Celtic Landscapes

Celtic Landscapes, a magical, mystical, musical, and original Heartland Sings production, combined mystical harmonies and the drones of bagpipes to transport audiences to the Emerald Isle. A variety of vocal music selections with traditional instruments of Celtic heritage took attendees on a journey to that mystical, nostalgic place in our hearts and minds evoked by the Celtic tradition. Familiar folk tunes, ballads, and drinking songs got audiences singing along!

Invocation

True to its title, this piece invokes, summons, or calls upon the land of Ireland for inspiration. Interestingly, Irish composer Michael McGlynn uses three languages in the piece: Irish, English, and Latin. The Irish and English texts are ancient and based on the writings of the pagan poet Amergin Glungel. The Latin is text one would find in a sacred choral piece. Together, the texts and ethereally layered voices invoke the land for inspiration.

Translation -

Irish:

• Ailiú iath nErenn -- I invoke the land of Ireland

English:

From the breeze on the mountain to the lake of deep blue
From the waterfall down to the sea
Never changing or ending on the voice of the wind
Sing the dark song of Éireann to me

Latin:

• Inspirat omnia - It inspires everything

• Vivificat omnia - It enlivens everything

• Superat omnia - It overcomes everything Suffulcit omnia It supports everything

Jigs:

This piece is a compilation of three Irish jigs: Swallowtail, Morrison’s Jig, and The Irish Washerwoman. Jigs are folk tunes and were always written for the purpose of dancing.

Swallowtail was written in the mid-19th Century. Its exact origin is unknown, however it is credited as an Irish tune. The name “swallowtail” comes from a man's coat that forks in the back like the tail of a swallow and moves briskly when dancing.

Morrison’s Jig is attributed to Maurice Carmody and named for the Irish fiddler who made the tune famous, James Morrison (1893-1947).

The Irish Washerwoman goes by many names, and started appearing in musical collections in the 1790s. It is probably the best known of the three jigs and continues to be widely performed in Ireland, Scotland, England, and the United States.

Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh

Originally attributed to Labhrás Mac Con Raoi - a boatman who ranged the coasts of Mayo and Galway in Ireland - Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh is a sean-nós (meaning “old way”) song from the early 19th Century. The singer is on the lookout for the beautiful girl, Sadhbh, with whom he wishes to elope. This arrangement adds harmony in the lower voices to represent the many men who were purported to have had a longing to meet this famed beauty! The rhythms of the bodhrán add impulse and excitement of surf and sound. The translation of the Irish is listed below.

Translation:

Chorus:

Oh, Sadhbh, Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh
Give me your hand, elope and come away with me!

Verses:

I’m the master of a large sailboat (hooker) on the way to Galway!
I’d wet nine sods of turf but would not take any sea water in.

The master of a hooker I’d never accept,
When the wind is favorable they are not inclined to stay.

Sadhbh is not wearing a stitch on her body,
Except an old little brown coat without bodice or sleeve.

When a fine day comes and the wind is from the sea,
I’ll take Sadhbh with me to the pier in Galway.

I’d swear nine times on Barrett’s book
That I’d never part with Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh

Courting Is a Pleasure

Found masquerading under a variety of names throughout the Irish tradition, such as ‘Farewell Ballymoney’ and ‘Going to Mass Last Sunday,’ Courting is a Pleasure is a song of false love, betrayal, and emigration.

Typically sung from the male perspective about a deceitful young woman named Molly, here we have altered it to a female, singing about her dear love Jonny. In this song the girl sings a tale of an unhappy courtship after being slighted by her sweetheart Jonny, she warns people to be wary of men with a roving eye. The song’s protagonist curses the man in question and leaves Ireland for America bidding farewell to her sweet town Ballymoney and Antrim County.

While the author remains unknown, the song itself is well-traveled and can be found in circulation in Ireland, Britain, and North America.

