Customer Reviews

Loreena McKennitt: Nights from the Alhambra (Amaray - DVD + 2CD)

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The reason why I am reviewing this nearly before its release here in the UK is that I saw Loreena McKennitt in her only UK concert at London's Barbican Theatre on 3 April. After a magnificent evening, I bought a copy of the CD/DVD set for £25 at the tour sales stand. Paying the extra for having the set before the official release date is money well spent.

The concert was recorded in September 2006 at the Alhambra Palace in Granada. It must be said that Loreena's music melds beautifully with the backdrop of the palace and whoever had the idea for the concert here was truly inspired.

There are 18 tracks on the album - the 2 CDs - and the order is the same for the DVD. There is a commentary by Loreena at intervals throughout the concert and you get a real understanding of how her mind works, in putting together the historical images which shape her albums; each album being a history lesson and a travelogue for her research which culminates in her marvellous albums.

There are tracks from all her studio albums:

* Penelope's Song", "Caravanserai" and "Never-Ending Road (Amhran Duit)" are all from "An Ancient Muse", the brilliant new album;

* "The Mystic's Dream", "The Bonny Swans" and "Santiago" are from "The Mark And Mirror";

* "She Moved Through The Fair" and "Stolen Child" are from "Elemental";

* "The Mummer's Dance", "Marco Polo" and "Dante's Prayer" are from "The Book Of Secrets";

* "Bonny Portmore", "All Souls Night", an abbreviated version of "The Lady Of Shalott", "The Old Ways" and "Cymbeline" are all from "The Visit"; and

* "Huron 'Beltane' Fire Dance" is from "Parallel Dreams".

Finally, there is a wonderful version of "Raglan Road, the poem written by Patrick Kavanagh.

The musicians are a stellar A-list group, including many of those who have played on Loreena's studio albums - Brian Hughes, Caroline Lavelle, Donald Qwan, Hugh Marsh to name just a few. However, there are many more top-class musicians playing here and when you add Loreena's voice, the result is startlingly wonderful and unforgettable.

This is a major concert in a magnificent setting - a spectacular occasion which all fans will enjoy. For all British fans, it is hoped that Loreena will return for more concerts soon. I guess the same will go for her fans on the other side of the pond (and the rest of the world!).

For fans of Loreena McKennitt, this is the concert video that we have all been waiting for... it is just stunning!

There is a possible point of confusion here, as there are TWO versions of the same performance offered on Amazon. The ONLY difference is the packaging, both contain 3 disks (2 cd's and one DVD). This set is packaged in a DVD sized container, and the other is packaged as a jewel box set. At first, I ordered both, thinking that one set was a DVD video and the other was a CD audio version. After I realized my mistake, I canceled the jewel box order and kept this DVD sized package (which was cheaper at the time).

Don't get "suckered in" like I did, for awhile Amazon listed the two versions as a buy BOTH together deal, but this has now been changed to a more realistic offer.

Whichever version you buy, I am sure you will be captivated by this magnificent performance, recorded in a magnificent setting!

This concert was broadcast on PBS earlier this year. I had liked Loreena McKennitt ever since my brand-new husband introduced me to her latest CD at a Biltmore Village, North Carolina music store in 1999. BOOK OF SECRETS, at that time, was her most recent recording. This is the concert that made me buy the rest of her catalogue. This is a wonderful concert. Loreena is truly a very gifted singer/songwriter/performer, and the musicians who accompany her are no less than superb. Her words and music transport the listener to faraway lands and mystical places and it's a good place to go. I paid $35.00 for this DVD which included a 2-disc CD at her Nashville, Tennessee concert at the Ryman and I've had it since April. My husband and I ended up walking back to our car with a little man who had come to the concert by himself and who was obviously enamored with the singer. "Best concert I've ever been to!" he told us, with a great big ol' grin on his face. We wholeheartedly agreed with him. If you buy it from AMAZON, you won't pay as much as I did and I'll tell you right now, if you enjoy Loreena McKennitt, you will enjoy this set. Buy the CD also and then you can enjoy it in the car as you travel! Raves!!!

