Planxty

Planxty

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In 1972, Christy Moore brought together uilleann piper Liam O'Flynn, Dónal Lunny and Andy Irvine and formed Planxty (the name is a term for a song composed for a paying client). This, their first album, was a watershed for the coming boon in "Celtic" music, with its use of harmonies and its blend of songs, ballads and instrumental tunes. Their mix of bouzouki (now almost considered a traditional instrument, then viewed as an aberration!), bagpipes, guitars, and fiddles, along with the gritty, unadorned singing of Moore and Irvine, still stands the test of time. It was a brilliant act of faith, proclaiming that traditional Irish music could sound startlingly new without being bastardized. --Louis Gibson

Tracks:

Raggle Taggle Gypsy - Tabhair Dom Do Lamh
Arthur McBride
Planxty Irwin
Sweet Thames Flow Softly
Junior Crehan's Favourite - Corney Is Coming
The West Coast Of Claire
The Jolly Beggar
Only Our Rivers
Si Bheag, Si Mhor
Follow Me Up To Carlow
Si Bheag, Si Mhor
The Blacksmith

Amazon.com

In 1972, Christy Moore brought together uilleann piper Liam O'Flynn, Dónal Lunny and Andy Irvine and formed Planxty (the name is a term for a song composed for a paying client). This, their first album, was a watershed for the coming boon in "Celtic" music, with its use of harmonies and its blend of songs, ballads and instrumental tunes. Their mix of bouzouki (now almost considered a traditional instrument, then viewed as an aberration!), bagpipes, guitars, and fiddles, along with the gritty, unadorned singing of Moore and Irvine, still stands the test of time. It was a brilliant act of faith, proclaiming that traditional Irish music could sound startlingly new without being bastardized. --Louis Gibson

Customer Reviews:

Planxty - start of the Irish folk music revival.......2006-11-15

I first heard Planxty when they performed in Edinburgh in 1975 as the warm-up act for Steeleye Span. Their music sparked my love of Irish folk music just as it did for so many others.
For the leader of the band, Christie Moore, who went on to become the leading icon of the Irish music revival, Planxty was the springboard to fame.
Although this was just their first album the tracks could have been assembled years later as a "Best of..."
This is the album for anybody who wants just one Planxty album in their collection.

As good as it gets, EVER!.......2006-08-13

Its hard to add any more superlatives to the other reviews of this album, but it must be done. This is one of the greatest albums of any musical style that I've heard. It was the third album of Irish music that I bought and after it I was hooked for good. Every track is a highlight, don't think about it buy it, you'll never regret it.

The best (to my ears).......2006-07-29

As you can see from the reviews here, there cannot be enough praise for this masterpiece of Celtic culture. This album is an amazingly passionate and detailed journey akin to a superb novel. There are great Irish albums - and then there are a few magical one's such as Planxty's s/t.

If I had to choose one Irish album to take to the obligatory desert island, this one is it without hesitation. Please don't miss _The Well Below the Valley_ and _Cold Blow and the Rainy Night_ as well, as they are similarly excellent, yet just a wee notch below this amazing debut, but quite honestly that is splitting hairs...

The ballad "Only Our Rivers" will just tear at your heartstrings, and the opener "Raggle Taggle Gypsy" will simply amaze you.

An artistic masterpiece of the highest order.

Not much left to be said .. but!.......2006-06-03

I thought I had heard about the best of them when it come to Irish / Celtic / Folk / Traditional music. Not so, as I had never heard Planxty. A cousin of mine introduced me to them by loaning me his album .. Planxty-Planxty. Right away I was amazed and hooked. My favorite Planxty - Planxty song is "Follow Me Up To Carlow." Although all of them are very good. As a matter of fact, I think all of the albums / CDs by this group are excellent. I know because I am a very happy owner of them all. :) I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but I think it would be Planxty, After The Break and Well below The Valley. In that order. You can't go wrong with any of them.

It all started when they got together and did the album - Christy Moore / Prosperous. Christy Moore & Donal Lunny Played Guitars. Lunny also played Bouzouki, bottle neck bouzouki. Liam Og O'Flynn plays Uilleann pipes and Whistle. Andy Irving plays Mandolin and Mouth organ. Olive Collins .. Fiddle. Dave Bland Plays Concertina. Kevin Conneff plays bodhran on one song as he arrived late into the recording session, otherwise, he would have been on them all.

Hope this helps ..