Dúlamán

Dúlamán is an Irish song from times when seaweed was gathered for various purposes and used as a defense against famine. Within it, there is a story. It details the discussion between “dúlamán gaelach” (a collector of seaweed for dying clothes) and “dúlamán maorach” (a collector of seaweed to be cooked and eaten). The latter wishes to marry the daughter of the former, and makes various arguments for this purpose, finally declaring that he will simply take her away. Although the arrangement performed today does not use the full text of the original folk song, the translation of the entire story is listed below. Translation:

Chorus:

Seaweed from the yellow cliff, Irish seaweed
Seaweed from the ocean, the best in all of Ireland

Verses:

Oh, gentle daughter, here come the wooing men
Oh, gentle daughter, but the wheels in motion for me

There is a yellow-gold head on the Irish seaweed
There are two blunt ears on the stately seaweed

Spotted shoes has the Irish seaweed
The stately seaweed has a beret and trousers

I would go to Derry with the Irish seaweed
“I would buy expensive shoes,” said the stately seaweed

I spent time telling her the story that I would buy a comb for her
The story she told back to me, that she is well-groomed

“What brings you?” asks the Irish seaweed “At courting with your daughter,” says the stately seaweed “You’re not taking my daughter,” says the Irish seaweed “Well, I’d take her with me,” says the stately seaweed

Orinoco Flow

Orinoco Flow is from Enya’s 1988 album entitled “Watermark.” She is the best-selling Irish solo artist of all time and is well-known for interweaving elements of Celtic music in her music. The text references locations around the globe, all of which are near water. This song is about finding freedom and escape in “sailing away” to those places.

The Parting Glass

A traditional Scottish song, The Parting Glass is a farewell often sung at the end of a gathering of friends. Its nostalgic melody reveals that this could even be a farewell at the end of life. The end of the song wishes the listener a fond farewell - “goodnight, and joy be with you all.”

Aisling

Developed in late 17th Century Irish literature, aislings are Irish language vision poems. Countless aisling poems have been written over the years, but they always center on the vision of Ireland appearing as a woman to the poet in a dream. Generally, aisling poems lament the state of the Irish people and predict their future revival of fortune. The aisling performed today was written by contemporary Irish composer Michael McGlynn for instruments only. You are invited to close your eyes while you listen to the lamenting melodic lines from the solo violin.

Saucy Sailor

Saucy Sailor is a traditional English folk song from Somerset that was first published in 1781. The song is pretty straightforward: a sailor proposes to a girl who turns up her nose at him because he is raggedy and foul-smelling. The sailor informs her that regardless of his appearance, he is rich. Hearing this, the gold digging girl changes her mind at which point the sailor turns the tables on her saying he is no longer interested and will find another girl. Today’s arrangement was inspired by Canadian folk trio The Wailin’ Jennys.

Mairi’s Wedding

Mairi’s Wedding is a Scottish folk song written for Mary C. MacNiven, a Gaelic singer, after she won the National Mòd, which is an annual festival of Gaelic culture in Scotland. The song was written in 1934 by John Roderick Bannerman who had attended the National Mòd that year and was so impressed by Mary’s voice that he wrote a song to honor her. The song references a wedding but originally it was written just to honor Mary.

Mo Ghile Mear

Written by the 18th Century poet Seán Clárach Mac Dómhnaill, Mo Ghile Mear is a traditional allegorical song - similar to the Gaelic poetic form of the aisling (see “Aisling” above) - in which the poet laments the departure of Prince Charles Edward Stuart or “Bonnie Prince Charlie”. In the poem, Ireland is personified as a woman who was once a fair maiden but has now lost her love. Her husband is not dead but far away, and as a consequence, the land is failing and nature itself is in decline. The translation of the Irish is listed below.

Translation

Chorus:

He is my hero, my dashing darling
He is my Caesar, dashing darling.
I’ve had no rest from forebodings
Since he went far away my darling.

Verses:

For a while I was a gentle maiden
And now a spent worn-out widow
My spouse ploughing the waves strongly
Over the hills and far away.

The cuckoo sings not pleasantly at noon
And the sound of hounds is not heard in the nut woods,
Nor summer morning in misty glen
Since he went away from me, my lively boy.

Noble, proud young horseman
Warrior unsaddened, of most pleasant countenance

A swift-moving hand, quick in flight,
Slaying the enemy and smiting the strong.

