@@mysticfox1663YES...saw her in the mid 90s and I have been to HUNDREDS of concerts and no one comes close to her voice live..she is a force of power and majesty. What a voice and WHAT a live experience.
A sublime voice, accompanied by mysterious instruments for ordinary mortals like me. A voice that allows us to believe that there is still beauty in this world, despite the horrors we are witnessing these days.
Anything Loreena McKennitt does is magical. I am so happy you included her on your channel! Edit: I was surprised that you hadn't heard of her, but I am from Canada and perhaps that is why I have been exposed to her music (as she is Canadian). In any case, never too late to find new music to love!!!
Dubs Fehr actually, I have to ask because I’m curious: how well-known is she in Canada? I know folk isn’t that popular but every country has non-mainstream performers that actually resurface every now and then?
I got to see her at the Calgary Folk Festival and she is one amazing lady. I have loved her music since I was a teenager and to this day and I am in my 40s. Lol I have had to buy the album The Visit a few times.
@@MrDrus she's quite well known if you're into the New Age, Folk, World music scene. If all one listens to is Top 40 pop, then sadly she would go unnoticed! I live about a 1/2 hour from where Loreena resides, but I think more 'young' people know Justin Bieber than her (both from Stratford).
Great choice!! In addition to Mateusz’s great comment about Loreena’s background, I’ll add that Loreena considers her music to be like a kind of “travel writing”, with tons of research. After her first couple more traditional-sounding Irish/Celtic albums, she learned that the Celts expanded beyond mainland Europe and went into the Middle East and beyond. She saw that as a “creative springboard” and traveled the world to find more musical influences. That’s why her music incorporates more and more Middle Eastern sounds in later albums. She does a TON of historical research and reading for each project, which truly adds a ton of depth to the already beautiful music. So whether she’s singing a new composition in an Eastern or more traditionally Western style, adapting an ancient melody or poem, or even putting Shakespeare himself to song, you can be sure that she did a heck of a lot of research to make sure what you’re hearing is authentic. I also love how that research makes her music so eclectic. You’ve got Arabic rhythms, heartbreaking piano ballads, atmospheric and ambient vocals, Irish traditions, and so much more, with both original lyrics and melodies, and age-old poems and traditional melodies. She’s incredible. I’d highly recommend you check out “Dante’s Prayer” for another great piano ballad, “The Gates of Istanbul” and “Marrakesh Night Market” for some of her Middle Eastern side, “Cymbeline” for her atmospheric ambient side (with Shakespeare no less), and “Courtyard Lullaby” for a beautiful ballad that’s definitely more traditionally Western/what one would expect “Celtic” music to be. She also plays piano, harp, and accordion, so there’s plenty to explore!
@@kentclark6420 Yes it's strange she's not more well known because she has such an impressive repertoire. I couldn't remember how I'd first heard of her because back in the day there wasn't so much technology available. Then I had a flashback to seeing her CD The Mask and Mirror in a music shop and only bought it because I liked the cover design. I'm in the UK so it's pure chance I came across her all that time ago. It's good to see a reaction to her.
@@kentclark6420 No I haven't but I'd love to see her live. Have you? I did hear recently that she won't be touring so much now. How true that is I don't know.
Loreena writes the songs, composes the music and produces it all herself, Her personal recording label is "Quinlan Road" in Ontario Canada. Multi talented, world renowned and a beautiful person. Every Christmas Loreena's music sales skyrocket, every year. I believe she was the first to be referred to as the voice of mother nature. Her band members stayed with her through her career and will tell you nobody treats hired musicians better than Loreena does. Her fans equate meeting her to a religious experience and she always had time for them. Canada's treasure. Not bad for a Manitoba farm girl that originally wanted to be a veterinarian eh.
Another person with my surname. BTW Loreena has been one of my favorite singers for a long while, so I made Loreena one of my daughters middle names. Amy Lee and Younha are other singers I like.
My mom has had me listen to this singer since I was a few year old.. I’m 35 now and still listening to her. Now I have my baby listening to her. Full circle.
Here’s your resident Wikipedia guy: Firstly, despite the stereotype Scottish know each other and are one big family, you’d be excused since Loreena is a Canadian multiinstrumentalist. She actually started with more classic folk repertoire (including some standards like Carrighfergus or Bonny Portmore) and her own compositions, then expanded to adapting beyond traditional folk (Bonny Swans) and finally started to include more of what you’d called world music (with the pinnacle being The Mask and The Mirror and An Ancient Muse albums). I think the most beautiful about her music - besides her voice that sounds as if someone stuck a diamond in her throat - is what you pointed out: the intimacy and the will to bring forth the old world without sacrificing anything she’s got in her arsenal. From the perspective of someone who was lucky enough to attend her concert: regardless of how grandiose the stage might be, she makes it more of an intimate concert with anecdotes and stories intertwined with songs rather than ‘ok, we’re done with this, let’s move on to another’. It’s really sad that the quality of this song is not at its best (couldn’t find any better on RUclips that would be live with a video) but I’m grateful you looked past that. So... thank you, I think? Nah, of course thank you, Sam. This is a balsam for the soul.
Mateusz Kowalski Perfect comment! Only thing I’d add is that Loreena considers her music to be like a kind of “travel writing”, with tons of research. After her first couple more traditional-sounding Irish/Celtic albums, she learned that the Celts expanded beyond mainland Europe and went into the Middle East and beyond. She saw that as a “creative springboard” and traveled the world to find more musical influences. That’s why her music incorporates more and more Middle Eastern sounds in later albums. She does a TON of historical research and reading for each project, which truly adds a ton of depth to the already beautiful music. So whether she’s singing a new composition in an Eastern or more traditionally Western style, adapting an ancient melody or poem, or even putting Shakespeare himself to song, you can be sure that she did a heck of a lot of research to make sure what you’re hearing is authentic. I also love how that research makes her music so eclectic. You’ve got Arabic rhythms, heartbreaking piano ballads, atmospheric and ambient vocals, Irish traditions, and so much more, with both original lyrics and melodies, and age-old poems and traditional melodies. She’s incredible.
