Loreena McKennitt Discography
A Winter Garden: Five Songs For The Season (1995) CD/Cassette
Coventry Carol (2:20) God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (6:49) Good
King Wenceslas (3:17) Snow (5:02) Seeds Of Love (4:54).
Recorded at Real World Studios, England, in July 1995 and
featuring musical collaborations between McKennitt, her touring
band and an international cast of guest artists. The innova
tive, exotic arrangements of the three Christmas favourites
conjure up a distinctly Middle Eastern musical atmosphere in
which, says Loreena, "I hope some of the scent of frankincense
and myrrh comes through." Elsewhere, McKennitt's own haunting
musical setting of the traditional English lyrics "Seeds Of
Love" and the Archibald Lampman poem "Snow" (also found on her
second album) leave tantalising hints of the directions her
next full album may take.
The Mask And Mirror (1994) CD/Cassette/Vinyl
The Mystic's Dream (7:40) The Bonny Swans (7:18) The Dark
Night Of The Soul (6:44) Marrakesh Night Market (6:30) Full
Circle (5:57) Santiago (5:58) Ci Hi Mise Le Ulaingt?/The Two
Trees (9:06) Prospero's Speech (3:23)
Honoured with a 1995 Juno for Best Roots/Traditional Album,
McKennitt's most recent full-length recording spans Spanish,
Celtic and Moroccan influences, and follows paths of
inspiration from Ireland to Santiago de Compostella. Included
are musical settings of poems by St. John Of The Cross and
Shakespeare, as well as eclectic, richly-textured originals
including a seductively dramatic "The Mystic's Dream" (as
featured in the Paramount Pictures film "Jade") and "Marrakesh
Night Market".
Live In San Francisco At The Palace Of Fine Arts (1995) CD
The Mystic's Dream (7:26) Santiago (5:25) She Moved Through The
Fair (5:35) Between The Shadows (4:17) The Lady Of Shalott
(8:50) The Bonny Swans (6:55)
Recorded live in May, 1994 with McKennitt and her touring
band, this six-track EP (packaged in a four-colour cardboard
sleeve) is available only via Quinlan Road's mail order ser
vice, as a limited edition and while supplies last.
The Visit (1991) CD/Cassette
All Souls Night (5:04) Bonny Portmore (3:57) Between The
Shadows (4:03) The Lady Of Shalott (11:05) Greensleeves (4:15)
Tango To Evora (4:03) Courtyard Lullaby (4:50) The Old Ways
(5:25) Cymbeline (4:48)
Loreena's first Juno award winner (1992), "The Visit" recasts
her early Celtic influences in an inventive and contemporary
light. Includes a haunting version of "Greensleeves" "as I
imagine Tom Waits might have done it," suggests Loreena. Also
features a musical setting of Tennyson's "The Lady Of Shalott"
and original works including "All Souls Night","Bonny Portmore"
(as featured in the film "Highlander III") and the stirring
instrumental "Tango To Evora" (from the NFB film "The Burning
Times").
Parallel Dreams (1989) CD/Cassette
Samain Night (4:27) Moon Cradle (4:29) Huron "Beltane" Fire
Dance (4:20) Annachie Gordon (8:22) Standing Stones (6:56)
Dickens' Dublin (The Palace) (4:40) Breaking The Silence (6:23)
Ancient Pines (3:35)
One of the most successful independent releases ever in
McKennitt's native Canada, it is also her first recording to
feature original compositions. Includes "Dickens' Dublin",
"Breaking The Silence", the traditional "Annachie Gordon" and
"Huron Beltane Fire Dance", with its fusion of Celtic and First
Nations (native American) rhythms.
To Drive The Cold Winter Away (1987) CD/Cassette
In Praise Of Christmas (6:06) The Seasons (4:55) The King
(2:04) Banquet Hall (3:53) Snow (5:35) Balulalow (3:09) Let Us
The Infant Greet (3:46) The Wexford Carol (6:07) The Stockford
Carol (3:02) Let All That Are To Mirth Inclined (6:52)
Seasonal music with a fresh and serendipitious approach, this
collection of traditional and lesser-known winter and Christmas
carols was recorded on location at a Canadian church, an Irish
monastery and an Irish artists' retreat.
Elemental (1985) CD/Cassette
Blacksmith (3:20) She Moved Through The Fair (4:05) Stolen
Child (5:05) The Lark In The Clear Air (2:06) Carrighfergus
(3:24) Kellswater (5:19) Banks Of Claudy (5:37) Come By The
Hills (3:05) Lullaby (4:26)
McKennitt's debut album and Quinlan Road's inaugural release.
Like all her subsequent efforts, this album was self-produced;
its nine tracks showcase McKennitt's talents as a singer and
harpist with fresh and memorable arrangements of traditional
Celtic favourites, and musical settings of much-loved poems by
Yeats and Blake.
Last-modified: Sat, 13 Jul 1996 06:18:05 GMT