The Best Of Celtic Music

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Riverdance Celtic Lords 04:152

Firelands Tracey Hewat 03:543

Traveller Shaun Lochalsh 03:534

Song for Ireland Joan McInnes 05:085

Flood of Tears Prython 03:156

I Still Haven’t Found what I’m Looking for 03:48

Neña Maria Cornvalles 02:4711

In this Heart Duncan MacDonald 03:06 and more…

What is Celtic Music?

Celtic music is a broad grouping of music genres that evolved out of the folk music traditions of the Celtic people of Northwestern Europe (the modern Celtic nations).

It refers to both orally-transmitted traditional music and recorded music, and the styles vary considerably to include everything from traditional music to a wide range of hybrids.

Celtic music means two things, mainly. First, it is the music of the people that identify themselves as Celts. Secondly, it refers to whatever qualities may be unique to the music of the Celtic nations. Many notable Celtic musicians such as Alan Stivell and Paddy Moloney claim that the different Celtic music genres have a lot in common.

These following melodic practices may be used[4] widely across the different variants of Celtic Music:
Celtic harp performed at a modern Celtic festival.

It is common for the melodic line to move up and down the primary chords in many Celtic songs. There are a number of possible reasons for this:
    Melodic variation can be easily introduced. Melodic variation is widely used in Celtic music, especially by the pipes and harp.
    It is easier to anticipate the direction that the melody will take, so that harmony either composed or improvised can be introduced: clichéd cadences that are essential for impromptu harmony are also more easily formed.
    The relatively wider tonal intervals in some songs make it possible for stress accents within the poetic line to be more in keeping with the local Celtic accent.
Across just one Celtic group.
By more than one Celtic language population belonging to different Celtic groups.

These two latter usage patterns may simply be remnants of formerly widespread melodic practices.

Often, the term Celtic music is applied to the music of Ireland and Scotland because both lands have produced well-known distinctive styles which actually have genuine commonality and clear mutual influences.

The definition is further complicated by the fact that Irish independence has allowed Ireland to promote ‘Celtic’ music as a specifically Irish product. However, these are modern geographical references to a people who share a common Celtic ancestry and consequently, a common musical heritage.

These styles are known because of the importance of Irish and Scottish people in the English-speaking world, especially in the United States, where they had a profound impact on American music, particularly bluegrass and country music.

The music of Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Brittany, Galician traditional music (Spain) and music of Portugal are also considered Celtic music, the tradition being particularly strong in Brittany, where Celtic festivals large and small take place throughout the year, and in Wales, where the ancient eisteddfod tradition has been revived and flourishes. Additionally, the musics of ethnically Celtic peoples abroad are vibrant, especially in Canada and the United States.

In Canada, the provinces of Atlantic Canada are known for being a home of Celtic music, most notably on the islands of Newfoundland, Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island. The traditional music of Atlantic Canada is heavily influenced by the Irish, Scottish and Acadian ethnic makeup of much of the region’s communities.

In some parts of Atlantic Canada, such as Newfoundland, Celtic music is as or more popular than in the old country. Further, some older forms of Celtic music that are rare in Scotland and Ireland today, such as the practice of accompanying a fiddle with a piano, or the Gaelic spinning songs of Cape Breton remain common in the Maritimes. Much of the music of this region is Celtic in nature, but originates in the local area and celebrates the sea, seafaring, fishing and other primary industries.

Instruments associated with Celtic Music include the Celtic harp, uilleann pipes or Great Highland bagpipe, fiddle, tin whistle, flute, bodhrán, bones, concertina, accordion and a recent addition, the Irish bouzouki.

If you want to read more on Celtic Music…here (Wikipedia)