Mateusz Kowalski My pleasure! Also left a main comment on the video saying the same thing. And I really love how you described her as “bring(ing) forth the old world”. That’s such a great way of putting it!!
She doesn't only do music that sounds Celtic etc. She is Canadian but also a world traveler and her music is influenced by many countries, poems , writings etc.. My dance with my husband at our wedding was her " Dark Night of the Soul" which was actually taken from a prayer.
Her voice is ethereal and transcends time. Loreena McKennitt truly a gem! I had the joy of seeing her in concert once by total chance and I've never seen another concert to top it.
Have been listening to this lady since her first album "Elemental". So ethereal, straight out a fantasy novel, the voice of an Angel, are a few ways to describe this amazing lady. You can't go wrong with anything she does. Give yourself a magical journey by listening to more of her music.
Elemental seemed like such a different style, more traditional maybe. Or mainstream. I haven't heard all of her records, but I had just started listening to records like The Visit, Parallel Dreams, The Mask and Mirror, and the Book of Secrets, when I heard Elemental, so I was used to her other works. I really like Dicken's Dublin, though.
Loreena was born in Morden, Manitoba, Canada, and currently resides in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, about 1/2 hour from my home. She is absolutely magnificent! Started listening to her in the mid-90's, after her release of The Mummer's Dance (great song). She has so many beautiful tunes, both traditional songs and her own compositions. Effortlessly blends Celtic and Middle Eastern influences, sounds and instrumentation. Her voice is ethereal! I highly suggest The Mystic's Dream (my favourite), Stolen Child, Caravanserai, Bonny Portmore (all of these can be found from this same concert - Nights From The Alhambra, from 2007 - magnificent performance, from all!) Glad you found her! You won't regret hearing more from Loreena!
Much of the folk music in the eastern Maritime provinces of Canada is derived from the Irish and Scottish settlers of that area. A lot of fiddle bands and step dancing.
There really is no artist like Loreena that I can even compare her with and I've followed her career for 2 decades. She's Canadian and writes all her own music except for those that she covers like the O'Neills Irish library that everyone covers. I've seen her three times live and she's amazing. Highway Man, is good same with Book of Secrets album - all her albums are amazing. She has her own record label too. She's professional, talented and just one of the best in her genre.
Again a very unusual pick, exciting! Many thx for the interesting analysis and for bringing Loreena back to my mind, I discovered her over 30 years ago and I really forgot her over the last decade, shame on me. I just went to my CD-collection and picked her CDs for hearing!
@Sam Scott-Thorne: Session Singer & Vocal Coach BTW, do you know Mary Black? If not you should also react to this, another outstanding Celtic woman of this era ---> ruclips.net/video/XvABIMOkaGQ/видео.html Have a nice time!
When times get hard some artists are there to help smooth the ripples in the journey of life and Loreena is one of those special people who can lighten the load. Such an amazing artist. Her songs stand the test of time and still weave their magic. I'd love to see her live. Thank you for the reaction much appreciated 💞
Loreena McKennitt is a blooming marvel, with a great body of work for you to explore. I predict that you will be listening to more of her. I've been a fan of hers for years, and really enjoyed your positive reaction.
I have been obsessed with her since 1996, and had the privledge of seeing them perform in NYC once. For those of us who are classically trained but LOVE folk music, she is our patron goddess!
Loreena's from Canada, but one of her parents was Irish, the other Scottish, and between that and her travels through the world, she was deeply influenced by Celtic Folk and actually middle eastern music (the latter isn't so much on this particular song, some tend to lean more towards one or the other, but there are some excellent blends of the two in her musical repertoire like the song The Mystic's Dream.) I highly recommend listening to a Clannad song, Moya has some amazing live vocals, in Irish and in English (occasionally Scottish or various Native American Languages, sometimes Latin too, will show up too, depending on the song).
Thank you for this Sam!❤ I love her so much and for so many years! One of my favourite songs of hers is the Highwayman! Her most well known I guess is Marrakesh Night Market. She is an amazing artist! Thank you for this reaction!🌷
You really MUST listen to her 'Bonny Portmore (song used during the credits of Highlander ) her live version is ALMOST as good as the recorded version...my other recommended song of hers is 'Courtyard Lullaby' which was the first song I ever heard of hers, some years ago...it had me literally transfixed ! I've not been able to find a live version to watch on here, but trust me, it's well worth the time just listening to it :)
@@MrDrus I perhaps used the wrong wording there...and I do agree with you mostly, as her live version is WONDERFUL....obviously....but for me personally, I feel the recorded version is somehow...hmmm....'fuller ? more instruments and the sound of bagpipes at the start for example...I'll always remember Highlander finishing (on my TV) and this incredibly beautiful song started playing as the credits rolled....first my ears were riveted and then my eyes were scanning the credits like crazy - waiting to see if it WAS Loreena...then dashing to my computer to find it on youtube....there wasn't a live version back then so it's the recorded one that caught & held me more :)
@@MrDrus the live performances are always just a tiny bit different than the recordings, whether it be slight tempo changes or emphasis on different instruments, but that in no way takes away from the beauty of it.
OMG Im SO HAPPY you reacted to her... One of my favorite singers and this song in particular made me cry so many times, im glad this was the pick. And she's a canadian, world music artist focused on celtic traditional songs, of scottish and irish ascendance E, ao brasileiro que sugeriu essa música: brigadoooooo
I've listened to this woman since 2008. There is something about her music that is so transcendental; you can hear and feel the humaneness in every song and the spirit of that just strikes a chord; how it encapsulates the beauty, dignity, grace, and nobility of humanity. Ect. regarding other virtues...
I saw her for the first time on Monday, they played this but without the percussion, it was fantastic, i'd waited 20 years to see her, dream come true!
