Between the Showers - Review
Foinse 16th January 2000
Colmán Ó Raghallaigh
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Ceol binn na dTéad ó Ghráinne Is annamh a thagann CD an bealach gur féidir a rá, gan aon áibhéil, gur fiú dul amach agus é a cheannach ar an bpointe boise. Le foilsiú Between the Showers le Gráinne Hambly tá a leithéid de ócáid tagtha óir is seoid amach is amach atá ann, ní hamháin ó thaobh an cheoil de ach ó thaobh dearadh agus pacáistiú de chomh maith. As Clár Chlainne Mhuiris, Co. Mhaigh Eo do Ghráinne Hambly ó dhúchas ach is i mBéal Feirste atá sí le tamall de bhlianta anuas agus í i mbun staidéir agus ag casadh leis an Belfast Harp Orchestra agus le ceoltóirí traidisiúnta na cathrach sin. Rud a chuirfeas iontas ar a lán b'fhéidir, ná gur comhlacht as an Ostair, Shamrock Records, a d'fhoilsigh an cnuasach seo agus caithfear iad a mholadh as an bhféasta ceoil atá curtha ar fáil dúinn ag duine de mhórcheoltóirí óga na linne seo. Tá meascán tuisceanach den cheol nuachumtha anseo ó leithéidí Michael Cassidy, John Brady, Patrick Davey, Brendan McGlinchey agus Peter Ratzenbeck, giotáraí de bhunú na hOstaire, maille le rogha den scoth as an tobar traidisiúnta ó chnuasach Bhunting (Maidin Bhog Aoibhinn) go Ó Cearbhalláin (trí phíosa leis) síos go Junior Crehan (The Mist Covered Mountain et al). Agus is cuma cé acu foinn mhalla, ríleanna nó eile is ansa leat tá cnuasach chomh cuimsitheach ó thaobh foirmeacha is a chonaic mise riamh ar an albam seo. Mar is iondúil tá píosaí ar leith a sheasann amach in intinn an léirmheastóra. Ba bhreá liomsa ach go háirithe, an leagan deachóirithe den Gold Ring (lena deirfiúr Róisín) agus an sárthaispéantas deismhéarachta ar an rian deireanach, The Glass of Beer / The Bucks of Oranmore ach is cinnte go mbeidh a rogha féin ag chuile éisteoir. Bean í Gráinne a bhfuil sáreolas aici ar phréamhacha an cheoil agus a rian sin ar na nótaí breátha simplí a scríobh sí féin don dluthdhiosca seo nach bhfuil aon bhlas den ardnósmhaireacht a mhilleann a leithéid go ró-mhinic ag baint leo. Is deas freisin mar a luann sí a múinteoirí ceoil féin, Janet Harbison don chruit agus Bernie Geraghty don chonsairtín. Tá sí i mbun taighde faoi láthair dá Ph.D. in Ollscoil na Banríona i mBéal Feirste. Tá an dearadh samhlaíoch agus an obair ealaíne le Harald Ergott ar an gcaighdeán is airde agus is gleoite an líníocht le Bernie Prendergast ar an diosca féin. Ach i bhfianaise a bhfuil le cloisteáil ar an CD céanna, is ceart agus is cóir sin. Is iomaí tráthnóna dorcha a ghealfaidh sé dúinn idir seo agus Bealtaine. |
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Sweet Music of the Strings from Gráinne Only occasionally does a CD come along that may be described as a 'must buy'. Gráinne Hambly's 'Between the Showers' fits the bill exactly and is a jewel, not only from a musical point of view, but also in terms of design and packaging. A native of Claremorris, County Mayo, Gráinne has lived in Belfast for the past number of years studying Music and playing with the Belfast Harp Orchestra and with local traditional musicians. Intriguingly, this CD comes from an Austrian company, Shamrock Records, who deserve all our thanks for making available such a veritable feast of music from one of the country's leading young musicians. New compositions from the likes of Michael Cassidy, John Brady, Patrick Davey, Brendan McGlinchey and Austrian guitarist, Peter Ratzenbeck, are sensitively balanced by a delightful selection from the traditional pool ranging from Bunting's Soft Mild Morning to three O'Carolan pieces and down to Junior Crehan's Mist Covered Mountain etc. Whatever your favoured form, whether it be reels or slow airs, this album provides as wide and as comprehensive variety of forms as I have ever come across. As is usual with all reviewers, some tracks in particular tend to linger in the mind. In this instance, I was particularly taken with the delightful arrangement of The Gold Ring (with sister Róisín) and with the virtuoso display of digital dexterity on the last track featuring The Glass of Beer and The Bucks of Oranmore. But you may choose your own! Gráinne's extensive knowledge of traditional music and its roots is well illustrated by her excellent sleeve notes which are rendered all the more authoritative by the absence of even the slightest hint of the pretension which tends to spoil so many CD inserts these days. It is particularly gratifying to see Gráinne's acknowledgement of her music teachers, Janet Harbison on the harp and Bernie Geraghty on the concertina. Gráinne herself is currently pursuing her Ph.D studies in Queens. The imaginative design and artwork on this CD by Harald Ergott are of the highest order as is the delightful drawing by Bernie Prendergast on the CD itself. But given the quality of the music this is surely entirely appropriate. It will certainly brighten many a dark evening between here and May. |