To listen to Loreena's music is one thing; to see her perform live is quite another. Just yesterday evening, in Cleveland Ohio, my family and I attended her performance. We all agreed that this may have been the best live event we'd ever been to. The only thing that would have made it better would have been the context of the Granada, Spain location. If you are a fan, or even a casual fan, as myself, you will move heaven and earth to make her live event in your area. It was an amazing experience and I am so glad I decided to go. Make sure you ask to be granted a "meet and greet" after the show; they do let the first ten who ask meet her on her way back to her tour bus. She will take time to sign your concert programm or CD/DVD...whatever. My 16 year old niece got to fullfill one of her dreams to actually meet and give a gentle hug (with permission) to Loreena. She does appreciate her fans and my family apprecaites her for taking the time after the show to let us get closer. Make sure to get this DVD/CD combo; I bought one after the show to remember the live event. It is a must have.

I just attended Loreena McKennitt's An Ancient Muse concert in Columbus on Oct 13, 2007. It was an amazing concert! I hope every fan of hers has a chance to attend one of her shows. The musicians on stage with her were excellent & she looked so happy and energetic on stage during the whole performance. I will never forget that concert. Just awesome!

I bought a copy of this 2CD/DVD set at the show and this really does capture what the concert was like. From the soft harp notes of "She Moved Through The Fair" to a truly inspired version of "Raglan Road" (If Loreena's vocals on this song don't give you goosebumps, I don't know what will!) to the electric guitar on "The Bonny Swans" this is just an all around excellent CD\DVD set. It's too bad this set doesn't have "The Highwayman" on it, though. When Loreena & the band played that on stage last night, it was breathtaking.

I am so thankful Loreena came back to release a new album & do this tour. This is such beautiful music by Loreena and her band. Some days I want to lose faith in humanity when I turn on the radio and hear the junk that is out there. This kind of music reassures me that there are still humans out there who are able to reach beyond themselves and show that music can be much more than a corporate tool to make money, more than a showcase of one's narrow selfish lifestyle, and even more than art. Thank you, Loreena McKennitt. THANK YOU!

If you aren't able to see Loreena McKennitt in concert this would definitely be the next best thing. Highly recommended!

As a big fan of this woman for a dozen years, I was excited to hear she put out this DVD. I had never seen her perform. She only had one previous DVD with a half-hour of music, which I felt wasn't worth the purchase , but this was a bargain considering one also gets two CDs.

Anyway, the main thing is the concert and how it looks on DVD....and I have no complaints. This is "first class" all the way. The setting is beautiful, the muscians are talented and Loreena's voice sounds as beautiful as ever. I enjoyed listening to her speak briefy before most of the songs. She has a very soothing presence and this DVD concert is just the ticket if you want to spend a really mellow, enjoyable evening of outstanding music.

I've played this three times in the two weeks I''ve owned it, and it gets better every time!

I've been a fan for a couple of years now, since I discovered her on an internet radio station from Italy. Strange, huh? I had seen her CD's in the store but had to discover her on a foreign radio station.

Anyway, I thought that she was excellent on the studio versions. I was blown away to hear the live versions! How many people do you know that sound as good as or even BETTER live versus in the studio? I've seen very few acts that can sing as well as they do on disk. With all of the technology out there like pitch correction software and the like I'm just stunned at how good she is live. Loreena also has some top-notch musicians backing her. I'll get my chance to see her live in October when she comes to NE Ohio. I can't wait. I'm sure it will be a surreal experience being that most of the shows I've seen (other than concerts by David Lanz & one by Brad Paisley) have been in the classic rock/metal genre. Can you picture an old-school metal guy digging the hell out of this red haired beauty? My sister just looks at me and wonders when I, all of a sudden, got... "cultured". ;-)

I also must say this is probably one of the best "sounding" concert DVD's I've ever seen. The acoustics at the Alhambra must have been something to behold because the sonic qualities of the DVD and CD's are amazing. If you have a quality sound system (especially surround) you'll love it. Get the DVD. You won't be disappointed. BTW, I bought the other version that comes in the CD-style case. Otherwise they are the same.

*The folowing is a description taken from Ms. McKennitt's website.

Nights from the Alhambra is an enchanting musical performance, set beneath the stars in the breathtaking Moorish heart of medieval Spain. Captured live in September 2006, singer/composer Loreena McKennitt - in her first in-concert television special - leads viewers through the multi-textured landscapes of her catalogue, from traditional Celtic ballads to literary narratives and highlights from her most recent recording, An Ancient Muse.

From August 2007, Nights from the Alhambra will be available in stores worldwide as a deluxe three-disc set comprising a 139-minute DVD and two companion CDs with a combined running time of 94 minutes. Both the DVD and the audio-only CDs present performances of 18 of Loreena's best-loved songs, including "The Mummers' Dance", "Caravanserai", "The Mystic's Dream" and "The Lady Of Shalott", performed by Loreena and a host of musical colleagues.

