Celtic Woman Forum

The Cast => Mairead Carlin => Topic started by: Tracie on December 29, 2018, 12:50:47 AM

Title: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: Tracie on December 29, 2018, 12:50:47 AM
Ok this is my last poll for tonight, and now I'm tormenting myself, making myself choose a favorite of my favorite singer. Ummmm, all of them? I'm choosing I See Fire tonight. At our very first Celtic Woman show, Gregg and I left saying this was our favorite song of the night. I'll probably keep changing my answer!
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: ShiningBright on December 29, 2018, 07:05:51 AM
Ae Fond Kiss of these! Otherwise, Scarlet Ribbons.
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: chandlermattson on December 29, 2018, 08:52:19 AM
Another tough one, but I went with "Ae Fond Kiss." :D
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: mattycakes on December 29, 2018, 09:04:02 PM
Had to go with County Down. It's actually one of my favorite solos from Ancient Land. I just love this song!
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: CWazyTom on December 29, 2018, 11:18:50 PM
Had to go with County Down. It's actually one of my favorite solos from Ancient Land. I just love this song!

Agreed!

I loved Ae Fond Kiss too, but for me, the melody of County Down was incredibly satisfying and perfect for her voice. "I still need you the most of all" is one of those lines that reaches deep into my heart. It's a line that reminds me how much Celtic Woman and Mairead Carlin in particular have meant to me over the years. <3

That line is overwhelmingly powerful for me, like "remind us, like the seasons do that life goes by so fast" from Green the Whole Year 'Round or "when you come and I am filled with wonder ... sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity" from You Raise Me Up.
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: Tracie on December 30, 2018, 12:24:47 AM
I love County Down so much! Beautifully performed by Mairead! My first vote switch on this one is to County Down 😀
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: rfcw on December 30, 2018, 02:24:03 PM
After listening Ae fond kiss with County Down I pick County Down! For some reason though A Time For Us always strikes me with Mairead. I'm all into powerful performances like Alex on You'll Be in My Heart or Susan Sometimes a Prayer Will Do.
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: mattycakes on December 31, 2018, 08:51:15 AM
Had to go with County Down. It's actually one of my favorite solos from Ancient Land. I just love this song!

Agreed!

I loved Ae Fond Kiss too, but for me, the melody of County Down was incredibly satisfying and perfect for her voice. "I still need you the most of all" is one of those lines that reaches deep into my heart. It's a line that reminds me how much Celtic Woman and Mairead Carlin in particular have meant to me over the years. <3

That line is overwhelmingly powerful for me, like "remind us, like the seasons do that life goes by so fast" from Green the Whole Year 'Round or "when you come and I am filled with wonder ... sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity" from You Raise Me Up.
The thing I wonder about the most recent albums (under Gavin Murphy's reign) is whether the girls have picking privileges for some of their solos. After all, the County Down is in Northern Ireland while the song speaks of whether the listener hears them while "you roam through lonely London town." Mairead and Ronan have now moved there I think so it strikes me as perhaps being an ode to returning home with her love for Mairead. That's why County Down strikes me as so powerful from her.
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: Tracie on December 31, 2018, 12:11:45 PM
Yes, that always strikes me when listening to County Down, that it has such personal meaning for her. I was thinking it at the filming too because she had already been posting on instagram about getting ready to move to London.

I think they do have at least some say in their solos - I read an article somewhere that was an interview with Megan and she said she had chosen her two solos from a list of songs.
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: CWazyTom on December 31, 2018, 02:54:10 PM
Yes, that always strikes me when listening to County Down, that it has such personal meaning for her. I was thinking it at the filming too because she had already been posting on instagram about getting ready to move to London.

I think they do have at least some say in their solos - I read an article somewhere that was an interview with Megan and she said she had chosen her two solos from a list of songs.

Mairead Carlin has stated in the past that the girls do sometimes suggest songs that they'd like to sing. Sometimes Gavin and Meav agree with the idea. But sometimes the songs the girls feel like they'd love to sing aren't the best songs for their voices. The girls trust Gavin and Meav to pick the songs that are best for them and best for the album/show. As Mairead said at one point, Gavin and Meav know what's best for their voices better than the girls themselves do and Gavin/Meav are "always right."
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: kirstie_x on December 31, 2018, 05:52:58 PM
I decided on I See Fire as my fave. I do love it, but I have a soft spot for Mairead, being from Northern Ireland 😂 so love most of her solos. On a side note, Mairead & Damien McGinty singing Let the River Run is amazing,also Maireads Scarlett Ribbons. Both before (I think) CW when Londonderry was the city of culture
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: chandlermattson on January 01, 2019, 06:58:18 AM
Yes, that always strikes me when listening to County Down, that it has such personal meaning for her. I was thinking it at the filming too because she had already been posting on instagram about getting ready to move to London.

I think they do have at least some say in their solos - I read an article somewhere that was an interview with Megan and she said she had chosen her two solos from a list of songs.
Mairead Carlin has stated in the past that the girls do sometimes suggest songs that they'd like to sing. Sometimes Gavin and Meav agree with the idea. But sometimes the songs the girls feel like they'd love to sing aren't the best songs for their voices. The girls trust Gavin and Meav to pick the songs that are best for them and best for the album/show. As Mairead said at one point, Gavin and Meav know what's best for their voices better than the girls themselves do and Gavin/Meav are "always right."

Wow, that's so interesting to know!
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: VegasDavid on January 04, 2019, 08:59:14 PM
Tom might be thinking of the article (http://www.classicalcrossovermagazine.us/fall2018issue/) he posted (http://www.celticwomanforum.net/index.php?topic=632.msg1952#msg1952) a while ago.  It says:

Quote
Mairéad also has a background in classical music and studied at the Trinity College of Music in London.  She has toured with Don McLean – including a concert at the Royal Albert Hall and released a solo effort "Songbook."  However, creating an album with Celtic Woman is very much a team effort.  Mairéad describes the process for us:  "We gather around the piano in the studio one on one with Gavin and he has a chunk of music on the piano.  We start singing through the music for a few hours and it becomes clear which songs you are immediately drawn to – County Down was an instant connection for me."  The simplicity of this piece and Mairéad's heartfelt vocals are indeed a perfect fit.

"Sometimes you just know in your heart.  We also can ask to sing songs – and are encouraged to send in music that inspires us, but most of the time our Produce Shand and MD Gavin know us better.  You can love a song but it might not suit your voice even through you think it does.  They hear you differently.  I won't say this too loudly, but they are ALWAYS right."

P.S.  kirstie_x, thanks for pointing out those wonderful Mairéad Carlin songs from before Celtic Woman!
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: Tracie on January 05, 2019, 09:42:16 AM
That's an excellent article! I remember seeing that Tom had posted it but I must not have had time to read it or something and forgot to go back to it. I'm very glad you re-posted it David!
Title: Re: Favorite Mairead solo with Celtic Woman
Post by: Tracie on January 05, 2019, 09:46:12 AM
Oh I just clicked back to Tom's original post of this and I see why I didn't read it before - it said potential spoilers for the Christmas tour and I was so intent on going to that show without spoilers. I think there's still a lot of stuff on the forum for me to go back to and read now that I saw the Christmas show (and go back to finishing my write up of it). I've been so busy lately I just haven't found time to sit and figure out what all to say in my write up and how to word it.