Product Details

• Format: Classical, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Music Matters
• VHS Release Date: October 23, 2001
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005QCWR
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,628 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is a moving tribute on a surprising subject: the bureaucratic establishment that welcomed 22 million immigrants to the United States between 1892 and 1924. It is beautifully sung by the Irish Tenors, in a concert with orchestra on Ellis Island, with a well-prepared commentary by Martin Sheen on the history of that unique institution and some vintage film clips. It is pleasantly nostalgic throughout and deeply nostalgic for one moment: a panoramic view of New York Harbor on a March 2001 morning; the focus is on the Statue of Liberty, but in the background is a structure that then dominated the New York skyline: the World Trade Center.

The music is well-selected to balance familiar material ("Danny Boy," "My Wild Irish Rose," "Nearer My God to Thee") with appealing rarities, notably "The Green Fields of France" and two memorable Gaelic songs in an "Irish Medley." --Joe McLellan

From the Back Cover

On March 6, 2001 in a packed Registry Room on Ellis Island, a captivated group of supporters savored a unique and emotionally charged performance by the magnificent Irish Tenors. From the heartwarming verses of "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears," the story of 15-year-old Annie Moore, the first immigrant to set foot on Ellis Island, to the resounding choruses of "A Nation Once Again," "Let There Be Peace on Earth," and "God Bless America," the concert was a truly unique and moving experience.

Hosted by Martin Sheen who, with enormous grace and reverence, set the tone of the evening, Anthony Kearns, Ronan Tynan, and Finbar Wright, supported by the Sinfonia Varsovia, gave, without doubt, the performance of a lifetime. In many ways, Ellis Island is now a symbol of the hopes, aspirations, and determination of the people from all over the world who came to a new land and helped build a great nation. This extraordinary concert is a celebration of their courage.

The songs: The Harp That Once, Isle of Hope Isle of Tears, How Are Things in Glocca Morra, Forty Shades of Green, Macushla, The Irish Medley, The Courtin' Medley, The Green Fields of France, Danny Boy, Love Thee Dearest, My Wild Irish Rose, The Old Bog Road, The Rose of Tralee, Slievenamon, The Croppy Boy, Nearer My God to Thee, A Nation Once Again, Let There Be Peace, God Bless America. 93 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Irish Tenors - Ellis Island VHS, January 13, 2002

By	Steven C. Myers (Bedford , PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Typically outstanding in their songstry-work, the Irish Tenors gave a memorable performance in March, 2001, in the Great Assembly Hall at Ellis Island, NY.
I have a CD of the performance and find it better than the video. Two points struck me while seeing the VHS as opposed to the CD: (1) Acoustically, the CD seems richer and more demonstrative of the three voices than did the audio on the VHS. I presume this is because the CD was recorded in a studio and the VHS was in concert at the Island -- blended in cuts from several performances. Clearly, acoustics in the Hall were inferior to other live performences in architecturally-intended performance structures in Ireland. (2) The NY audience did not, IMHO, enthuse as had audiences in Dublin and Belfast (why am I not surprised?). The "magic" chemistry btwn performers and hearers just didn't seem the same at Ellis Island. The performers' eyes and body english suggested they saw this difference, too.
Nevertheless, it was a grand experience for me and I hope for future teaming by these three expert minstrels.

As a matter unrelated to the performance -- but immensely moving to me -- the VHS's opening credit footage, when scanning across the water and to NYC's skyline showed two tall towers there, gleaming in a westering sun. Now they are no more. No one can see that scene without a profound sense of loss.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How Are Things In Glocca Morra?, April 16, 2004

By	James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Irish Tenors - Ellis Island (DVD)

Long a fan of Irish music, I have turned to a series of artists to satiate my appetite. Bing Crosby and John McCormick have been succeeded by the Irish Tenors.

This CD has a bit more of an Irish American theme as "Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears" and "God Bless America" illustrate. Interspersed among these tunes are traditional Irish tunes such as "Macushla" and "Croppy Boy", along with newer songs, such as "The Green Fields Of France" and "How are Things In Glocca Morra?"

The singing is excellent, the words understandable. I appreciate the inclusion the lyrics of the songs contained on the insert of the cover. These are songs you will want to learn, whose stories you will want to research. I have. Listen again and again!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ireland's top Tenors in another fine concert, March 31, 2004

By	JN Fletcher "noreen,music lover" (Mansfield UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Irish Tenors - Ellis Island (DVD)

Have waited a long time for this to come out on dvd, the sound and picture are so much better than the video. I love everything that the Tenors sing, this is a concert with a difference, as it tells the story of Ellis Island. Martin Sheen is excellent, his own Mother came from Ireland.
My favourites have to be Love thee Dearest, Green Fields of France,Danny Boy, The Croppy Boy, Forty Shades of Green, in fact I like every song.Parts of it make me laugh, The Irish medley and Courting medley, some of it makes me cry, like nearer my God or Love thee Dearest, I 'm sure anyone would enjoy this concert,if they are not already fans of the Irish Tenors I'm sure they soon will be.