More Loreena McKennitt reactions please. Her voice is best I’ve heard this far. It’s pure joy and magic listening her live and I had that chance. Good Lord, what a voice ❤️❤️❤️❤️
She is a Canadian singer who got her start in Winnipeg, but this is an original song of hers. She wrote it after a visit in the 1980s to County Claire, Ireland where she saw the Old Ways of life...the slower pace being replaced with our more modern fast paced one.
I've listened to her for over 20 years. She's like flying with a swallow, up down, left and right, seemingly "off" but with the focus of a laser. She's rarer than Tanzanite. You have articulated what I've felt for years. "That's cool!" Isn't it? :) She has the control of a red bull pilot with the grace of a passenger jet veteran. Swallows, according to me as a kid were "crazy flyers" as they looked like they were barely in control but they flew better than all birds where I live. I have a sport drone so I thought I could compare, I COULDN'T. "Like a bird in it's cage..." I was grounded. Music, math, and language, it's all the same. She's a rarity of which I love.
I love Loreena's music. I have all of her records. I am a big fan of Celtic folk with a twist of new age Enya vibes. She creates a very dark romantic haunting old world Celtic folk soundscape. Loreena is also a very good harpist. Loved it SS-T!
I’m 67, don’t sing, won’t sing (not even in church) I can’t carry a tune. This guys is a vocal coach…he can’t touch her. I have been listening to her since the 80s. She is the best and most talented.
Your mention of the gentle waves in the middle ties into my feeling that this song's feeling is an ocean journey. From the breaking waves on the shore at the start of the song, to the gentle waves in the middle of the journey, to the breaking waves at the shores of the destination.
my favourite singer along with Floor Jansen been a fan of Loreena for a long time you should watch that entire concert Live from the Alhambra outstanding show pity more folk have never heard of her she is something special.
I have been a huge fan of her music since I was first introduced to her craft back in 1995. The Visit was the album and her voice is ethereal. She does a lot of Celtic material. A lot if not most of her music is a story written in the medieval European period.
Canada's Uncrowned Jewel!!! She is the most authentic musician I have ever heard. She researches everything she writes and puts immense time and effort into every production. I won't even talk about her voice because words just don't exist to describe it - a gift from God. I've seen her twice in concert and was just enthralled the whole time. She is also entirely self-promoted and has kept control over her career, including a tremendous amount of work for her community and for those who served their country. And to think that she once retired after only her fourth album! Thank you for coming back, Loreena!
Surprised never heard of her. She is the Celtic Quenn 😁 I had the chance of listen hear live at 2019 and it was amazing. So stunning. She has the magic of taking souls to trip of her imagination. Perfect. Just perfect. ❤️
My favorite among- well, all her songs! Thank you for your reaction and expressing the complexities of this number. I hope you get to hear her live while you can. Just saw her in October of 2022. Her vocals and poetic lyrics bring tears to my eyes till today since she did years ago. Also thank you for mentioning the talent of her flawless band! Would love to hear more reactions of her.
I saw her at Massey Hall in Toronto about a year ago. It was the 30th anniversary of The Visit which has this song (and many other great ones!) on it. I went at the last minute by myself and it was a great decision as it was a fantastic show & 2nd row! No wonder she has The Order of Canada.
Loreena is incredible. I've been listening to her for 30 years and just saw her for the 8th time last week (Massey Hall, Toronto). Outstanding as always, along with her main musicians who are usually with her. This song, "The Old Ways" is perfect to listen to should you find yourself overlooking the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Ireland. I've done it and a more fitting song would be hard to come by.
My English teacher (in Romania, in 1997) introduced us to English poetry by playing some of Loreena's songs in the classroom. I remember when he played us "The Lady of Shallot" and each of us had several verses to translate into Romanian. :)
6:56 Exactly. The “set” of this song is the sea so they use the melody and the tone to give the pice that emotion. Loreena and her team are such an amazing musicians.
I first heard her when I was in 7th grade. My English teacher made us read The Highwayman poem by Alfred Noyes, then told us to visualize the poem with Loreena Mckennitts adaptation. I was entranced. But kinda forgot about it until I went to the discovery store in a mall and they had The Mummers Dance playing and I recognized the voice and style and I begged my mother to buy the cd. I've been hooked ever since. (I'm 37 now) She has a sad story though. She lost her husband in a boating accident, his body never recovered and she swore off music for years. Luckily she came back and I've seen her in an orchestra at the Greek in LA and in a small intimate theater, 6 rows (I was 2nd from stage!) as a duo with a cellist in SF where she story told as much as she sung. Both settings were beautiful.
Once she performed Oh Holy Night at Carnegie Hall with Sarah McLachlan, Andrea Corr, Hayley Westenra... (check it out! - ruclips.net/video/wVcuMpQzSS0/видео.html) Her voice (live) feels like a sword from a distant place thrown into your heart. Comparisons are sometimes incomplete and unfair, but watching that performance I did realize how difficult will be to find another artist who makes me feel this way!
PageMonster also unprecedented for them to go full Kelly Family in the first 2 minutes and then flip over to Irish folk. And not making it sound as annoying as My Walden :P
PageMonster no judgment here! Personally, I don’t like that piece cause it’s too sugar-coated for me but, at the same time, I love Edema Ruh, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 😂
Just in a sentence of her, you can apreciate a lot of enuances and to see all the colours of the rainbow. She have the control, so naturally. To hear Loreena for first time, can change all your previous concepts about music and feelings. Good work👍🏽
The only thing on my bucket list was seeing her in person. I finally got to do it a few years ago. Sigh. I first heard of her on a Celtic music program in about 1997 (Lady of Shallot). I immediately went out and bought everything I could find by her on CD. Looooooovvvvveeee.
I absolutely love Loreena and all her compositions really transport me. I will say that sometimes the twanginess up there does grate for me, and she gets a little shouty sometimes, but that feels like a personal taste thing and I definitely can handle it when in the right mood. But you're the first person I ever heard reference it before and I'd always felt it but never had the words for it--leave it to a vocal coach.
