THE SHILOHMAN'S SAMPLER
A Middle-Aged Man’s Choice of New Age Music
(Without asking for it, you asked for it!)
Constance Demby. Album: Aeterna.
This is a New Age symphony in six movements. Demby is an accomplished composer who is able to create atmospheric sound that reaches out and grabs the accomplished listener by the heart and soul. Aeterna has a rich bouquet and a naughty little aftertaste. Her previous work, Novus Magnificat is equally brilliant.
Eric Tingstad & Nancy Rumbel. Album: Acoustic Elegance
It is amazing how Tingstad is able to get such realistic guitar sounds out of his synthesizer! It sounds incredibly like finger-picking to me. And Rumbel’s oboe sounds! She must be the Milli Vanilli of the oboe. It looks like she’s actually playing! A phenomenal collection of acoustic music to soothe the manic pastor.
Secret Garden. Album: Dreamcatcher
Rolf Lovland on piano and keyboards. Fionnuala Sherry on violin. Lovland composed all the music on this album which has a distinctive Celtic flavor. His use of the Irish Whistle and Uilleann pipes is supported by Irish percussion and Sherry’s vocals are magnificent (unless they too are electronic). Annbjorg Lien’s work on the Hardanger Fiddle is unmatched.
Mediaeval Baebes. Album: Mirabilis
These eight women from Cornwall blend their vocals in a haunting reproduction of the sound of medieval music. For the uninitiated, the lyrics are translated in the album folder. Their pronounciation of Latin is spot on and they don’t stumble on the even more difficult Middle English. But what really catches the listener’s ear is their revival of the almost extinct Gaelic tunes, especially their rendition of Lhiannan Shee.
Libera. Album: Free
Can anyone really get enough of English Boys’ Choirs? This boys’ choir is from London and their juxtapositioning of perfectly pitched vocals and celestial orchestrations brings a tear to a middle-aged parson’s eye. The purity of voice! The angelic tonal qualities! One feels caught up into the heavenlies when listening to Adoramus and Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep.
Friends, if someone comes to your door with any one of these albums and insists on putting into your stereo immediately, let him do it! You won’t be sorry!
Pax eternum.
6 Comments:
Oh my gosh, Peter! This guy is for real! No Rock and Roll. No boogie woogie. None of that devil music. This calls for a serious, double-secret intervention!
What's up dawg. I don't know...it started out a little pitchy for me. It was just awright dawg, i'm just keepin it real. Those weren't the best choice of songs. It was just awright, it wasn't the best for me for you.
Shilodude,
I completely agree with randy, except for the fact I have absolutely no idea what he said.
I like your list and will purchase the boys choir one today if possible.
Our musical collection here is as eclectic as one could ever imagine. We have volumes of world music, classical, jazz, country, blues, black gospel, white gospel, you name it. I'm sure there are many great pieces of music under the heading of
"New Age." I thank you for your reccos.
Now, I have finished printing out your sermon for the day and need to read it. They are always excellent.
What's more, they really help me get over my current guilt pangs for not going to church. My dear Mother calls me about every five minutes, seven days a week to get me to go with her. I must point out that this has nothing to do with our recent move here. She's been doing this, no matter where I lived, since I was 18. Of course, the heat has been turned up quite a bit now that we have children. She just explained to me that the 4th grade is the "greatest time of conversion." I guess we'll have to hold our son back a grade.
Years ago Mrs. Yak and I went to a Tingstad & Rumbel concert. They hail from the Great PNW so they have been around here a long time. We enjoyed their music. The most interesting thing I remember was Eric saying that he used to be a Rock & Roll guitarist but rejected that whole scene for music that was more satisfying artistically. I'm sure he is a card carrying communist.
Dear Mr. Yak,
I had the general impression that many of the Narada and Windham Hill artists were from the Northwest, especially the native Americans whose music I really can't stand. In fact, I thought all of life up there had a New Age music backdrop to it.
I'm glad you enjoyed Tingstad and Rumbel.
By the way, still waiting to hear how Mrs. Yak broke her ribs!
For those bloggers who are navigationally challenged, I submit the following comment:
Yakimaniac said...
SC, I guess I am the one missing. I resolve to work harder at being more offensive.
Sadly Mrs. Yak is in a bad way. Tuesday night we were coming into the house from a night of uninhibited clubbin' when Mrs. Yak failed to negotiate the top-most step of the stairs leading from the family room to the kitchen. Gravity and the hard floor has dealt her six to eight weeks of painful recuperation. The bright side is that she now has the opportunity to join Rush Limbaugh and Gary Busey in the pantheon of abusers of controlled pain-meds. Probably not. As a mom she has demonstated her ability to endure pain.
"Ya got your housework done honey? I'm off to the ski-slopes, see ya later!"
2:00 PM
Also you did not read the comment about my impending visit to your fair city...
Sheesh!
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