Sublime Folk.......2005-05-11

There was a time in the 70s when British and Celtic folk music conveyed the passion that seemed to have evaporated the American scene. Steeleye Span,Five Hand Reel, The Chieftans,Pierre Bensusan, Alan Stivell, Fairport, Bert Jansch, and Richard & Linda Thompson. Plantxy's first solo effort is right up there with any of the aforementioned and remains one of my most cherished possessions. The exhuberant playing is uniformly transporting, and though Andy Irvine shares the vocals, it's Moore who carries me furtherest, and whose solo career I subsequently followed.(I can't understand why his self-titled album isn't on CD, while the less impressive'Prosperous' merits reissue)) Not a blotch on this Irish landscape though.

Average customer rating:

GREAT!
A relaxing journey into our Colonial past
Fantastic!
Cold Mountain type music that's great

Colonial America

Manufacturer: Maggie's Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Early American Roots
The World Turned Upside Down
Music of the American Revolution: The Birth of Liberty
Celtic Roots
The Spirit of '76 and Ruffles and Flourishes

ASIN: B0000C9Z9X
Release Date: 2003-09-01

Tracks:

Rickett's Hornpipe/ Fishers Hornpipe
Maiden Lane/ Jack O' Lent/ Chestnut/Bonny Broom
Parting Friends/Primrose
Flowers of Edinburgh/East Neuke of Fife
Prelude / La Catherine
Planxty Browne/Planxty Burke
Cutie Clat Her
John Come Kiss me Now
Scots Tune
Carolan's Farewell to Music
A Port
Yeil, yeil
Kedron/Saint's Delight/Promised Land
Gird the Logie
La Belle Cavalier
La Luxillier/La Balanje
Federal Overture
Death & Life

Album Description

Spirited new sounds from across the sea to the shores of the New Land. From the first colonists to the American Revolution and the birth of our republic Hesperus Early Music Ensemble's music reflects a time of new ideas, freedom and vitality. In town and village, parlor and ballroom, from the Appalachians to the great concert halls hear the musical pulse of early American music performed on a wide variety of folk and early music instruments. Includes: lively country-dance tunes, evocative Shape Note Hymns, old time Appalachian fiddle tunes, graceful European parlor music, French cotillions, divisions and improvisations. Introduction -The English Colonies in America were a patchwork-not just of territories whose boundaries became state lines, but of people from different places and classes with widely different values and experiences. This recording presents music from that patchwork; from England, the Colonial homeland; Scotland and Ireland, the homes of the largest groups of immigrants outside England; and France, the ally of the Patriots, and music written in the United States. More recordings by HESPERUS from Maggie's Music are Celtic Roots featuring Scottish fiddler, Bonnie Rideout and Early American Roots. Hesperus Ensemble is THE sought after musical group for period music that is both authentic, and most important fun, lively and spirited. They are frequent performers at the Smithsonian's Institute of American Music and can be heard on the soundtrack or the Paramount film with Johnny Depp entitled Sleepy Hollow! Excerpts from liner notes:2.A Set of English Country Dance Tunes: Maiden Lane, Jack O'Lent, Chestnut, Bonny Broom - The visionary London music publisher John Playford first published his English Dancing Master in 1651. It was reprinted 18 times over the next 77 years and is still popular today. 3. Parting Friends/Primrose - These tunes have come down to us in choral arrangements called shape-note hymns .

Customer Reviews:

GREAT!.......2007-05-20

This cd travels everywhere with me and you can easily imagine a ball at Monticello given by Mr. Jefferson when you hear it.
Try not to daydream too much while driving as i had done several times..lol..it's hard not to with this cd..:)
Perfect for a colonial reenactment or party.

A relaxing journey into our Colonial past.......2006-03-16

I bought this CD to provide me with another dimension to my studies of period events. It truly contains a wealth of music, and takes it place as an important addition to my musical library. Living in the Mt Vernon area, I often travel with the CD playing while visiting historical places, and it provides a wonderful companion to "set the mood" for the myriad locations in the area. The quality of the sound is remarkable, the musicians superb, and the breadth of song selection provides a musical landscape for the period. Highly recommended!!

Fantastic!.......2004-03-04

I first heard the "Colonial America" CD by Hesperus when I visited Monticello recently (the home of Thomas Jefferson) where they were playing the songs in the gift shop. Imagine my dismay to find that only one cassette tape was left of the fabulous music of Hesperus; however, that tape held me spell-bound all the way home, from Virginia to North Carolina.

It was an incredible journey from the past that has stayed with me since, and every day I drive that one hour back and forth to work. This music has changed everything about the trips, and I can't wait for more.