Good choice Sam! Loreena is a Canadian prairie girl from Morden, Manitoba. You have to listen to all of her CDs, they all sound this good! Next review her rendition of "Bonny Portmore" which was used at the end of Highlander Two. It will transfix you and I'm not kidding! "The Lady of Shallot" is another song she does that is just as great. Since you are a Scot and a Celt, don't deprive yourself of this great artist! 😎
So glad I just found this channel. And glad you found Loreena! I love her voice and how she blends instruments from all over the world and mixes the sounds of different cultures to create her own music. The music is simply gorgeous!
Loreena McKennitt has a rather strange following. If you look up one of her you tube songs you will find comments in many languages and even alphabets. To my knowledge she has only one song that made to hit level that being Mummer's Dance but she has also done some movie backgrounds like Highlander and Jade and some TV. She also takes poems like Tennison's Lady of Shallotte and others and puts them to music. She lives near Stratford Ontario. Her music typically has not a deep following but incredibly wide spread and she can sell out very large venues from Rio to Istanbul to Warsaw. For an oddity she is also an honorary coronel in the Canadian Air force
I am no voice expert, but to me she is "singing" the note, has no problem reaching it, and is not yelling the note, or going other places to compensate for losing it. An example was the late Whintney Houston, dont get me wrong, indeed a very good singer, but she erked me because to me she began rolling the note alot to keep it, and when going really high, she sounded like to me she was yelling or straining to hit it. To me Loreena is like you said, clean, and abosolutley no strain at all. To me its what makes her more a worldly singer, instead of just a pop star. I say this with all due respect to other musicians, but very few people can compose songs and music, then sing them like her, she is in a league of her own, and they have a long way to go to catch up....Also, Loreena has an Irish descent, and has for years been studying Celtic history, which she calls her jurney, and has inspired her music. It is also why there is a middle eastern blend with it, the Celts descended from there....
Wonderful to see a reaction on Loreena. I was there in The amazing palace of the Alhambra when she performed there in sep. 2006. Shes my favorite artist and I have listened to her since early 90-tees.
I would love to hear your response to the vocal and lyrical content of A Passion Play by Jethro Tull (1973). The music is amazing behind the lyrics and in the instrumental sections. Ian Anderson was at its peak. It was written as a four scene play about the death of a young actor and the review of his life on side one.Then is the intermission entertainment- The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles - then the 3rd and 4th acts on side two deal with what happens in the afterlife. It is worth listening to this album many times to appreciate the musicianship and the story of the song! Happy listening and I really want to hear what you think of Ian’s voice.
![MISSING: SLIM SHADY [Expanded Mourner’s Edition Trailer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xh8qgHrOO1g/mqdefault.jpg)
She is my favorite female singer ever! She has the most pure clear voice, even in her 60s.
She’s great
I didn’t realise she was in her 60’s though
Went to her concert last month. And the recordings can't compare to how powerful her voice is live.
@@mysticfox1663YES...saw her in the mid 90s and I have been to HUNDREDS of concerts and no one comes close to her voice live..she is a force of power and majesty. What a voice and WHAT a live experience.
She is magical live.
Loreena is just a Canadian goddess saving the world one sweet song at a time. Her band is made up of the super talented. Check out anything from her.
A sublime voice, accompanied by mysterious instruments for ordinary mortals like me.
A voice that allows us to believe that there is still beauty in this world, despite the horrors we are witnessing these days.
Anything Loreena McKennitt does is magical. I am so happy you included her on your channel!
Edit: I was surprised that you hadn't heard of her, but I am from Canada and perhaps that is why I have been exposed to her music (as she is Canadian). In any case, never too late to find new music to love!!!
Dubs Fehr actually, I have to ask because I’m curious: how well-known is she in Canada? I know folk isn’t that popular but every country has non-mainstream performers that actually resurface every now and then?
It's been so many years that I almost forgot about Loreena. Loved her songs when i was a kid.
I got to see her at the Calgary Folk Festival and she is one amazing lady. I have loved her music since I was a teenager and to this day and I am in my 40s. Lol I have had to buy the album The Visit a few times.
@@MrDrus she's quite well known if you're into the New Age, Folk, World music scene. If all one listens to is Top 40 pop, then sadly she would go unnoticed! I live about a 1/2 hour from where Loreena resides, but I think more 'young' people know Justin Bieber than her (both from Stratford).
Great choice!! In addition to Mateusz’s great comment about Loreena’s background, I’ll add that Loreena considers her music to be like a kind of “travel writing”, with tons of research. After her first couple more traditional-sounding Irish/Celtic albums, she learned that the Celts expanded beyond mainland Europe and went into the Middle East and beyond. She saw that as a “creative springboard” and traveled the world to find more musical influences. That’s why her music incorporates more and more Middle Eastern sounds in later albums.
She does a TON of historical research and reading for each project, which truly adds a ton of depth to the already beautiful music. So whether she’s singing a new composition in an Eastern or more traditionally Western style, adapting an ancient melody or poem, or even putting Shakespeare himself to song, you can be sure that she did a heck of a lot of research to make sure what you’re hearing is authentic. I also love how that research makes her music so eclectic. You’ve got Arabic rhythms, heartbreaking piano ballads, atmospheric and ambient vocals, Irish traditions, and so much more, with both original lyrics and melodies, and age-old poems and traditional melodies. She’s incredible.
I’d highly recommend you check out “Dante’s Prayer” for another great piano ballad, “The Gates of Istanbul” and “Marrakesh Night Market” for some of her Middle Eastern side, “Cymbeline” for her atmospheric ambient side (with Shakespeare no less), and “Courtyard Lullaby” for a beautiful ballad that’s definitely more traditionally Western/what one would expect “Celtic” music to be. She also plays piano, harp, and accordion, so there’s plenty to explore!
