal tradition from Ranafast which those who have labored in love on Aoife have sought successfully to preserve and share. I recommend this work to those who cannot get enough of what the Gaeltacht has to offer, and I look forward with great anticipation to future offerings from this artist.
Track listing
- "Ansacht na nAnsacht" (My love and my delight)
- "Seacht Suáilcí na Maighdine Muire" (The seven consolations of the Virgin Mary)
- "Níl sé 'na Lá" (It's not yet day)
- "Nuair a bhí Mise Óg" (When I was young)
- "Cailín na Gruaige Báine" (The girl with the fair hair)
- "Ainnir Dheas na gCiabhfholt Donn" (The lovely maid with the brown tresses)
- "A Neansaí 'Mhíle Grá" (Nancy, my sweetest darling)
- "Caitlín Triall" (Caitlín of the tresses)
- "Mo Ghrá Thú" (Salm 17) (My Lord, I love Thee)
- "Cailín a' tSléibhe Ruaidh" (The girl from the russet moor)
- "Úrchnoc Chéin Mhic Cáinte" (The fair hill of Cian Mac Cáinte)
Personnel
- Aoife Ní FhearraighAoife Ní FhearraighAoife is an Irish singer and composer, born in Gweedore , northwest County Donegal. She performs Traditional Irish and New Age music, in the style of other musicians native to the Donegal area like Clannad, Moya Brennan, Enya and Altan...
- lead vocals - Máire Brennan - vocals
- Brídín BrennanBrídín BrennanBrídín Ní Bhraonáin , professionally known as Brídín Brennan, is an Irish pop singer from Dobhar , Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. She is the sister of Moya Brennan and Enya and has also toured with family-band Clannad.-Upbringing:...
- vocals - Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh - Male vocals on 'Cailín a' tSléibhe Ruaidh'
- Noel Eccles - percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
- Des Moore - acoustic guitars
- Anthony DrennanAnthony DrennanAnthony Drennan is an Irish guitarist noted for his involvement with Genesis, Mike + the Mechanics and The Corrs whom he has played with throughout most of his career. He was born in Luton, England, but moved back to Ireland at a young age. He has also played with Clannad, Paul Brady, Moving...
- Spanish and electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Mel Mercier - BodhránBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
- Máirtín O'Connor - accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
- Nollaig Ní Chathasaigh - fiddle and violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- John McSherryJohn McSherry (musician)John McSherry is an Irish musician who plays the Uilleann pipes and tin whistle. He is known for being a founding member of Lunasa and Coolfin and has performed on recordings by a number of well-known artists in Irish traditional music.-Biography:...
- uilleann pipesUilleann pipesThe uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
and low whistle - Joe Csibi - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Denis Woods - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...