EILEEN MCGANN
Heritage
(c) (p) 1997 Borealis Recording
13tks/52mins

Parents of Eileen McGann have emigrated to Canada from Britain in 1953. Everything they took with them was placed in two cardboard suitcases. But Eileen's parents gave her more, than just any precious things. They gave her love to Irish and Scottish folk songs. From her childhood Eileen sing these songs, which take us to the ancient time, and reveal spirit of the Celts, this mysterious ancient civilization.

The album Heritage contains traditional Irish and Scottish songs arranged by Eileen McGann. A lot of musicians took part in recording of this album. They played many acoustic instruments: guitars, flute, fiddle, Irish bouzouki and others. Compositions of Heritage are beautifully and masterly performed ballads. Besides her soft voice Eileen pleases listeners by the love and persistance, with which the songs of different years were collected and put together in the album. For example, the composition My Grief On the Sea / Cape Clear is an old Irish song, translated from Gaelic (this is how the Celtic language is named in science) in the 19th century. Drawling, coming from some depths sounds the composition some special touching and charm. Wonderfully sad composition The Rolling Of The Stones tells how elder brother killed the younger brother, because the young man fall in love with beautiful Susie, whom the elder brother loved too. «The Rolling Of The Stones» is an old Celtic game. The brothers were fond of playing this game, till jealousy of the elder brother lead to tragedy. Composition The Beltane describe the Celt holiday of bonfires. This ancient spring ceremony took part on May 1 on the old stile. Especially soft is the composition Faithful Johnny. It is a song of love and sentimental promises of lovers.

Eileen McGann is a member of the Fiddler's Green Folk Club and takes part in many music festivals.
Heritage can be recommended to all the lovers of ethnical music.

Serge Kozlovsky