Thanks to Amazon.com I was able to buy all three CD's, including "Early American Roots," "Colonial America" and the incredible "Celtic Roots" with the most beautiful violas imaginable.

Thank you Hesperus! Please play more!

Cold Mountain type music that's great.......2003-11-15

Novels and movies like Cold Mountain, Oh Brother Where Art Thou? and Song Catchers are showing the growing interest in traditional music and this recording hits the mark. It is music from the days of early America--the time when the first colonists come to America. You can hear the fiddle playing tunes still popular in the Appalachian mountains today and also hear shape note music arranged by Hesperus as wonderful instrumentals. The music takes you to a time when folks were making music in their homes-before TV, before the internet! This recording is good for teachers or educational purposes too- with informative liner notes. All the music is played on folk and early music instruments and it's lively and an enjoyable listen.

Average customer rating:

Missing one gem "Time will cure me"
One of my desert island discs
Erin Go Braugh!
Just the best
Still brilliant after all these years

The Planxty Collection
Planxty
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Planxty
The Well Below The Valley
Words & Music
Cold Blow and the Rainy Night
Music at Matt Molloy's

ASIN: B000000E69
Release Date: 1989-12-12

Tracks:

The Jolly Beggar-Reel
Merrily Kissed The Quaker
The Lakes Of Pontchartrain
The Blacksmith
The Hair In The Corn/The Frost Is All Over/The Gander In The Pratie Hole
Cliffs Of Dooneen
Cunla
Pat Reilly
Bean Phaidin
Raggle Taggle Gypsy/Tabhair Dom Do Lamh
Denis Murphy's Polka/The 42 Pound Cheque/John Ryan's Polka
As I Roved Out

Customer Reviews:

Missing one gem "Time will cure me".......2006-01-14

Apart from missing the best song they ever recorded (Time will cure me) it's a brilliant CD of trad Irish folk music.
Music to relax and enjoy on a Sunday afternoon or in the car on a weekend drive.

One of my desert island discs.......2004-02-09

I simply never tire of this album. I wore out my vinyl copy; now I'll wear out the CD, if that's possible. Trad Irish music just doesn't get better than this.

Erin Go Braugh!.......2002-02-11

What a brilliant collection! Sure to keep you singing and dancing with a bit 'o blarney in your heart! 5 clovers for this one!

Just the best.......2001-04-01

This CD is worthy of being in any collection of any one who likes to listen to Irish music. The fabulous instrument playing and the range and type of music Planxty have put on this album makes it a must for listening to. I have never tired of it since I bought it back in 89.

Still brilliant after all these years.......2000-10-06

I recently heard Raggle Taggle Gypsy on the radio and remembered how I loved this record when it first came out in the 70s. I still have the old vinyl record somewhere in storage (probably unplayable)and I try to listen to new music rather than buying old things again as CDs but this is one exception. It's still one of the finest collections of Irish music ever put together and has not dated at all! If anything it sounds even stronger now compared to much of the newer stuff coming out of Ireland. That segue from 'RTG' into to 'Tabhair..' is magnificent, leaves me exhilirated every time. Oh.. and I've always wanted to thank Planxty for the highest scoring Scrabble word I ever managed to make!!

Average customer rating:

THE MATCH THAT LIT THE FIRE...
A fantastic album

The Well Below The Valley
Planxty
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Planxty
Cold Blow and the Rainy Night
The Planxty Collection
Words & Music
After the Break

ASIN: B000000E65
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Cunla
Pat Reilly
The Kid On The Mountain/An Phis Fhliuch
As I Roved Out (Andy)
The Dogs Among The Bushes/Jenny's Wedding
The Well Below The Valley
Hewlett
Bean Phaidin
Fisherman's Lilt/Cronin's Hornpipe
As I Roved Out
Humours Of Ballyloughlin
Time Will Cure Me

Amazon.com

Planxty's second album from 1973 is something that raises the awareness of Irish music with its inventive arrangements and superb playing. All the musicians are luminaries--Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, Liam O'Flynn, and Andy Irvine--and for a quartet they make a massive sound that's nearly as big as their impact, which still reverberates throughout Irish music today. O'Flynn's pipes are especially wonderful on slip jigs like "The Kid on the Mountain." Irvine's original song, "Time Will Cure Me" fits quite seamlessly into the traditional music beside the title track and an utterly beautiful "As I Roved Out." So much of the material here--and, more important, the style in which it's played (with grace rather than at breakneck speed)--has become part of the repertoires of Irish bands in the time since, confirming not only the importance of Planxty but the value of a powerful song or tune. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

THE MATCH THAT LIT THE FIRE..........2001-05-07

Planxty's 2nd official album (the first Christy Moore solo outing, 'Prosperous' being their first album together) is the match that lit the fire in me for Irish traditional music. The Chieftains are great, no argument, but the voice has always been my favorite instrument in every genre of music, and Planxty cannot be beat for fine examples of Irish song. This is not the sing-along, stout-fueled pub atmostphere that most people associate with this genre -- this is more akin to the story-ballads sung by the raconteurs of an earlier era. This is the 'real deal'.

