Customer Reviews

Traveller's Prayer

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John Renbourn's style and choice of material has hardly changed since the late 1960s, but his basic starting point is so flexible and--musical--that he still finds new directions to move in. In some respects "Traveller's Prayer" very much resembles in format, material and forces the other small ensemble projects he has been involved in as group leader (specifically, three or four albums as the John Renbourn Group, and one as Ship of Fools), but over his post-Pentangle years he has managed to slowly but surely remove from his music one of its very few weaknesses, a tendency toward over-tension (i.e., being just a bit too tightly wound). "Traveller's Prayer" is totally relaxed, totally balanced, and fully musical--without lacking an appropriate dose of tension and drama in the right places. And we are still offered some real gems of straight virtuostic play on the old 6-string. For those who are unfamiliar with Renbourn, this is the best place to start--though they should be alerted that his catalog is at this point quite extensive, including in addition to the items mentioned several duet albums with country blues master Stefan Grossman, the early Pentangle albums, and over half a dozen solo and small forces albums extending from the mid-60s through the early 90s. The good news is that every one of them is worth getting: Renbourn has never made a bad, or even mediocre, album.

I've been a Renbourn fan starting in his Pentangle days, but since he left that group I think his best work has been his solo albums rather than his collaborations. This album is a glorious exception. Partly it's the people involved: any album that includes fiddler Maire Breatnach and singer Mairead Ni Dhomnaill has an advantage to start with! But every aspect of the album, from the solo performances to the more improvisational group efforts, and the two tightly harmonized vocal arrangements, shows the depth of Renbourn's musicianship. And he's no slouch as a composer, either: he's so comfortable with the Anglo/Celtic folk idiom (not to mention medieval and Renaissance popular music) that I defy anyone to distinguish the composed from the traditional tunes on this album without reading the liner notes. (He's rather cagy about the origins of the title tune, but I heard his group perform it in '88 in Britain, and he said then that he wrote it himself.) Some musicians who were popular 30 years ago have produced nothing but reruns ever since; Renbourn just keeps getting better and better.

It's hard not to lean heavily on the adjectives when trying to convey just how fine "Traveller's Prayer" sounds. John Renbourn, as venerable and talented as any acoustic guitarist, has crafted a collection of traditional material drawn from English and Celtic traditions, but arranged and interpreted in a fresh, at time delicate manner.

Many critics have rightly praised this collection, perhaps without pausing to listen to the nuances and subtleties that shimmer and shine. The interplay of guitar, flute, fiddle (not too much fiddle), percussion, recorder, whistles, and voice creates an elemental essence, as though the music is transformed into a sweet smoke. Mr. Renbourn shines thoughout, a fleet-fingered elf plucking notes of grace.

A wealth of skilled guests accompany Mr. Renbourn, who in his unassuming way even includes all-vocal tracks.

The excellent liner notes explain how these sessions came to be, what Mr. Renbourn set out to, and did, accomplish, and what history accompanies each selection.

Part balm, part joy, "Traveller's Prayer" will ease the road before you or brighten your hearth. Share this CD with your quieter friends.

John Renbourn has been working in early music for over thirty years, and it's clearly territory with which he's familiar. The music on this recording displays a profound understanding of early music arranging and performance. The work is not overorchestrated; for such complex music, it's very easy to listen to. "Wexford Carol," sung by Mairead Ni Domhnaill, is a wonderful slow melody that stays with the listener. "Traveller's Prayer," a choral piece, revisits the closing cut on Renbourn's "Ship of Fools" recording, and added voices and a key-change make this already-impressive arrangement shine still more. As usual, Renbourn's guitar playing is impeccable; he sets a very high standard for playing this music.

Traveler's Prayer is a personal favorite, with tasteful renditions of traditional favorites (I Saw Three Ships, Bunyan's Hymn, At the Break of Day - known to me as Be Thou My Vision) and original melodies powerful in their simplicity and clarity. This recording has always impressed me for it's production values, best realized on a quiet evening with no interruptions.

If you're a fan of his Black Balloon, Sir John Alot, the hermit etc the mostly guitar based recordings then you will like this. Many of these tunes I've connected with John for a number of years, but now he has gathered these tunes together and given them a new lease of life. A great new studo album long awaited by me at least.

The English aren't known for for their cooking, exquisite lodging or other comforts. However the thousands of years of blending medevil, and other classic types make their traditional music unique. Especially when done by an interpreter like Renbourn. Very nice.

I bought this CD on a whim, not at all familiar with the artist, but have found it to be one of my favorites of this year. All of the tracks are beautifully done but the title track is a truly outstanding vocal arrangement.