Songs of the Scribe

About ‘Songs of the Scribe’

‘This new album is set in a world of woods, water and birdsong, lamentation and the divine, mystical incantation and love songs, and is inspired by ancient lyrics from scribes and hermit poets of early Ireland set to music in the traditional style by Ní Uallacháin. Early wire strug harp, vocal drones and contemporary arrangements weave through word and melody recreating a world of simplicity and stillness, contemplation, and delight in nature. It brings together the vocal depth of Ní Uallacháin’s voice accompanied by the delicate warmth of Helen Davies harp playing.      An exquisite production. ‘ Ceoltaí Éireann

 REVIEWS

Irish Times, 2 March 2012

Songs of the Scribe Ceoltaí Éireann ****

The contemplative side of our music has been overshadowed by its (unquestionably visceral) dance tunes and big songs, with their emphasis on the social. On Songs of the Scribe , Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, traditional singer-in-residence at Queen’s University’s Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, delves deep into the history of our monastic tradition to dramatic effect.

Her bell-clear voice serves a rich repertoire of incantations, love songs and lamentations, and her choice of Tibetanbowl and harp (from Helen Davies), drones and bells for accompaniment is pitch perfect. Works by both Seamus Heaney and Ciaran Carson are lovingly honed by Ní Uallacháin’s voice: in particular, her treatment of the iconic poem The Blackbird of Belfast Lough is a minimalist treasure. Switzerland’s St Gallen’s monastery yields many riches, which singer and harpist pick with great delicacy, melding poetry and music across millennia with a sinuous grace and elegance.

Siobhan Long

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2012/0302/1224312622231.html

Folkworld. Germany. 6 March 2012

Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin is an Irish singer from Oriel in southeast Ulster. Her focus is not the traditional music only, on her nine albums you can also find work of contemporary poets and own compositions. On this ninth album she sings and plays the drones and bells and is backed by Helen Davies on harp, monochord and Tibetan bowl. The work on this album comes from the 9th and 11th century mostly and has a wonderful, almost sacral atmosphere. Ní Uallacháin has a beautiful, balanced voice and brings the atmosphere of the compositions impressively beautiful into the living room. I love the minimalistic arrangements with only the soft sounds of the bells, drones, monochord and harp. It has a pureness without being to dreamy or getting into the vague world of new age music. An album that needs to be heard and bewitches the listener somehow with its ancient feeling. It makes the world go quiet and rests a worried mind.
© Eelco Schilder

http://www.folkworld.eu/47/e/cds4.html#uall

 Musicians

Tracklist