All four members of this stellar ensemble are incredible musicians and song-stylists in their own right. Liam Og O Floinn is without a doubt one of the finest Uilleann pipers of the modern age; Christy Moore and Andy Irvine have few peers among singers; and between them, Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny could surround us with stringed instruments. Though the group is no longer active as an entity, through their already-classic album releases, they have left us with an amazing legacy of some of the finest music Ireland has ever produced. All are still active individually -- O Floinn is a respected piper still; Moore has released several fine 'solo' records; Andy Irivine has put out albums on his own as well as with others, most notably the Irish 'super-group' Patrick Street; and Donal Lunny has not only released some fine material of his own (including stints with two other ground-breaking ensembles, The Bothy Band and Moving Hearts), but has become a well-respected producer as well.

I first heard this album soon after its original release in the early 1970s -- a friend of mine rushed into my workplace and announced seriously 'You HAVE to hear this -- it'll blow you away'. Later that night we must have listened to the album 3-4 times in succession -- we couldn't get enough of it.

The musicianship is superb, the recording quality pristine (especially considerering when it was released!) -- this is an excellent starting place for anyone unfamiliar with Planxty's work. From here, go back to the first album ('Planxty'), then try their reunion album from 1979, where the four are augmented by Irish flute master Matt Molloy (the only man to have played with the Holy Trinity of Irish traditional music -- The Chieftains, Planxty, and The Bothy Band).

Again, this is the 'real deal' -- none of that 'kiss me, I'm Irish crapola...Listen and prepare to be moved.

A fantastic album.......2000-12-08

A fantastic album, as Planxty jostles for the position of best traditional Irish band ever. As technically proficient as any group anywhere, a well produced album which will be treasured by all folk and Irish afficianados.

The Celtic Harp: A Tribute to Edward Bunting with the Belfast Harp Orchestra

Average customer rating:

In the Irish tradition
Excellent, Excellent
The Green Fields Of America
An Irish Classic
A Superior Celtic Album. Not the best Chieftains or Harp CD

The Celtic Harp: A Tribute to Edward Bunting with the Belfast Harp Orchestra
The Chieftains
Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003FE5
Release Date: 1993-02-09

Tracks:

Mac Allistrum's March
Tribute To Bunting
The Parting Of Friends/Kerry Fling
Planxty Bunting
Madame Cole
The Blackbird
Taimse Im Chhodladh
Sonny Brogan's Mazurleas
The Wild Geese
The Green Fields of America
Cavolan's Concerto
The Lament for Limarick

Customer Reviews:

In the Irish tradition.......2007-05-07

An excellent addition to any folk music library. Those with a love of music from Ireland and the Celtic harp will definitely enjoy this CD.

Excellent, Excellent.......2006-12-30

I heard so much about the Chieftans, so I thought I would pick up a cd by them. I'm really glad this was my first Chieftans cd. It's very well done, and it's got some great material on it. I recommend this!

The Green Fields Of America.......2006-08-30

This is a very fine example of Irish music by The Chieftains. The reason for me to buy this CD: it is recorded at the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen (UMRK)of Frank Zappa. And the track The Green Fields Of America was a favorite of Frank. The Chieftains came to visit Frank, but he just died. Kevin Conneff was singing The Green Fields at the grave. Sad but true.

An Irish Classic.......2006-07-28

I do not claim to be an authority on Irish folk music, but if you are a fan of any sort of beautiful, haunting and memorable tunes, this cd will be one you'll play over and over again. The version of the famous "Wild Geese" is very moving and conjures images of ships sailing from the rugged coast of Ireland, perhaps never to return. "The Green Fields of America" was written during the tragic famine of the 19th century, as this ditty describes the story of a young Irishman who has decided to sail for America where a better life awaits him, yet regretting the fact he will never see his parents again. As I had some Irish ancestors who found themselves in this same situation more than 150 years ago, this song is very powerful to me. Other highlights on this album include the harp solo "Madame Cole" and also the last track, "A Lament for Limerick" which is really heartfelt and you can tell the musicians really believed in the notes they were playing. The accoustics on this album are really nice and the reverb adds a lot of atmosphere to each track. The liner notes are also very informative, providing the historical background to each song which is essential to understanding how and why the music was created. Overall, this cd is a wonderful exploration into the rich musical heritage of the Emerald Isle.

