CAITRIONA O'LEARY AND DULRA.
I am stretched on your grave. Nineteen Irish laments.
DHM 05472 77393 2 (DDD)
(69.01)
Crotchet
My love for Irish music of all kinds is well known. I find the Irish and
their culture fascinating and can enjoy their traditional music as I can
the serious composers such as Gerard Victoiy and James Wilson
, and others, about whom I have written
for this website.
This disc is of 19 slow laments . There
is no variety, as such, from one track to another. The music is therefore
dreary and quickly becomes tedious.
But what is very worrying is that the singer, Caitriona 0' Leary, is simply
awful. She cannot sing in tune. Now, I realise that the standard definition
of what makes a pop singer is the inability to sing in tune but I did not
know it extended to folk singers and singers of traditional music. People
will object and say that this is the style. To be in tune is not a requirement.
And in the pop world we have grown up with that idea. Let's face it, Elton
John does not sing in tune yet he is a multi-millionaire and regarded highly.
The sign of a very bad pianist is when they tap their foot on the floor while
they are playing.
If singing in tune is not important then I will drive on the wrong side of
the road when I go into school tomorrow!
No, this disc is miserable. That is the only word for it and I am sorry that
I pressed for the opportunity to review it
David Wright
But Philip K.F. Hölzenspies did enjoy this perfomance and
responds to David Wright
I was amazed at Caitriona’s voice when I was first introduced
to her singing. I find it difficult to agree with David Wright. Where
does she sing out of tune?
Caitriona pleasantly surprised me as clearly being a educated singer.
Her (mezzo) soprano capabilities may not be unique in the classical
world (I don’t think she would nominate for the finals of the Belgian
Queen Elizabeth Concurs – which I consider to be quite the world
dictating standard, delivering musicians the likes of Vladimir Ashkenazy),
but she far surpasses any traditional singer I’ve heard so far.
I’m fond of the likes of Loreena McKennitt, but I’m sorry
to have to say that compared to Caitriona, she’s still in the kinder
garden of vocalists.
I can understand that this album migh give a first impression of being
boring. The coloring of one’s voice is an exquisite art that not
only requires years of practice and training to master, but it also
requires hours of listening to comprehend. The music on this disc is
quite aptly qualified: 19 slow laments. Let’s face it, slow laments
are boring, at least, on paper. To make a whole disc of 19 laments remotely
interesting, the musician must make a true effort as every detail of
performance adds or takes away from the final result. Caitriona succeeded
at that with flying colors.
Philip K.F. Hölzenspies
