{"id":5642,"date":"2015-12-07T19:59:12","date_gmt":"2015-12-07T19:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/?p=5642"},"modified":"2015-12-07T19:59:12","modified_gmt":"2015-12-07T19:59:12","slug":"tribute-to-folk-legend-from-gaelic-voices-in-sweet-christmas-harmony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/tribute-to-folk-legend-from-gaelic-voices-in-sweet-christmas-harmony\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribute to Folk Legend from Gaelic Voices in Sweet Christmas Harmony"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fgallery3-11\"<\/a>Gaelic version of classic carol – Wexford Carol released as download charity single Laoidh Loch G\u00e0rmain.<\/p>\n

The Highlands\u2019 famous Watercolour Music studios in Lochaber release an exquisite reworking of one of the Celtic world\u2019s favourite carols this week as a special download single, with proceeds going to the Mercy Corps.<\/p>\n

Gaelic singer and broadcaster Mary Ann Kennedy, who directs the music for this year\u2019s Christmas carol service on BBC ALBA, is joined on the recording by award-winning Gaelic singer and composer Rachel Walker for a special translation of folk star John Renbourn\u2019s version of the Wexford Carol.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann and husband Nick Turner, co-director of the Watercolour studios, had commissioned Mary Ann\u2019s mother, Gaelic song doyenne Kenna Campbell, to translate John\u2019s beautiful alternative words to the carol as a remembrance of him. John \u2013 a member of folk-rock legends Pentangle and who sadly died earlier this year \u2013 was a regular visitor to the studio and a good friend to Nick\u2019s young family.<\/p>\n

The song was an obvious choice when Mary Ann and the Gaelic Gospel choir, Soisgeul, were invited to perform the music for the service of lessons and carols, recorded by Demus Productions to be broadcast on Christmas Eve on BBC ALBA and again on BBC Radio nan G\u00e0idheal. And when Mary Ann and Rachel performed the simple but compelling a cappella version of \u2018Laoidh Loch G\u00e0rmain\u2019, the reaction to the song was from choir and congregation was instant.<\/p>\n

Mary Ann said: \u201cWhen we saw what an effect it had on folk, we wanted to get into the studio straightaway to record – John\u2019s words are so much in tune with the Celtic world that Nick and I had always thought a Gaelic version would work well. We like to think John would have enjoyed Kenna\u2019s gentle reworking of his poetry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachel Walker, Gaelic Singer of the Year 2014 and former student of Kenna\u2019s, said: \u201cKenna has always been so generous with her gift for creating beautiful new Gaelic songs of her translations. We wanted the recording to serve a purpose as well, so we\u2019ve teamed up with the Mercy Corps, who will receive half the proceeds from all sales of \u2018Laoidh Loch G\u00e0rmain\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick Turner said: \u201cJohn\u2019s beautiful words in his Wexford Carol have always heralded Christmas in our home, but they are also very human, very aware of darkness as well as light in the world. The funds raised for the Mercy Corps will help them in their vital work in the most desperate of situations around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

The download-only single goes on release on Monday 7th December. It\u2019s available directly from www.watercolourmusic.co.uk<\/a> on their Shop\/ New Releases page and also through Amazon.<\/p>\n

ENDS<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Notes<\/p>\n

Watercolour Music is Scotland\u2019s leading residential recording studio and creative retreat. It has been based in Lochaber since 1994, and in 2009 moved to a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility in Ardgour on the shores of Loch Linnhe, looking across to Ben Nevis. Watercolour is run by producer and songwriter Nick Turner and his wife, Mary Ann Kennedy. www.watercolourmusic.co.uk<\/p>\n

John Renbourn was a highly influential English guitarist, best known for his work with folk-rock band Pentangle and in particular with Scot, Bert Jansch. He lived latterly in the Scottish Borders. John died in March this year at the age of 70. John\u2019s Wexford Carol was recorded by Maighread Ni Dh\u00f3mhnaill and the Voice Squad and appeared originally on John Renbourn\u2019s album \u2018Traveler\u2019s Prayer\u2019 on Shanachie Records. The album was partly recorded at Watercolour Music.<\/p>\n

Mercy Corps, with its European headquarters in Edinburgh, is a leading global humanitarian agency saving and improving lives in the world\u2019s toughest places.\u00a0With a network of experienced professionals in more than 40 countries, Mercy Corps partners with local communities to put bold ideas into action to help people recover, overcome hardship and build better lives. www.mercycorps.org.uk<\/p>\n

\u2018Nollaig Chridheil \u00e0s a\u2019 Ghearasdan\u2019, (Christmas Celebration), produced by independent media company Demus Productions will be broadcast on BBC ALBA on Christmas Eve at 11pm, with a repeat on Christmas Day. It will also be broadcast on BBC Radio nan G\u00e0idheal. The programme features Soisgeul, the Gaelic Gospel choir, children from the new Gaelic school in Fort William and soloists Mary Ann Kennedy, Rachel Walker (Cruinn\/ Skipinnish) and Robert Robertson (Skipinnish). Soisgeul was also commissioned by Demus Productions, with significant support from MG Alba.<\/p>\n

For more information, please contact Watercolour Music Email: mak@watercolourmusic.co.uk Tel: +44-1855-814320<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gaelic version of classic carol – Wexford Carol released as download charity single Laoidh Loch G\u00e0rmain. The Highlands\u2019 famous Watercolour Music studios in Lochaber release an exquisite reworking of one of the Celtic world\u2019s favourite carols this week as a special download single, with proceeds going to the Mercy Corps. Gaelic singer and broadcaster Mary […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5643,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10,9,37],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5642","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-media","8":"category-news","9":"category-newsletter","10":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/files\/2015\/12\/Fgallery3-11.jpg","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/files\/2015\/12\/Fgallery3-11.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/files\/2015\/12\/Fgallery3-11.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"simon","author_link":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/author\/simon\/"},"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcv15g-1t0","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5642"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5644,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5642\/revisions\/5644"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5643"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}