A Superior Celtic Album. Not the best Chieftains or Harp CD.......2005-08-16

`The Celtic Harp' by The Chieftains is a very nice means by which this leading Irish music group can avoid simply performing `The Irish Song' over and over again. (While I do not subscribe to the theory that there is but one Irish song, done with different instruments and different beats and different dance steps, there is an undeniable sameness, similar to the sameness in all blues songs. While blues performers escape this sameness with their innovative guitar playing, this improvisational tradition has not reached the Emerald Isle yet).

And yet, this album seems to be a bit less successful than other recent Chieftain diversions such as their `Santiago' album with Basque music, `Irish Heartbeat' with Van Morrison, and `The Long Gray Veil' starring Sting and Mick and Van and a cast of thousands.

The album is subtitled `A Tribute to Edward Bunting' with contributions from the Belfast Harp Orchestra. But, checking the back of the album shows that the Harp Orchestra appears on only four of the twelve cuts, and, to my non-Irish ears, I do not hear the harp as the featured instrument on some of the tracks.

While I am not an expert on Celtic music, I am very fond of Robin Williamson's songs and music, and I find his Irish Harp work as good or better, or at least more interesting than what I find on this album. This may have a lot to do with Williamson's more interesting lyrics and stories, but the end result is the same. This may not be the best Irish harp album on the block.

The significance of Edward Bunting is that he was an Irish composer born in 1792, so this album is done on the bicentennary of his birth.

If you are a Chieftains fan, you must have this album. If you are a harp fan, this just may not be the best exemplar of Irish harp music, in spite of the fact that it is an enjoyable `Irish' album with excellent vocals on `The Green Hills of America' by Kevin Conneff.

Average customer rating:

good old stirring irish stuff

After the Break
Planxty
Manufacturer: Tara
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Well Below The Valley
Planxty
The Woman I Loved So Well
Words & Music
Cold Blow and the Rainy Night

ASIN: B00005QKGU
Release Date: 1974-01-01

Tracks:

Good Ship Kangaroo
East at Glendart/Brian O'Lynn/Pay the Reckoning
You Rambling Boys of Pleasure
Blackberry Blossom/Lucky in Love/The Dairy Maid
Rambling Siuler
Lady on the Island/The Gatehouse Maid/The Virginia/Callaghan's
Pursuit of Farmer Michael Hayes
Lord Mcdonald/The Chattering Magpie
Bonny Light Horseman
Smeceno Horo

Customer Reviews:

good old stirring irish stuff.......2006-07-11

I have loved this album from its very first days. I can't tell you how much work got done early in my career because I had this going on in the background. There isn't a bad cut on the album. "The Good Ship Kangaroo" is so dancy and tuneful,with such good vocals, you can't help but sing along. "Rambling Boys Of Pleasure", which I have heard as a few other folk songs done to the same tune, is sweet and longing, a lament to the fickleness of youth and the lure of riches. "The Rambling Siuler" is sly and clever, a tribute to someone who will do anything to gain their heart's desire. All the instrumental pieces on the album are as sharp and crisp as any Planxty ever produced; especially notable is one that isn't even Irish, a Bulgarian dance piece called "Smeceno Horo" which I'm betting has something to it, played by these guys, that it doesn't have when played in Bulgaria. Donal Lunny seems to have made a special study of Eastern bouzouki music (well, yeah, since that's where the bouzouki is from) and he plays the socks off the thing. My favourite piece on the whole album, though, is "Pursuit of Farmer Michael Hayes"; I get sucked in every time, hiding in the weeds with the guy as he's hunted by the coppers for doing in the mean landlord that evicted him; I always feel like cheering when he safely stows away on a ship and makes it to America to start fresh. You know you shouldn't be on the guy's side, but you can't help yourself. One other song, "Bonny Light Horseman", is further proof through song that Napoleon was really a bad-news disaster any way you looked at him but particularly to his troops, who suffered in droves. Off the top of my head I can come up with at least half a dozen songs in a few seconds that deal with the misery he caused; this tune is told from the girl-at-home's point of view. All in all, this is a solid effort by, to my mind, the premier Irish band of this genre. It is a worthy addition to any folkie's library.