I think Loreena is one of the most underrated singers. Everybody has heard of Joni Mitchell, but Loreena is an unknown. It's insane!
Totally agree. I've listened to Loreena for over 25 years and still admire her voice, music and her kindness and sweet nature. Such a talented lady.
Well, she's not unknown. I exaggerated a little. But still not super well known, either.
@@kentclark6420 Yes it's strange she's not more well known because she has such an impressive repertoire. I couldn't remember how I'd first heard of her because back in the day there wasn't so much technology available. Then I had a flashback to seeing her CD The Mask and Mirror in a music shop and only bought it because I liked the cover design. I'm in the UK so it's pure chance I came across her all that time ago. It's good to see a reaction to her.
@@maggied8468 Have you seen her live concert videos? Beautiful and classy! What a voice! I like her album 'the Visit' the most.
@@kentclark6420 No I haven't but I'd love to see her live. Have you? I did hear recently that she won't be touring so much now. How true that is I don't know.
Loreena writes the songs, composes the music and produces it all herself, Her personal recording label is "Quinlan Road" in Ontario Canada. Multi talented, world renowned and a beautiful person.
Every Christmas Loreena's music sales skyrocket, every year. I believe she was the first to be referred to as the voice of mother nature. Her band members stayed with her through her career and will tell you nobody treats hired musicians better than Loreena does. Her fans equate meeting her to a religious experience and she always had time for them. Canada's treasure. Not bad for a Manitoba farm girl that originally wanted to be a veterinarian eh.
Another person with my surname. BTW Loreena has been one of my favorite singers for a long while, so I made Loreena one of my daughters middle names. Amy Lee and Younha are other singers I like.
You can't go wrong with Loreena, she's an amazing artist!
My mom has had me listen to this singer since I was a few year old.. I’m 35 now and still listening to her. Now I have my baby listening to her. Full circle.
Here’s your resident Wikipedia guy:
Firstly, despite the stereotype Scottish know each other and are one big family, you’d be excused since Loreena is a Canadian multiinstrumentalist. She actually started with more classic folk repertoire (including some standards like Carrighfergus or Bonny Portmore) and her own compositions, then expanded to adapting beyond traditional folk (Bonny Swans) and finally started to include more of what you’d called world music (with the pinnacle being The Mask and The Mirror and An Ancient Muse albums).
I think the most beautiful about her music - besides her voice that sounds as if someone stuck a diamond in her throat - is what you pointed out: the intimacy and the will to bring forth the old world without sacrificing anything she’s got in her arsenal. From the perspective of someone who was lucky enough to attend her concert: regardless of how grandiose the stage might be, she makes it more of an intimate concert with anecdotes and stories intertwined with songs rather than ‘ok, we’re done with this, let’s move on to another’.
It’s really sad that the quality of this song is not at its best (couldn’t find any better on RUclips that would be live with a video) but I’m grateful you looked past that. So... thank you, I think? Nah, of course thank you, Sam. This is a balsam for the soul.
Mateusz Kowalski Perfect comment! Only thing I’d add is that Loreena considers her music to be like a kind of “travel writing”, with tons of research. After her first couple more traditional-sounding Irish/Celtic albums, she learned that the Celts expanded beyond mainland Europe and went into the Middle East and beyond. She saw that as a “creative springboard” and traveled the world to find more musical influences. That’s why her music incorporates more and more Middle Eastern sounds in later albums.
She does a TON of historical research and reading for each project, which truly adds a ton of depth to the already beautiful music. So whether she’s singing a new composition in an Eastern or more traditionally Western style, adapting an ancient melody or poem, or even putting Shakespeare himself to song, you can be sure that she did a heck of a lot of research to make sure what you’re hearing is authentic. I also love how that research makes her music so eclectic. You’ve got Arabic rhythms, heartbreaking piano ballads, atmospheric and ambient vocals, Irish traditions, and so much more, with both original lyrics and melodies, and age-old poems and traditional melodies. She’s incredible.
rpvee THIS I wanted to be concise so I didn’t elaborate on this but thank you for pointing this out!
Mateusz Kowalski My pleasure! Also left a main comment on the video saying the same thing. And I really love how you described her as “bring(ing) forth the old world”. That’s such a great way of putting it!!
I was thinking of her like she brings golden eggs from her mouth!
my absolute favorites of hers are "The LAdy of Shallott" and "The Highwayman" for some reason they hit home every time
I love this piece the most❤
Mine too! And her version of The Holly and the Ivy. It’s so mysterious and dark!❤
My two favorites as well.
She doesn't only do music that sounds Celtic etc. She is Canadian but also a world traveler and her music is influenced by many countries, poems , writings etc.. My dance with my husband at our wedding was her " Dark Night of the Soul" which was actually taken from a prayer.
I think Loreena is one of the most underrated singers. Everybody has heard of Joni Mitchell, but Loreena is an unknown. It's insane!
Seen her live in 1994. She was amazing. The Two Trees is a great song from her.
OMG, you are a vocal coach and haven’t heard of Loreena..... back under your rock!
It's probably more a generational thing.
@@kentclark6420 yeah, he probably knows Justin Bieber better......
@@erwinamesz7642 Could you imagine Justin Bieber singing The Lady of Shalott?
@@kentclark6420 I’m gonna crawl under a rock and die slowly while having your comment as last thought……….
@@kentclark6420 no thx😂
Her voice is ethereal and transcends time. Loreena McKennitt truly a gem! I had the joy of seeing her in concert once by total chance and I've never seen another concert to top it.
Have been listening to this lady since her first album "Elemental". So ethereal, straight out a fantasy novel, the voice of an Angel, are a few ways to describe this amazing lady. You can't go wrong with anything she does. Give yourself a magical journey by listening to more of her music.
Elemental seemed like such a different style, more traditional maybe. Or mainstream. I haven't heard all of her records, but I had just started listening to records like The Visit, Parallel Dreams, The Mask and Mirror, and the Book of Secrets, when I heard Elemental, so I was used to her other works. I really like Dicken's Dublin, though.
