Nights from the Alhambra

(Jewel 2 CD + DVD) [LIVE]


Loreena McKennitt (Artist)

 

 

Audio CD (August 21, 2007)

Original Release Date: August 21, 2007

Number of Discs: 3

Format: Live

Label: Verve

 

 

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
After nearly a decade off the scene, Loreena McKennitt returned to the performance and recording stage in 2006 and 2007. The Canadian singer picked up exactly where she left off, traveling through the Celtic-Middle Eastern fusions she explored on The Book of Secrets with her latest studio album, An Ancient Muse. Now, with momentum behind her, she's released a DVD document of her performance at Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain. This is the same performance that has been running on PBS station pledge drives for the last year, but with a double CD included. McKennitt's renditions of songs from An Ancient Muse and her earlier albums are impeccable. As she is something of a perfectionist, there isn't much deviation from the original studio versions, but McKennitt is in fine voice and the band gets to rave it up a few times on tracks like "The Bonny Swans," where violinist Hugh Marsh and guitarist Brian Hughes trade increasingly frantic leads. This is an expanded group for McKennitt, with players from England, Greece, and the Middle East playing oud, dumbek, kanoun, hurdy-gurdy, duduk, and other ancient sounds from the British Isles to Turkey. The advantage of this edition of the Alhambra performance over that seen on PBS is that we're spared McKennitt's earnest and precious interstitials, talking about the location and her inspirations while slowly running her hands over Celtic carvings. But if you want it, that version of the performance is also on the DVD, as the commentary track. The CDs wisely drop even the between-song patter, which is fine, but not something to sit through on repeated listenings. Although the performance is beautifully, if conventionally filmed, and it's great to see this virtuoso band playing in communion, it's ultimately McKennitt's songs themselves that brim with visual imagery as she creates her ancient evocations as effectively on the concert stage as she does in the studio. --John Diliberto

 

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BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, BEAUTIFUL CONCERT

 

Loreena McKennitt and Sarah Brightman are my personal favorite diva, goddess & genius. Each in her own way hold the key to popular success without having to compromise the essence of their art. Also, both artists produce riveting filmed concerts--granted, in very different styles. Brightman is highly theatrical with impressive technical--almost athletic--effects; Loreena Mckennitt's performance is contemplative, yet not at all introverted.

In the Alhambra Concert DVD McKennitt wears little or no make-up. Her strawberry blonde hair flows like a halo, her face is luminous.

Loreena singing & playing her Irish harp is a lovely sight indeed.

Amazingly, this fantastic concert DVD is thrown in as a bonus gift (this is true of all McKennitt CD's.)  The songs selected just happen to be all my personal favorites, including The Lady of Shallot (Tennyson) and McKennitt's own The Old Ways. Other stunners are The Mystic Dream & the daemonic themed Stolen Child. But this is not a "best of best" CD. All the old favorites are given completely new composition & interpretation by artists of the highest caliber. They deliver inspired work of their own because they have been obviously inspired by McKennitt--and this is just one sign of that "genius" factor alluded to above.

This particular concert features an appropriately, heightened Middle East flavour--spiced up with a little improvisational-like jazz. The opening tune The Mystic Dream with its jazzy, sexy saxophone opening.

All the accompanying musicians are outstanding, working as equal participants in ensemble elegance.

It is wonderful to hear these songs with new interpretations--it is even more inspiring to watch the actual performance.

I would gladly pay this amount for any Loreena McKennitt production. This beautifully done package with 2 CDs & 1 DVD is an exceptional value.

So impressed, I had to invent my own 6 Star Rating!


The Book of Secrets
The Mask and Mirror
The Visit
Elemental
Eden (US Release - 16 tracks)
 

 


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Updated 03/09