The Very Best of Celtic Christmas

by The Very Best Of Celtic Christmas

Overview

Culled from Windham Hill's five best-selling Celtic Christmas collections, this 19-track Best Of features atmospheric yuletide classics and originals from some of contemporary Celtic music's most celebrated performers. Highlights include Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill and Donal Lunny's lush "Third Carol for a Christmas Day," Altan's "Soillse Na Nollag (The Lights of Christmas)" and former Silly Wizard fiddler Johnny Cunningham's "King Holly, King Oak." These are reverently performed and arranged tunes that despite their occasional nose-dive into new age, factory-preset keyboard-land, manage to provide the audio equivalent of a well-tended fireplace. ~ James Christopher Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	10/26/2004
Label:	Bmg / Sony Music Entertainment / Windham Hill Records
UPC:	0887254261827
Rank:	20391

Tracks

1. The Wexford Carol  - David Agnew  -  Aontas Choral Group  - Philip Begley  - David Downes  - Micheal ODomhnaill  -  Traditional
2. Cornph¿¿opa Ciorcalach  - Maire Breatnach  - Seamus Brett
3. On a Cold Winter's Day/Christmas Eve  - Kevin Burke  - Micheal ODomhnaill  - Bob Stark  -  Traditional
4. Third Carol for Christmas Day  - Ciaran Byrne  - Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill  - Donal Lunny  -  Traditional
5. Circle of Joy  - Mary Barton  - Mark Chatfield  - Lisa Lynne  - Jim McGraff  - Gil Morales  - Micheal ODomhnaill  - Steve Reid
6. S¿¿or-Uaine (Evergreen)  - Phil Cunningham  - Manus Lunny  - Micheal ODomhnaill
7. Lully Lullay  - Philip Begley  - Brian Dunning  - Triona Ni Dhomhnaill  -  Nightnoise  - Micheal ODomhnaill  -  Traditional
8. Galician Carol  - Pancho Alvarez  - Diego Bouzon  - Pablo Cano  - Francisco Gude  - Enrique Iglesias  - Alastair McMillan  - Paddy Moloney  - Pablo Muzquiz  - Carlos Nunez  -  Traditional  - Marcos Vazquez
9. King Holly, King Oak  - Brian Capouch  - Johnny Cunningham  - Kathy Halverson  - Aine Minogue  - Micheal ODomhnaill
10. A Raven in the Snow  - Janet Chvatal  - Brian Dunning  - Tim Ellis  - Roger Hadley  - Jeff Johnson  - Adele ODwyer  - Ken Rice  - Gregg Williams
11. Soillse Na Nollag (The Lights of Christmas)  -  Altan  - Dermot Byrne  - Mark Kelly  - Donal Lunny  - Brian Masterson  - Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh  - Proinsias O Maonaigh  - Daithi Sproule  - Ciaran Tourish
12. I'll Rock You to Rest  - James Galway  - Tom Kochan  - Micheal ODomhnaill  -  Traditional
13. Sails of Galway  - Robert Becker  - Jon Clarke  - Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick  - Michael Fisher  - Peter Kent  - Randy Kerber  - Avi Kipper  - Micheal ODomhnaill  - Dean Parks  - Nancy Roth  - Bennett Salvay  - Snuffy Walden  - W.G. Snuffy Walden
14. On a Winter's Day  - Karan Casey  - Dan Fitzgerald  - Robbie Overson  - Niall Vallely
15. Ga Gr¿¿ine  - John Fitzpatrick  - Micheal ODomhnaill
16. The Dove's Return  - Brian Capouch  - Brian P. Meyers  - Aine Minogue  - Micheal ODomhnaill
17. Angels in the Snow  - Mike Aarvold  - David Arkenstone  - Donald Markese  - Micheal ODomhnaill  - Sid Page
18. An Droichead (The Bridge)  - Liam Bradley  - Stephen Cooney  - Sean Keane  - Mark Knopfler  - Arty McGlynn  - Rod McVey  - Liam O'Flynn
19. Flow Gently Sweet Afton  - Denise Barbarita  - William Coulter  - Justin Mayer  - Micheal ODomhnaill  -  Traditional  - Benjamin Verdery  - Paul Verna