Loreena was born in Morden, Manitoba, Canada, and currently resides in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, about 1/2 hour from my home. She is absolutely magnificent! Started listening to her in the mid-90's, after her release of The Mummer's Dance (great song). She has so many beautiful tunes, both traditional songs and her own compositions. Effortlessly blends Celtic and Middle Eastern influences, sounds and instrumentation.
Her voice is ethereal! I highly suggest The Mystic's Dream (my favourite), Stolen Child, Caravanserai, Bonny Portmore (all of these can be found from this same concert - Nights From The Alhambra, from 2007 - magnificent performance, from all!)
Glad you found her! You won't regret hearing more from Loreena!
Have you ever had the opportunity to meet her in passing in Stratford?
Recently saw her in concert here in the US. She and her fellow musicians were incredible. I agree with all of your recommendations. They're wonderful.
Her voice and her songs helped me fight my cancer.
Much of the folk music in the eastern Maritime provinces of Canada is derived from the Irish and Scottish settlers of that area. A lot of fiddle bands and step dancing.
There really is no artist like Loreena that I can even compare her with and I've followed her career for 2 decades. She's Canadian and writes all her own music except for those that she covers like the O'Neills Irish library that everyone covers. I've seen her three times live and she's amazing. Highway Man, is good same with Book of Secrets album - all her albums are amazing. She has her own record label too.
She's professional, talented and just one of the best in her genre.
Loreena is an artist you HAVE to watch live. She will transport you to a sacred place during that live experience...I promise you.
Again a very unusual pick, exciting! Many thx for the interesting analysis and for bringing Loreena back to my mind, I discovered her over 30 years ago and I really forgot her over the last decade, shame on me. I just went to my CD-collection and picked her CDs for hearing!
@Sam Scott-Thorne: Session Singer & Vocal Coach BTW, do you know Mary Black? If not you should also react to this, another outstanding Celtic woman of this era ---> ruclips.net/video/XvABIMOkaGQ/видео.html
Have a nice time!
When times get hard some artists are there to help smooth the ripples in the journey of life and Loreena is one of those special people who can lighten the load. Such an amazing artist. Her songs stand the test of time and still weave their magic. I'd love to see her live. Thank you for the reaction much appreciated 💞
Her Live in Paris and Toronto album is one of my all-time favorites. The whole thing is absolutely gorgeous. Definitely check it out.
That one was my favourite until the Royal Albert Hall double album of a few years ago.
Loreena McKennitt is a blooming marvel, with a great body of work for you to explore. I predict that you will be listening to more of her. I've been a fan of hers for years, and really enjoyed your positive reaction.
I have been obsessed with her since 1996, and had the privledge of seeing them perform in NYC once. For those of us who are classically trained but LOVE folk music, she is our patron goddess!
Her voice is absolutely ethereal... just stunningly beautiful.
her voice and her music is what angels sound like...glorious...
Loreena on vocals/piano and Caroline Lavelle on cello is a match made in heaven. Two musical goddesses.
I have that CD, bought it in my teens, this woman is out of this world. Incredible Talent.
Loreena's from Canada, but one of her parents was Irish, the other Scottish, and between that and her travels through the world, she was deeply influenced by Celtic Folk and actually middle eastern music (the latter isn't so much on this particular song, some tend to lean more towards one or the other, but there are some excellent blends of the two in her musical repertoire like the song The Mystic's Dream.)
I highly recommend listening to a Clannad song, Moya has some amazing live vocals, in Irish and in English (occasionally Scottish or various Native American Languages, sometimes Latin too, will show up too, depending on the song).
Harry’s Game❤ with Clannad.
Thanks for your reaction to wonderful Loreena McKennitt!
Her every song is like an embrace. Love her music
She is so magical. Such an inspiring artist. Thank you for this video💞
Thank you for this Sam!❤ I love her so much and for so many years! One of my favourite songs of hers is the Highwayman! Her most well known I guess is Marrakesh Night Market. She is an amazing artist! Thank you for this reaction!🌷
I used to like the Highwayman more than I do now, because it is played EVERY time I open up Pandora Radio and put it on Loreena McKinnett Radio.
I listened her alive twice. Recordings can never make justice. Her voice pierces your soul. Could try Ages past, ages hence.
You really MUST listen to her 'Bonny Portmore (song used during the credits of Highlander ) her live version is ALMOST as good as the recorded version...my other recommended song of hers is 'Courtyard Lullaby' which was the first song I ever heard of hers, some years ago...it had me literally transfixed ! I've not been able to find a live version to watch on here, but trust me, it's well worth the time just listening to it :)
Jay Jay almost as good? ;) I dare say she’s one of the few people that are always going to have better live performances than recordings!
@@MrDrus I perhaps used the wrong wording there...and I do agree with you mostly, as her live version is WONDERFUL....obviously....but for me personally, I feel the recorded version is somehow...hmmm....'fuller ? more instruments and the sound of bagpipes at the start for example...I'll always remember Highlander finishing (on my TV) and this incredibly beautiful song started playing as the credits rolled....first my ears were riveted and then my eyes were scanning the credits like crazy - waiting to see if it WAS Loreena...then dashing to my computer to find it on youtube....there wasn't a live version back then so it's the recorded one that caught & held me more :)
Jay Jay ah, I get what you mean. Yes, it’s easier to contain everything in the studio for sure!
I agree. Its a must
@@MrDrus the live performances are always just a tiny bit different than the recordings, whether it be slight tempo changes or emphasis on different instruments, but that in no way takes away from the beauty of it.
Canadian treasure...Loreena is poet, singer, musician, storyteller..hypnotist!!
