Orla Fallon Brings Her Irish Magic to Erie, PA, 10-4-11

Yesterday, Irish musician Orla Fallon, formerly of Celtic Woman, came to Erie to give a concert at Mercyhurst College. Before the main event that evening, she went to the headquarters of WQLN, our local PBS affiliate, to record a mini-concert in the lobby to promote the show. While I couldn’t make it to the full-blown concert, my dad, grandma and I attended this free show. It was the first event of this kind that any of us had attended, which makes me wonder why we never went to anything like it before. I suppose it just wasn’t on our radar.

There wasn’t much room in the lobby, so a crowd of maybe 50 or so sat in neat rows and munched on complimentary popcorn while we waited for the guest of honor to arrive. She was a few minutes late, so WQLN personality Tom New, who hosted the concert, kept us entertained with some goofy banter that he continued with later as he interviewed her. The whole thing had a very casual feel to it. Most of the people in attendance were retirees, in large part, I imagine, because it was 2 in the afternoon. The crowd was quiet but appreciative, especially once Orla and her fiddler, an enthusiastic young Oregon native named Amberly Rosen, took their places.

Orla probably did more talking than singing, not that anyone minded; her lilting voice has a wonderfully musical quality to it, and she has a natural gift for storytelling. A former schoolteacher, she discussed her appearance at an assembly at Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, a local high school, earlier in the day, and her delight in addressing those students was evident. She described her tiny hometown and her eventual decision to pursue music full-time, and she and Amberly both talked about how the fiddler came to join her touring group last Christmas.

She also gave some background on the songs that she sang. As she built up her first song as a perpetual crowd favorite, I suspected what it would be. However, I had never heard that it was composed on a bus ride, an aspect she said adds to its magical quality because it arrived as a gift. I also loved her introduction to the second song, a ballad about a mermaid who is tricked into forgetting the sea by a fisherman who is in love with her. What made this especially neat was that while she was describing the mermaid’s renewed longing for the ocean after she remembers her history, she pointed to my grandma, who was wearing a sweatshirt featuring a picture of a seaside lighthouse.

Orla Fallon is an accomplished harpist, and she played the elegant instrument on all four songs. It was not the largest harp I have ever seen, but its size was still impressive, and it was mesmerizing to watch an expert play it from such a short distance away. We sat in the second row, so we had an excellent view. There was no stage, just a couple of microphone stands on the flat floor. However, the harp rested upon a small pedestal. Her fingers gently plucked the strings on each of the songs, and the harp and fiddle together created a deeply satisfying sound.

The mermaid song was in Gaelic, and it was followed by a purely instrumental tune. As far as I can recall, I’d never heard either of these before. However, Isle of Innishfree, her opening song, has been one of my favorites since I first heard Joe Millar sing it at my first Irish Rovers concert nearly two decades ago. It’s really the song that introduced me to the flourishing tradition of Irish songs about longing for one’s homeland. The gorgeous melody and the poignant lyrics have always had a deep effect on me; only Ryan Kelly’s The Village That They Call the Moy can compete in terms of emotional resonance. Orla’s clear, delicate voice is an exceptional instrument for this song, particularly since, as a musician who spends much of the year on the road in other countries, she can no doubt relate to the feeling of homesickness.

The notion of separation runs deep in Irish music and is part of not only Innishfree but also the mermaid song and the final selection, a benediction of sorts called The Parting Glass. We just became familiar with that song this year thanks to the High Kings, a traditional Irish group rather like Celtic Woman in that it is primarily a PBS-based group. The song’s lyrics have a ring of permanence about them; its reflection on a full life seems to be that of someone not long for this world. However, it also makes a fitting finale for a concert, particularly since many of those in the audience will only see her live once. This song was especially lovely because Amberly provided back-up harmonies, and her voice blends beautifully with Orla’s.

I wish that we would have been able to go to the full concert, but I’m glad that we made it to the PBS show, which had a deeply intimate feel to it. Both women came across as very sweet and personable and were more than happy to talk to those who cared to stick around for a few minutes. Celtic Woman certainly lost an outstanding member when Orla Fallon decided to branch out on her own, but her PBS set aptly demonstrated her ability to carry a concert as a solo artist.

