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Celtic choral music--what a concept! Magical and magnificent, Anuna is a unique Irish vocal group that has been pleasing fans world-wide since 1987. The delicate, yet dramatic, tapestry of voices weaves a bright and powerful spell. One of the some 60 singers featured here is Katie McMahon, who has her own holiday album (I reviewed Celtic Christmas earlier this year).

Fans of "Riverdance the Show" will recognize Anuna; the group appeared with that production until 1996.Christmas Songs embodies the Riverdance spirit; an ethereal beauty swells in each track. The cover art reflects this intense combination of dynamic fragility--it pictures the reflection of natural splendor in still water (a river?) with clouds floating through the sky and in the mirror below. The fulsome liner notes are excellent, providing background information and the lyrics, including translations as required.

The thirteen numbers here were exquisitely chosen; three will be known to all ("Away in a Manger," "Silent Night," O Holy Night"), five others are lovely, lesser-known carols (e.g., "The Wexford Carol," "Riu, Riu"), and the remaining five are stunning new discoveries, including four wonderful original compositions by Michael McGlynn, the founder of the group that became Anuna. The gorgeous singing that inhabits Christmas Songs is largely a cappella; the minimal accompaniment includes violin (Aingeala de Burca), Irish harp (Anne Marie O Farrell), guitar (John McGlynn), concert harp (Denise Kelly), percussion (Paul Maher), and tin whistle (Michael McGlynn). The overall package will take your breath away.

Christmas Songs opens with a tender, a cappella rendition of "Away in a Manger." Every song is a treasure, but my favorites must include the powerful "Riu, Riu," which showcases the men's voices (with Andrew Redmond's fine solo) over a driving percussive beat. Michael Glynn's own pieces are superb; the lyrical "Codhlaim Go Suan" has a hypnotic quality, "Christmas Day Is Come" had me swinging to its syncopated rhythms, and the final two ("Pie Jesu" and "Hymn to the Virgin") are fragile beauties that embrace the soul. The song that may stay with me the longest, however, is the incredible "Winter, Fire and Snow" (song setting by B. Graham of a poem by Dublin poet Macdara Woods) with its captivating lyrics ("In winter fire is beautiful, beautiful like a song") and crystalline solo (Joanna Fagan).

It is rare to find so much artistry crowded onto one CD! Christmas Songs is the perfect gift for the Celtic music lover--or for anyone who appreciates truly wonderful chorale music.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2004)

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From the liner notes:
Tracks 1-6, 12, 13 arr. Michael McGlynn
Tracks 7, 8, 10, 11 written by Michael McGlynn
Track 9 written by B. Graham and MacDara Woods

Produced by: Michael McGlynn and Brian Masterson

Solos indicated in [brackets]
Director: Michael McGlynn [5, 13]
Assistant Director: John McGlynn

Miriam Blennerhassett, Richard Boyle, Ciaran Brady, Paul Byrne, Orfhlaith Campbell, Lucy Champion [6, 11, 13], Sara Clancy, David Clarke, Cathal Clinch, Ian Curran, Tony Davoren, Kira Deegan, Roisin Dempsey, Monica Donlon [2, 10], Joanna Fagan [5, 8, 9, 11], Julie Feeney, Stephen Fennelly, Barry Finn, Toby Gilbert, Edel Harrington, Lynn Hilary [5, 7, 12], Nichola Horn, Derina Johnson [6, 11], Brian Jordan, Martin Kelly, Stephen Kenny, Emer Lang, Maire Lang, Jeffrey Ledwidge, Kim Lynch [3, 11], Jacqui Mahon, Therese McCartin, Eunan McDonald, Karen McDonnell, Alice McKeown, Sinead McGoldrick, Katie McMahon, Brian Merriman, Jeremy Morgan, Simon Morgan, Maeve Morris, Aisling Muldowney, Eoin Mulvaney, Tara O Beirne, Niamh O Brien, Derek O Gorman, Triona O Healai, Sarah O Kennedy, Cathal O Madagain, Grace O Regan, Roisin O Reilly, Mark O Sullivan, Garrath Patterson, Audrey Phelan, Meav Ni Mhaolchatha, Andrew Redmond [4], Clodagh Reid, Kevin Sheedy, Efan Williams,

Violin: Aingeala de Burca
Irish Harp: Anne Marie O Farrell
Guitar: John McGlynn
Concert Harp: Denise Kelly
Percussion: Paul Maher
Tin Whistle: Michael McGlynn

Anuna

Christmas Songs

Artist link

Track List