Average customer rating:

Over the Hills and Far Away
Lush and lovely music from the past
Superlative

The Enchanted Isles
Anonymous , Turlough O'Carolan , Irish Traditional , Welsh Traditional , and Carol Thompson
Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Faerie Isles
Carolan's Welcome
The Peacock's Feather
The Mystic Harp

ASIN: B000001Q83
Release Date: 1993-08-31

Tracks:

Women Of Ireland
Brian Boru's March
Father Brian Mac Dermot Roe
Lord Inchiquin
Miss Hamilton
Lord Mayo
Planxty Murphy
Irish Lullaby
Hugh O'Donnell
Pills To Purge Melancholy: Jenny
Joy To The Person Of My Love
Pills To Purge Melancholy: Over The Hills And Far Away
The English Dancing Master: The Irish Lady, Or Anniseed-Water Robin: Parsons Farewell: Nonesuch
The Royal Dream
Winter Has Come
Maid From The Parish Of Penderyn
All Through The Night
The Ash Grove
David Of The White Rock

Customer Reviews:

Over the Hills and Far Away.......2002-04-03

The beauty of Carol Thompson's music is dizzying. There is nothing I can think of that fills up a candlelit room more nobly than the sound of her harp. Where does Dorian find these consistently great musicians? They must be growing them on some hidden magic tree somewhere. Either way, I am glad for the music they put out. This disc by Carol Thompson is among the best Dorian has to offer.

Lush and lovely music from the past.......2000-01-20

Perhaps some day Dorian Recordings will turn out a poor CD, but among their more recent releases are four sets that feature harpist Carol Thompson. The artist was born in this country of Anglo-Welsh-Irish background (as the copywriter tells us). Part of her technique is to let her ornamentation come out of the melody rather than merely appending it, and to execute her chords with a "downward roll" rather than an upward as in classical harp playing.

So with Amazon.com's permission, I will submit this same write up to each of the four webpages that deal with these albums.

(DOR-90013) has Ms. Thompson accompanied by another harpist and a wooden flute; and the extra coloration is welcome. Here we have 18 cuts (64 minutes) of Celtic harp music, the more familiar of which are "Brian Boru's March" and "Gentle Annie." The notes are of a general nature.

The subtitle of (DOR-90120) shows the program (53 minutes) to be much like the other sets, including the familiar "All Through the Night" and "The Ash Grove." I spot even one or two selections among the 19 here that appeared on earlier recordings. But it is all so winningly played that one must not carp. The notes are in several languages and a bit shorter than usual to keep the booklet from being too thick.

(DOR-90176) has 71 minutes consisting of 21 cuts such as "She Moves Through the Fair" and "Snow on the Hills." This set tends to be more satisfactory than the last one because of the presence of accordion, concertina, wooden flute and second harp; although by now one tune is starting to blur into the other.

The fourth Dorian set in order of recording is (DOR-90240) in which our harpist goes it alone with a short program (51 minutes) of 12 cuts, half of which are medleys. Included are "Twisting of the Rope," "Blind Mary" and the title song. This time the notes give information about each song.

Again I must emphasize the excellence of the playing and how beautiful each CD is by itself. But as with so many artists that concentrate on a small part of the music spectrum, each new offering tends to be predictable and one gets a strong feeling of déjà vu. But to be fair, these sets were released with considerable time between them and only people like reviewers now and then get to hear them all at once.

So which to choose? I would go for the two where you get more than the sound of a single harp first. But I really think that enthusiasts of British music will want to have all of these sets sooner or later.

And keep an eye open for the fifth entry in this series: (DOR-90273) that is not yet available at the time of this writing.

Superlative.......1998-09-25

This is truly beautiful music on harps having more character than the modern concert harp. The melodies are attractive, with good counterpoint figures. Recorded sound is first-rate, without mush or harshness, although low-frequency noises from the recording venue may intrude during quiet passages if your equipment goes low with authority. I have bought several of these CD's - when I play them for friends and family, they ask me for the CD as a gift!