The live concert performances captured in Nights from the Alhambra were first seen in the TV special of the same name in PBS's "Great Performances" series. This programme began airing in the United States in March 2007.

In the spring of 2007, a version of the DVD/CD set Nights from the Alhambra was sold exclusively during Loreena McKennitt's European and North American tours. This "tour exclusive" version of Nights from the Alhambra featured different artwork on the outer packaging, but it included the same content as the later commercial release.

(I have seen Ms. McKennitt perform several times, including this The Ancient Muse tour, and this is not to be missed. If you were unable to see her during this tour, or have never seen her perform live, you will not be disappointed by this DVD/CD collection. The music and setting is breathtakingly beautiful, the musicianship is unparalleled, and Loreena is such a warm and gracious performer. I would give it ten stars, if they let me. Highly recommended.)

I was lucky enough to be at the concerts at Charles V (Carlos V) rotunda in the Alhambra both nights that they were filming for this DVD and the third night when Lorena performed in the Generalife without TV - also in the Alhambra complex. All three nights were pure magic and this DVD and CD combination bring it all back. Absolutely, totally, with out question, utterly and truly magnificent.

There are performances and music that are enjoyable and some that serve as distractions. Then there are a few that are in an elevated category that touch one's soul in a very deep way. Such is my reaction to much of the content of "Nights from the Alhambra."

This is in the context of someone like myself who is not versed in Celtic folklore and spirituality. While I do not adequately appreciate the lyrics of some of the music (nor understand their meaning) based in this setting, I do feel very moved by the romanticism expressed in much of the lyrics, the melodies, and the haunting delivery of the music by Loreena McKennitt.

The only song in the performance that doesn't speak to my preference for musical style is "The Bonny Swans" (which may be a favorite of many of her fans!) which tends to be delivered in a primarily "rock" sound. I can accept the presence of one such song amidst the many others that consist of a large variety of styles ranging from such a song like this to the extremely slow-moving "She Moved Through the Fair."

Instrumental pieces like "Santiago" and "Marco Polo" were invigorating.

The concert consists of what seems like a "best of " from her collection up through 2006, including Celtic ballads, instrumentals, and literary narratives put to music.

The literary narratives are the ones that touched me the most deeply. My favorites included "Penelope's Song," and "Dante's Prayer." The final song of the concert (penultimate actually, as that song demanded an encore) for which applause seems so inappropriate due its quality is "Never-Ending Road." The first time I heard this song I thought, "it can't get any better than this." That song impressed me as of the kind that needs no further performance statement.

This was the first time I had experienced Loreena McKennitt in a visual media form. I was introduced to her music previously only by way of audio. I was struck by the exact treatment and pacing she used in phrasing. There are singers, performers, musicians, and then there are artists. Experiencing her in this form increased my appreciation for her artistry.

I watched the DVD on an average television monitor and heard the audio through a tv's stereo speakers (versus using a surround system, which is one of the audio options to hear the audio of the DVD) and was still very pleased with the recording, particularly of the audio engineering and sound range of instruments, such as from the different drums that was captured (like the "boom-boom-swish" capturing the sound of the movement from the bass drums to the cymbals!) on cuts like "Caravanserai."

Video shots of the concert were adequate giving the viewer various views of the concert hall and musicians. Particular care was given on focusing on a musician whose instrument dominated the portion of the music at the moment. Shots were of various distances throughout the concert - distant from the back of the concert hall (including the ceiling and back/side walls to half way back, to the front row, to extreme closeups (good thing that LM's makeup was put on perfectly!!)

I would have liked more features as options on the DVD, such as subtitles (onscreen lyrics available during her singing - one must go to the quinlanroad website to get all the lyrics), a short feature on the symbolism used in the lyrics.

The packaging design of the DVD/CD is very stylish, very elegant, perhaps in the same theme as the Moorish subject of the concert. Even the design placement of the CDs and DVD inside the package is very elegant.

I urge anyone who is not familiar with her music to watch the DVD first - then listen to the CDs. Getting exposed to this music combined with the visuals is a much more powerful experience than simply taking in the audio. Some of this music I had never heard before, and it was a very powerful experience to experience it in the manner it unfolded. Such a case was with "The Old Ways," (one of the most powerful pieces in the concert, particularly by the way it ends), and of course, "Never-Ending Road."

This is a concert to watch on DVD with no distractions for full impact. One of the most moving, enjoyable, and soul stirring concerts I have watched. For any LM fans, a must-have.