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kevin Burke   Primary Artist,Fiddle
Carlos Nunez   Primary Artist,Gaita,Recorder
Benjamin Verdery   Primary Artist,Guitar (Classical)
Donal Lunny   Primary Artist,Guitar,Bodhran,Bouzouki,Keyboards
John Fitzpatrick   Primary Artist,Viola,Fiddle,Guitar,Keyboards,Low Whistle
Maighread Ni Dhomnaill   Primary Artist,Vocals
Maire Breatnach   Primary Artist,Violin,Vocals,Whistle (Human)
Liam O'Flynn   Primary Artist,Uillean Pipes
Lisa Lynne   Primary Artist,Celtic Harp
Micheal O Domhnaill   Primary Artist,Keyboards,Guitar
Aine Minogue   Primary Artist,Harp,Vocals,Irish Harp
David Arkenstone   Primary Artist,Guitar,Keyboards,Percussion
Manus Lunny   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
William Coulter   Primary Artist,Guitar (Steel)
Brian Dunning   Primary Artist,Flute,Accordion,Penny Whistle
David Agnew   Primary Artist,Oboe,Cor Anglais
David Downes   Primary Artist,Piano,Director,Keyboards,Uillean Pipes,Choir Director,Whistle (Human)
Jeff Johnson   Primary Artist,Keyboards
W.G. Snuffy Walden   Primary Artist,Guitar
Johnny Cunningham   Primary Artist,Fiddle
Seamus Brett   Primary Artist,Keyboards
Karan Casey   Primary Artist,Vocals
Robbie Overson   Primary Artist,Guitar
Phil Cunningham   Primary Artist,Accordion,Keyboards
Niall Vallely   Primary Artist,Concertina
Nightnoise   Primary Artist
Snuffy Walden   Primary Artist
Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill   Primary Artist,Vocals
Altan   Primary Artist
James Galway   Primary Artist,Flute
Ciaran Tourish   Fiddle,Whistle (Human)
Mark Kelly   Guitar
Dean Parks   Guitar
Donald Markese   Penny Whistle
Daithi Sproule   Guitar
Tim Ellis   Guitar
Robert Becker   Viola
Stephen Cooney   Guitar
Triona Ni Dhomhnaill   Piano,Vocals,Harmonium
Steve Cooney   Guitar
Randy Kerber   Piano
Sid Page   Violin
Pancho Alvarez   Bouzouki
Mark Knopfler   Guitar (Electric)
Rod McVey   Keyboards
Arty McGlynn   Guitar
Roger Hadley   Cymbals
Pablo Cano   Harpsichord
Diego Bouzon   Spanish Guitar
Aontas   Choir/Chorus
Mark Chatfield   Viola da Gamba
Michael Eagan   Archlute
Steve Reid   Percussion
Ken Rice   Violin
Dermot Byrne   Accordion
Michael Fisher   Percussion
Kathy Halverson   Oboe
Sean Keane   Fiddle
Nancy Roth   Violin
Enrique Iglesias   Violin
Paddy Moloney   Uillean Pipes
Peter Kent   Violin
Jon Clarke   Penny Whistle
Liam Bradley   Percussion
Gregg Williams   Drums,Percussion
Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh   Vocals
Adele O'Dwyer   Cello
Jim McGraff   Bodhran
Pablo Muzquiz   Double Bass
The Dermot Byrne Blues Combo   Accordion
Mary Barton   Violin
Aontas Choral Group   Featured Artist
Janet Chvatal   Vocals,Voices
Marcos Vazquez   Bodhran,Timpani,Tambourine
Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick   Cello
Laurence Beaufils   Harp

Technical Credits

Kevin Burke   Producer,Arranger
Chris Bellman   Mastering
Benjamin Verdery   Arranger
Donal Lunny   Arranger,Producer
John Fitzpatrick   Composer
Dawn Atkinson   Compilation Producer
Maighread Ni Dhomnaill   Arranger
Maire Breatnach   Composer,Producer
Liam O'Flynn   Composer
Denise Barbarita   Engineer,Assistant
Lisa Lynne   Composer
Micheal O Domhnaill   Producer,Mixing,Arranger,Engineer
Aine Minogue   Composer
Brian Masterson   Engineer,Producer
David Arkenstone   Mixing,Composer
William Coulter   Mixing,Arranger
Alastair McMillan   Engineer
Brian Dunning   Composer
Brian Capouch   Mixing,Engineer
David Downes   Arranger
Traditional   Composer
Stephen Cooney   Composer
Steve Cooney   Composer
Avi Kipper   Mixing,Engineer
Bob Stark   Engineer
Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh   Composer
Jeff Johnson   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer
W.G. Snuffy Walden   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Johnny Cunningham   Composer
Justin Mayer   Mixing
Seamus Brett   Engineer,Producer
Karan Casey   Composer,Producer
Michael Aarvold   Engineer
Arty McGlynn   Composer
Ciaran Byrne   Engineer
Erwin Gorostiza   Art Direction
Francisco Gude   Assistant
Gil Morales   Mixing,Engineer
Mike Aarvold   Engineer
Tom Kochan   Arranger
Phil Cunningham   Composer
Philip Begley   Mixing,Engineer
Proinsias O Maonaigh   Composer
Niall Vallely   Producer
Nightnoise   Arranger
Dan Fitzgerald   Engineer
Paddy Moloney   Producer
Bennett Salvay   String Arrangements
Altan   Arranger,Producer
Carlos Nunez   Arranger
Paul Verna   Engineer
Mary Barton   Composer
Brian P. Meyers   Composer
Chika Azuma   Design
Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill   Arranger