Sorchar nan Reul (The Lightener of the Stars)
This is the first Gaelic tape from Auldgate Music. It has a written in-depth presentation about the Carmina Gadelica by Noel O'Donoghue, and all the words in English are on the insert-card of the tape. Alexander Carmichael's Carmina Gadelica contains no music for the many words which he collected from the folk of the Scottish Highlands and Islands, although many of these would originally have been sung or chanted.
This tape contains a personal collection by Ellen Wycherley from the 566 prayers and incantations collected by Carmichael. All the music here is composed by her, and arranged variously for voices (Brian Hilsley and Ellen Wycherley), clarsach (played by Ellen Wycherley) and flute (played by Karen O'Keefe). Click here for quotes on the Sorchar nan Reul, or click here to order (ref EW005).
Karen O'Keefe is from a musical background and now has a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh; her thesis was on the spiritual power of music in early medieval Celtic literature.