FROM THE PLAINS OF MANITOBA,CANADA
OMG Im SO HAPPY you reacted to her... One of my favorite singers and this song in particular made me cry so many times, im glad this was the pick. And she's a canadian, world music artist focused on celtic traditional songs, of scottish and irish ascendance
E, ao brasileiro que sugeriu essa música: brigadoooooo
Anything she puts her voice to becomes a masterpiece. She is unbelievably good, and yes, she imparts a great deal of that Celtic quality to her music.
Alway love people discovering The Fairy ♡ she's magical, her concerts are magic
I've listened to this woman since 2008. There is something about her music that is so transcendental; you can hear and feel the humaneness in every song and the spirit of that just strikes a chord; how it encapsulates the beauty, dignity, grace, and nobility of humanity. Ect. regarding other virtues...
Did you react to Lisa Gerard / Dead Can Dance yet? I would recommend the wind that shakes the barely by them.
Dead Can Dance is truly an amazing group. My favorites are Yulunga & Tell Me About the Forest.
Loreena is so amazingly talented. She writes all her music too.
I saw her for the first time on Monday, they played this but without the percussion, it was fantastic, i'd waited 20 years to see her, dream come true!
More Loreena McKennitt reactions please. Her voice is best I’ve heard this far. It’s pure joy and magic listening her live and I had that chance. Good Lord, what a voice ❤️❤️❤️❤️
She is a Canadian singer who got her start in Winnipeg, but this is an original song of hers. She wrote it after a visit in the 1980s to County Claire, Ireland where she saw the Old Ways of life...the slower pace being replaced with our more modern fast paced one.
I've listened to her for over 20 years. She's like flying with a swallow, up down, left and right, seemingly "off" but with the focus of a laser. She's rarer than Tanzanite. You have articulated what I've felt for years.
"That's cool!" Isn't it? :) She has the control of a red bull pilot with the grace of a passenger jet veteran.
Swallows, according to me as a kid were "crazy flyers" as they looked like they were barely in control but they flew better than all birds where I live. I have a sport drone so I thought I could compare, I COULDN'T.
"Like a bird in it's cage..." I was grounded. Music, math, and language, it's all the same. She's a rarity of which I love.
I love Loreena's music. I have all of her records. I am a big fan of Celtic folk with a twist of new age Enya vibes. She creates a very dark romantic haunting old world Celtic folk soundscape. Loreena is also a very good harpist. Loved it SS-T!
There no words she is amazing really
I’m 67, don’t sing, won’t sing (not even in church) I can’t carry a tune.
This guys is a vocal coach…he can’t touch her.
I have been listening to her since the 80s.
She is the best and most talented.
The first vocal coach I’ve ever seen reacting to Loreena. Subscribed!
Well said, Scott! She is stellar. I saw her live at The Palladium as a guest of the world-renowned cellist Caroline Lavelle who plays with Loreena. 💜
Your mention of the gentle waves in the middle ties into my feeling that this song's feeling is an ocean journey. From the breaking waves on the shore at the start of the song, to the gentle waves in the middle of the journey, to the breaking waves at the shores of the destination.
I love her I’m so glad I found her yrs ago , I use her when I’m performing any ritual
my favourite singer along with Floor Jansen been a fan of Loreena for a long time you should watch that entire concert Live from the Alhambra outstanding show pity more folk have never heard of her she is something special.
She’s my favorite singer along with Floor. Listen to Ages Past Ages Hence. It’s brilliant.
she has an impressive and beautiful volume of work. I hope you enjoy exploring it. Thanks for watching.
The Mummers Dance and Caravanserai are my favorites. But she is absolutely an awesome vocalist.
I have been a huge fan of her music since I was first introduced to her craft back in 1995. The Visit was the album and her voice is ethereal. She does a lot of Celtic material. A lot if not most of her music is a story written in the medieval European period.
This song is so haunting and one of my favs. I so hope to one day see Loreena live #bucketlist
You've never heard "The Murmmers Dance"? That was a huge hit for her back in 97.
04:15 Yes, you are right! I feel the same, unbeliveble! This Voice is send from Heaven!
Loreena McKennitt, the best vocals I listened in my life....
Canada's Uncrowned Jewel!!! She is the most authentic musician I have ever heard. She researches everything she writes and puts immense time and effort into every production. I won't even talk about her voice because words just don't exist to describe it - a gift from God. I've seen her twice in concert and was just enthralled the whole time. She is also entirely self-promoted and has kept control over her career, including a tremendous amount of work for her community and for those who served their country. And to think that she once retired after only her fourth album! Thank you for coming back, Loreena!
I see Loreena, i click like button
Her voice pierces the soul!
Surprised never heard of her. She is the Celtic Quenn 😁 I had the chance of listen hear live at 2019 and it was amazing. So stunning. She has the magic of taking souls to trip of her imagination. Perfect. Just perfect. ❤️
Love Loreena. I've got some of her Celtic albums.
My favorite among- well, all her songs! Thank you for your reaction and expressing the complexities of this number. I hope you get to hear her live while you can. Just saw her in October of 2022. Her vocals and poetic lyrics bring tears to my eyes till today since she did years ago. Also thank you for mentioning the talent of her flawless band! Would love to hear more reactions of her.
I saw her at Massey Hall in Toronto about a year ago. It was the 30th anniversary of The Visit which has this song (and many other great ones!) on it. I went at the last minute by myself and it was a great decision as it was a fantastic show & 2nd row! No wonder she has The Order of Canada.
Loreena is incredible. I've been listening to her for 30 years and just saw her for the 8th time last week (Massey Hall, Toronto). Outstanding as always, along with her main musicians who are usually with her.
This song, "The Old Ways" is perfect to listen to should you find yourself overlooking the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Ireland. I've done it and a more fitting song would be hard to come by.
She is not only singing but also a composer !
A great artist of our time. Unic voice.
My English teacher (in Romania, in 1997) introduced us to English poetry by playing some of Loreena's songs in the classroom. I remember when he played us "The Lady of Shallot" and each of us had several verses to translate into Romanian. :)
Loreena is amazing!
ruclips.net/video/clXsWiNOMIE/видео.html
6:56 Exactly. The “set” of this song is the sea so they use the melody and the tone to give the pice that emotion. Loreena and her team are such an amazing musicians.