Average customer rating:

The Influences are Unimpeachable
Classic Celtic Revival Disc!
Top-flight Irish music

Cold Blow and the Rainy Night
Planxty
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Well Below The Valley
Planxty
Words & Music
After the Break
The Woman I Loved So Well

ASIN: B000000E67
Release Date: 1989-11-06

Tracks:

Johnny Cope
Dennis Murphy's Polka/The 42 Pound Cheque/John Ryan's Polka
Cold Blow And The Rainy Night
'P' Stands For Paddy, I Suppose
The Old Torn Petticoat/The Dublin Reel/The Wind That Shakes The Barley
Baneasa's Green Glade/Mominsko Horo
The Little Drummer
The Lakes Of Pontchartrain
The Hare In The Corn/The Frost Is All Over/The Gander In The Pratie Hole
The Green Fields Of Canada

Amazon.com

Cold Blow and the Rainy Night was the third and final Planxty recording before the band's members split off to form the Bothy Band, Moving Hearts, and De Dannan. It was as if the implications of their revolutionary blending of the instrumental and vocal strains of Irish music were too profound to be contained in one band. You can hear the future of Celtic music being charted on this record. Elements that are now commonplace, like mixing traditional uilleann pipes and fiddles with modern guitars, bouzoukis, and mandolins; performing tunes from other cultures; and making medleys from dance tunes and songs; were all popularized by Planxty in its formative years. The group reformed a few years later, but they were never able to recapture the magic of their early years. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

The Influences are Unimpeachable.......2000-02-18

This group's music has influences that can be heard throughout the Celtic spectrum. Celt-rock group Wolfstone, though barely from the same field, drew very heavily on this sound, as did Altan, though their sound is remarkably different for a fellow Irish band. This is where to go to find out what your favorite Celtic bands drew their greatest influences from.

Classic Celtic Revival Disc!.......1999-08-17

Founded in 1972, Planxty was the most innovative band on the Irish scene in the '70s, featuring unusual instrumentation (harmonium, hurdy-gurdy and mandolin family instruments alongside the traditional uillean pipes, whistle and bodhran and customary guitar) and striking song settings.

"Cold Blow and the Rainy Night" was the last album Planxty recorded before breaking up in 1975. Donal Lunny had left by this point, but contributes some bouzouki and portative organ as well as handling production chores. His replacement on this disc is the woefully under-appreciated Johnny Moynihan, who introduced the bouzouki to Irish music in 1965 with the landmark group Sweeney's Men. His distinctive nasal vocals well-serve the songs on which he is featured: "P Stands for Paddy" and "The Frost is All Over".

Diversity of tone and timbre was one of Planxty's great achievements, particularly evident in the vocal arrangements. Christy Moore's naturally rich baritone delivers "Cold Blow and the Rainy Night", "The Little Drummer", and "The Lakes of Pontchartrain," while Andy Irvine's thinner tenor works just as well on "Johnnie Cope". The other two Irvine contributions merit more detailed mention: "Baneasa's Green Glade" is an account of his time in Eastern Europe and is appropriately paired with the Bulgarian dance tune, "Mominsko Horo", the beginning of which will cause sundry and all to gape,"Is that really just one mandolin?"; and the cathartic climax of the album, "The Green Fields of Canada", which features a moving uillean pipes solo by Liam Og O'Floinn.

Of the instrumentals which round out the mix, the set of joyous polkas really stands out and will set even the timid a-toe-tapping. In all, an essential recording for any self-respecting fan of Irish music!

Top-flight Irish music.......1998-09-25

I have some two dozen Irish CDs, and this is one of my favorites. The distinctive sound is somewhat less classical than the Chieftains and less folky than the Dubliners, with great melodies and voices. My children like to sing Johnny Cope and P is for Paddy on long car rides.

Average customer rating:

The Woman I Loved So Well
Planxty
Manufacturer: Tara
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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After the Break
The Well Below The Valley
Planxty
The Planxty Collection
Words & Music

ASIN: B00005QW18
Release Date: 1975-01-01

Tracks:

True Love Knows No Season
Out on the Ocean/Tiocfaidh Taile Liom (You Will Come Home ...)
Roger O'Hehir
Tailor's Twist (Hornpipes)
Kellswater
Johnny F Brady's Lea
Woman I Never Forgot (Canny's) /The Pullet/The Ladies' Pantalettes
Little Musgrave

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Ballad heaven
Softer, but quite as impressive as "After The Break".
Classic Irish folk, one of their best ever
Wonderful Ballads
The jigs and Little Musgrave alone make this a great album

The Woman I Loved So Well
Planxty
Manufacturer: Tara Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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After the Break
Words & Music
The Well Below The Valley
Cold Blow and the Rainy Night
Planxty

ASIN: B000001JAN
Release Date: 1995-12-12

Tracks:

True Love Knows No Season
Out on the Ocean / Tiocfaidh Tu Abhaile Liom
Roger O'Hehir
The Tailor's Twist
Kellswater
Johnny of Brady's Lea
The Woman I Never Forgot / The Pullet / The Ladies' Pantalettes
Little Musgrave

Customer Reviews:

Ballad heaven.......2005-01-01

This is one of Planxty's best. "True Love Knows No Season," and "Musgrave" are superb, but the capper for me is "Johnny of Brady's Lea." If you live your life so that someone mourns you with the pipe dirge like this...well, it takes the sting out of dying, and you will not have lived in vain. "J of B's L" is the encapsulation of all outlaw ballads - best portrays the poacher as hero.