Celtic Woman Treats Christmas Classics With Delicate Reverence in A Christmas Celebration

It’s been several years now since my family first discovered Celtic Woman on PBS. We always stop and watch when one of their concerts is on, but I hadn’t thought about them in a while when I first became entranced with Celtic Thunder, a group that in some ways is their male equivalent. My fondness for Celtic Thunder runs much deeper; I have always gravitated much more toward male voices, and Celtic Thunder places much more emphasis on individuals than Celtic Woman, while also focusing less on traditional music.

Not that I object to a more folksy focus, because I love those types of songs, and Chloe Agnew, Orla Fallon (no longer with the group), Lisa Kelly, Mairead Nesbitt and Meav Ni Mhaolchatha (also no longer with the group) perform them beautifully. Given my steady diet of Celtic Thunder recently, I knew that Celtic Woman would be one of the first Christmas albums I pulled out this season. When they join together, the lads convey a feeling of strength and power. The women, meanwhile, demonstrate exquisite delicacy, which comes across beautifully on Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration.

O Holy Night - In discussions of favorite Christmas songs, this classic seems to come up more often than just about any other, particularly in religious circles. It’s a simply glorious carol that appears on countless albums as singers try to prove they’ve got the vocal chops to pull it off. Celtic Woman’s extraordinarily delicate rendition is one of my favorites. Though I wish they hadn’t skipped one verse and truncated another, their voices have a crystalline beauty to them that make this a genuine contender for my favorite version of the song. I’m hoping Celtic Thunder covers this one too; if they do, I suspect I’ll like theirs even better, but until then, I’m quite happy to listen to the ladies.

Away in a Manger - Orla Fallon has this beautiful version of a Christmas classic to herself, one of only a few solo numbers.

Ding Dong Merrily on High - This lively group number allows for plenty of complex harmonizing. One of the peppiest songs on the album.

White Christmas - Piano-driven snippets of Somewhere Over the Rainbow weave in and out of this wistful song, which is loveliest when the women come together in harmony.

Silent Night - An excellent showcase for Mairead’s fiddle, and Meav’s vocals are gorgeous, particularly during the portion in which she sings the old favorite in Irish.

Christmas Pipes - I’ve actually heard this one on the radio, so I think of it as the face of this album. A stirring song about the power of music and of the ability of Christmas to unite people. It starts very quiet and gathers intensity gradually. Includes a nice little sample of O Holy Night.

The Christmas Song - Lisa has solo honors on this one. There’s nothing especially unique about it, but her rendition definitely brings out the beauty of her voice.

Carol of the Bells - Mostly instrumental in focus, this choral number that already has a slightly Celtic flavor to it is an ideal choice for the group.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - As with the others, this poignant song is at its most affecting when several of the voices are going at once. Some of the harmonies here are quite gorgeous.

Panis Angelicus - Chloe, my favorite member of the group as well as the youngest, takes the lead on this Latin song with which I am otherwise unfamiliar. It’s a beautiful song despite the language barrier.

Don Oiche Ud I mBeithil (That Night in Bethlehem) - A Nativity-focused Gaelic song with a haunting melody and harp accompaniment featuring Chloe, Mairead and Meav.

O Come All Ye Faithful - While my all-time favorite version of this song is the one Art Garfunkel recorded for the album The Very Best of Christmas Pop, this rich rendition, enhanced by a majestic chorus, is probably my second.

The Little Drummer Boy - Rather oddly, this track begins with an eerie chorus of male Gregorian chanting that continues throughout much of the song. Less surprising is the steady drumbeat throughout the song. The melody has a slightly minor tone to it and is a showcase for Chloe and Orla.

The Wexford Carol - A tender tune describing the Nativity, this is Meav’s solo number, though she is often backed by a chorus. This has an air of antiquity about it but is quite lovely.

Let It Snow! - This is designated as a bonus track, and I’m really not sure why; then again, I never really have understood the concept of “bonus tracks”. This jazzy song has a more contemporary feel to it than most of the tracks on the album and is a fun way to end the album.

Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration stands alongside the Irish Rovers’ An Irish Christmas as my favorite way to put an Irish stamp on my Christmas celebration. If you too would like to see a little green in your December beyond just the Christmas tree, it’s a good time to get to know Chloe, Orla, Lisa, Mairead and Meav.