I first heard her when I was in 7th grade. My English teacher made us read The Highwayman poem by Alfred Noyes, then told us to visualize the poem with Loreena Mckennitts adaptation. I was entranced. But kinda forgot about it until I went to the discovery store in a mall and they had The Mummers Dance playing and I recognized the voice and style and I begged my mother to buy the cd. I've been hooked ever since. (I'm 37 now) She has a sad story though. She lost her husband in a boating accident, his body never recovered and she swore off music for years. Luckily she came back and I've seen her in an orchestra at the Greek in LA and in a small intimate theater, 6 rows (I was 2nd from stage!) as a duo with a cellist in SF where she story told as much as she sung. Both settings were beautiful.
Loreena is one of my most favorite artists ever ❤️
I have seen her two times live in Germany, she is a goddess! You have to see more of her!
Once she performed Oh Holy Night at Carnegie Hall with Sarah McLachlan, Andrea Corr, Hayley Westenra... (check it out! - ruclips.net/video/wVcuMpQzSS0/видео.html) Her voice (live) feels like a sword from a distant place thrown into your heart. Comparisons are sometimes incomplete and unfair, but watching that performance I did realize how difficult will be to find another artist who makes me feel this way!
Check out her version of Bonny Portmore..From the Highlander Movie
Sam - New Nightwish single "Harvest (Official Lyric Video)! Unprecedented in the band's history to release singles in consecutive months!
PageMonster also unprecedented for them to go full Kelly Family in the first 2 minutes and then flip over to Irish folk. And not making it sound as annoying as My Walden :P
@@MrDrus My Walden is one of my favourites.
PageMonster no judgment here! Personally, I don’t like that piece cause it’s too sugar-coated for me but, at the same time, I love Edema Ruh, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 😂
Just in a sentence of her, you can apreciate a lot of enuances and to see all the colours of the rainbow. She have the control, so naturally. To hear Loreena for first time, can change all your previous concepts about music and feelings. Good work👍🏽
Her music is incredibly cinematic- and was used for a television adaptation of “ The Mists of Avalon” . ❤
I've seen her live once it was pure magic..
The only thing on my bucket list was seeing her in person. I finally got to do it a few years ago. Sigh. I first heard of her on a Celtic music program in about 1997 (Lady of Shallot). I immediately went out and bought everything I could find by her on CD. Looooooovvvvveeee.
I absolutely love Loreena and all her compositions really transport me. I will say that sometimes the twanginess up there does grate for me, and she gets a little shouty sometimes, but that feels like a personal taste thing and I definitely can handle it when in the right mood. But you're the first person I ever heard reference it before and I'd always felt it but never had the words for it--leave it to a vocal coach.
Good choice Sam! Loreena is a Canadian prairie girl from Morden, Manitoba.
You have to listen to all of her CDs, they all sound this good! Next review her rendition of "Bonny Portmore" which was used at the end of Highlander Two. It will transfix you and I'm not kidding! "The Lady of Shallot" is another song she does that is just as great. Since you are a Scot and a Celt, don't deprive yourself of this great artist! 😎
So glad I just found this channel. And glad you found Loreena! I love her voice and how she blends instruments from all over the world and mixes the sounds of different cultures to create her own music. The music is simply gorgeous!
She is the goddess of my secret temple. I always take shelter in her voice for relief.
My favorite Loreena song is Dante'e Prayer! Give it a listen. All her works are stupendous.
She did a song way back called THE MUMMER’S DANCE. Someone said she is ENYA’s SISTER.,
Thank you for your reaction as always!!!💞
nope ..she is not Enya's sister..but Moya Brennan is.
Dantes Prayer same show 😉
Loreena McKennitt has a rather strange following. If you look up one of her you tube songs you will find comments in many languages and even alphabets. To my knowledge she has only one song that made to hit level that being Mummer's Dance but she has also done some movie backgrounds like Highlander and Jade and some TV. She also takes poems like Tennison's Lady of Shallotte and others and puts them to music. She lives near Stratford Ontario. Her music typically has not a deep following but incredibly wide spread and she can sell out very large venues from Rio to Istanbul to Warsaw. For an oddity she is also an honorary coronel in the Canadian Air force
The difference between Loreena and today's singers is that Loreena knows how to sing.
I am no voice expert, but to me she is "singing" the note, has no problem reaching it, and is not yelling the note, or going other places to compensate for losing it. An example was the late Whintney Houston, dont get me wrong, indeed a very good singer, but she erked me because to me she began rolling the note alot to keep it, and when going really high, she sounded like to me she was yelling or straining to hit it. To me Loreena is like you said, clean, and abosolutley no strain at all. To me its what makes her more a worldly singer, instead of just a pop star. I say this with all due respect to other musicians, but very few people can compose songs and music, then sing them like her, she is in a league of her own, and they have a long way to go to catch up....Also, Loreena has an Irish descent, and has for years been studying Celtic history, which she calls her jurney, and has inspired her music. It is also why there is a middle eastern blend with it, the Celts descended from there....
Wonderful to see a reaction on Loreena. I was there in The amazing palace of the Alhambra when she performed there in sep. 2006. Shes my favorite artist and I have listened to her since early 90-tees.
She is legend.
Love her voice.
I would love to hear your response to the vocal and lyrical content of A Passion Play by Jethro Tull (1973). The music is amazing behind the lyrics and in the instrumental sections. Ian Anderson was at its peak. It was written as a four scene play about the death of a young actor and the review of his life on side one.Then is the intermission entertainment- The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles - then the 3rd and 4th acts on side two deal with what happens in the afterlife. It is worth listening to this album many times to appreciate the musicianship and the story of the song! Happy listening and I really want to hear what you think of Ian’s voice.