Music of the Soul

I enjoy music in general, but the genre that really speaks to me is Celtic music. The majority of my CD collection is comprised of this genre, with a bit of classical, medieval, rock, religious, and holiday music to round it out. There's something about the sounds of pipes, flute, whistle, harp, fiddle, and bodhran that take me to another place in time more than other forms of music. Regardless of which songs I choose to listen to, there are a select few that speak to me more than others. This list isn't complete, as I'm sure there are some pieces that I've forgotten; it's been a while since I've listened to some of my CDs. So, here's a taste of what speaks to my soul:

1. Planxty Burke - Turlough O'Carolan, Irish harper, poet, & composer, 1670-1738

2. The Dark Island - traditional Scottish, instrumental version

3. Lullaby - music by Loreena McKennitt, poem by William Blake

4. Ubi Caritas - Connie Dover

"Ubi Caritas" are the first words of a Roman Catholic hymn dating back to between the fourth and tenth centuries.

5. Wild Geese (Gye Fiane) - John & William Neal collection, circa 1724, performed by The Baltimore Consort on the CD, "The Mad Buckgoat."

"Wild Geese" is a tune from the Neal collection and was composed in farewell to the Jacobite army leaving Ireland after the capitulation of Limerick in 1691.

"The Wild Geese are a group of soldiers from Limerick. They have fought throughout the ages; some soldiers even came and fought in the American Civil War. There is a squadron of soldiers that exits even today,"

6. Snow - Loreena McKennitt

7. Requiem - "Dies Irae" is based upon the 13th century plainchant attributed to Thomas of Celano

8. Marco Polo - Loreena McKennitt