Let a strain be played on musical harps
And let many quarts be filled
With high spirit without fault or mist
For life and health to toast my lion.

Dashing darling for a while under sorrow
And all Ireland under black cloaks
Rest or pleasure I did not get
Since he went far away my dashing darling.

Shivna

Shivna is a song from the Irish theatrical show Riverdance. The title “Shivna” is the phonetic spelling of the Old Irish pronunciation for “Suibhne” which means “Sweeney.” Composer Bill Whelan found the poem “Suibhne Geilt” (“Mad Sweeney”) in a collection of medieval Irish poetry. It dates from the 12th Century and tells the story of Sweeney who was cursed by a bishop for his perceived wrongdoings to roam amongst the treetops in the company of an old hag, which is a common character in Celtic folklore. The poem itself is very long, and the composer selected certain stanzas for their rhythmic qualities. Thus, the translation is not straightforward and at times does not make much sense. You will find a loose translation of the Irish below.

Translation

O little stag, thou little bleating one;
O melodious little clamourer,
Sweet to us is the music
Thou makest in the glen.

O little blackthorn, little thorny one,
O miner of the pathway.
O briar, little arched one,
O hag, O round-headed one,
Wilt thou go on a steed?

I am Sweeney, a poor supplicant
Swiftly do I race across the glen;
That is not my lawful name,
Rather it is Horned Man.

Roundtable Rival

Roundtable Rival is from American rock violinist Lindsey Stirling’s 2014 album entitled Shatter Me. Stirling is well-known for blending many styles in her music including: classical, pop, rock, and electronic dance music. It is evident that her music is heavily influenced by the Celtic style as well. Listen for similarities between this piece and traditional Celtic music: a strong dance beat in 4 (also known as a Scottish or Irish reel), perpetually fast rhythms with many melodic leaps, ornamentation like cuts and slides, and minimal vibrato with aggressive bowing from the violin.

Wild Mountain Thyme

Wild Mountain Thyme is a Scottish folk song from the 1950s that speaks of the coming summertime and invites the listener to journey with the singers to “pull wild mountain thyme.” It is a variant of the much older song entitled The Braes of Balquhither from the early 19th Century. The arrangement performed today was inspired by an April 2024 live performance from the Kennedy Center with artists Jacob Collier, Laufey, and Dodie. We hope you will join in singing with us heartily when prompted about two-thirds of the way through the song.

Into the West

From The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, this song was made popular by Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. In 2004, it won Academy, Golden Globe, and Grammy awards. The song takes on themes of rest after a long journey, transitioning peacefully into death, and longing and questioning for those left behind.

Simple Benediction

The history of Irish benedictions (blessings) dates back to ancient Celtic times. The Celts were a pagan people who worshiped nature and had a rich tradition of oral storytelling and poetry. As Christianity spread throughout Ireland, many of the old pagan traditions were incorporated into the new religion. The Celtic love of poetry and storytelling was embraced by the Christian monks who began to write down and preserve these ancient blessings. This Simple Benediction comes from the Switchback’s album Hibernian Mass. The term “Hibernian” relates to Ireland or the Irish. Although an American duo, Switchback’s music is heavily influenced by their training with Terence Teahan, master of old country techniques of Irish musical entertainment. In the tradition of Celtic blessings, this piece asks God to “lighten our trials, guide us, protect us, and see us safely home.”

--Program notes written by Natalie Young.

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SOURCES: Scores of the following pieces: Sadhbh Ní Bhruinneallaigh, Dúlamán, Mo Ghile Mear, Courting Is a Pleasure, Shivna

“A Song About Seaweed or Nuances in Developing Traditional Irish Texts”, https://www.waysofinspiration.com/engl/2014/12/10/a-song-about-seaweed-or-nuances-in -developing-traditional-irish-texts

“The Saucy Sailor”, https://fictionpredilection.weebly.com/blog/the-saucy-sailor

“Mo Ghile Mear - Irish Myth & Melody”, https://howlinginfinite.com/2017/07/20/mo-ghile-mear-in-irish-myth-and-melody/

“The History of Irish Blessings and Why They’re so Popular around the World”, https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/history-irish-blessings