A beautiful recording. I have worn the dots off my CD.

Softer, but quite as impressive as "After The Break"........2004-03-20

Planxty's remarkable return with the 1979 masterwork "After The Break" must count as a surprise given the character of the music scene in the late 1970s: they were able to achieve a power and intensity of melody not seen on their pre-breakup albums at a time when anything deviating from simple, stripped-down rock and roll was frowned upon (as it always has been in my native Australia).

"The Woman I Loved So Well" featured much the same line-up as "After The Break", but adds traces of electronics. This, though no more noticeable than on June Tabor's "Ashes And Diamonds", makes the tone notably softer: there is none of the ecstatic fire of parts of "After The Break Here". Rather, the focus is on simple, sparsely accompanied balladry, seen to excellent effect on the epic closer "Little Musgrave", the opener "True Love Knows No Season" and "Roger O'Heir".

"The Tailor's Twist", on the whole, appeared to be treading water, but Christy Moore's voice was unusually refreshing on "Kellswater", which takes time to appreciate, but the atmosphere and the song really was beautiful.

Despite its eleven-and-a-half minute length, "Little Musgrave" was amazingly simple yet every single note from the lightly-played bozoukis manages to make a wonderful impression on a listener. Christy's voice gives a feeling and depth that can only be provided through the most extreme softness: every time he sings, you just realise how sad he must feel. The reel "The Woman I Never Forgot" sound totally different from most of what Planxty did: sounding like a subdued and softly played orchestra, the sound actually comes from a concertina sounding unusually pure.

"After The Break" and "The Woman I Loved So Well", though unhappily out of print, are undoubtedly the finest works of pure Irish folk - undoubtedly surpassing Planxty's earlier achievements. One does hope someone can petition Tara to make them more widely available soon.

The beautiful cover, epitomising the Irish countryside in a childlike, yet spectacular way, makes this album even more desirable a purchase if it can be found.

Classic Irish folk, one of their best ever.......2003-01-01

I love this album so much that I just "digitalized" my old vinyl copy so I could put the music on my ipod.

Classic Planxty with that superstar lineup-- the rakish, expressive singing of Andy Irvine, the more soulful, deeper voice of Christy Moore, the amazing guitar by Donal Luny and haunting pipes of Liam O'Flynn.

This album includes "True Love Knows No Season," which is actually a Western (!)-- hearing a Western song of an outlaw sung by Christy Moore is worth the price of the album alone. The reels are wonderful, but I've always been partial to the songs, and every single song on this album is lyric, catchy, unforgettable. No comic throwaways here. "Roger O'Hehir" is an upbeat gallows song, "Kellswater" is a wistful love song (liner notes congratulate the couple on being the only people on the album to survive), "Johnny of Brady's Lea" is a haunting song of a gallant poacher who slaughters his ambushers, and "Little Musgrave" is a long ballad of adultery and revenge.

This is the classic stuff from the highlight of their career as a group. Not to be missed!

Wonderful Ballads.......2000-10-03

This is one wonderful disc. Just a few reasons why:

Breathtaking ballads-If you love beautiful ballads, you cannot find a better album Than The Woman I Loved So Well. Little Musgrave is a masterpiece. It is very long; but leaves one wishing for more.

The pipe playing on the album is hard to match. Liam O'Flynn is a king in his field-it shows here. My favorite part is again in Little Musgrave (the rest of the album is good too...really). The pipes that play during the interlude of that song are heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

Christy Moore has a great voice for these songs. Few singers or storytellers are as expressive as he is here.

I could continue to list reasons why this album is excellent, but don't trust me. Get the album for yourself. It is well worth the price.

The jigs and Little Musgrave alone make this a great album.......2000-04-21

Set your CD player to play tracks 2 and 8 and you'll go from the euphoria of the jigs to the bone chilling uilleann pipes of Liam O' Flynn on Little Musgrave and the heart wrenching story in that ballad.

You could get this album for these two tracks alone and it would be money well spent.

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