Songs of the Scribe is the seventh studio album from Irish singer Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, who is also Traditional Singer in Residence at the Seamus Heaney Centre For Poetry at Queen's University, Belfast. Released on 3 December 2011, the album features old and newly written translations by Ní Uallacháin, Ciaran Carson and Seamus Heaney and harp accompaniment by Helen Davies.[7] Recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark, Songs of the Scribe was inspired by the manuscripts held in the library of St. Gallen. Pádraigín visited the library to research the manuscripts, carried to safety from Viking attack by St. Gall and others from Bangor, County Down[8] to Europe over a number of centuries.[7]
| Songs of the Scribe | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 3 December 2011 | |||
| Recorded | My Room Studios Copenhagen, Denmark | |||
| Genre | Traditional Irish Folk Celtic | |||
| Length | 45:20 | |||
| Label | Ceoltaí Éireann | |||
| Producer | Thomas Li, Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, Helen Davies | |||
| Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Journal of Music | favourable[1] |
| RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta | favourable[2] |
| Argus | favourable[3] |
| Lonely Planet | favourable[4] |
| The Irish Times |  [5] |
| Lonely Planet | favourable[6] |
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Hermit's Wish (Dúthracar, a maic Dé bí)" | 9th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin Often attributed to Manchán mac Silláin; 6th/7th century | 7:49 |
| 2. | "The Blackbird of Belfast Lough (Int én bec)" | 9th-century scribe; Carson; Heaney | 3:42 |
| 3. | "The Scribe in the Woods (Dom fharcaí fidbaide fál)" | 9th-century scribe; Carson | 3:30 |
| 4. | "Líadan's Lament (Mé Líadan ro-carus-sa Cuirithir)" | 9th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin | 6:15 |
| 5. | "The Land of Stars (A Bé find in rega lem)" | 9th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin | 4:41 |
| 6. | "The Wind Is Wild Tonight (Is acher in gaíth in-nocht)" | 9th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin | 3:14 |
| 7. | "Incantation of Amergin (Am gaith ar muir)" | Amergin, 11th-century mystical poet; Ní Uallacháin | 5:32 |
| 8. | "Pangur Bán" | 9th-century scribe; Heaney | 2:21 |
| 9. | "My Hand is Cramped with Penwork (Is scith mo chrob)" | Colmcille; 12th-century scribe; Heaney | 2:12 |
| 10. | "My Mind's Desire (Ropo mian dom menmainse)" | 11th-century scribe; Ní Uallacháin | 6:01 |
Personnel
edit- Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin – vocals, drones, bells
- Helen Davies – Irish harp, wire-strung harp, monochords, Tibetan bowl
- Thomas Li – recording/mixing
Release history
edit| Country | Release date |
|---|---|
| Ireland | December 3, 2011 |
| UK |
References
edit- ^ Journal of Music review[permanent dead link]
- ^ Peadar O'Riada review
- ^ The Argus
- ^ Songs of the Scribe review at Lonely Planet
- ^ Songs of the Scribe review at The Irish Times by Siobhán Long
- ^ [1] review at Cygnus Books
- ^ a b Songs of the Scribe at IrishSong.com
- ^ Interview with Pádraigín at BBC Northern Ireland
External links
edit- Songs of the Scribe - official website