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Episode 38 – Radio Show – Salmon Return – November 24, 2019

In Celtic myth, Salmon are beings of shining wisdom, embodied generosity, resilience, vigorous will, and ocean-deep love. In today’s Forest Halls Celtic streaming radio episode – Show 38 – Salmon Return, we swim with the salmon, joining them on their journey to and from the sea by way of music, poetry, flights of fancy, and tale. With this episode I’m excited to begin sharing my stories (ones I tell, ones I write) with you, beginning with my retelling of a beloved traditional Irish myth: “Finn and the Salmon of Wisdom.”

The second hour is a re-airing of Show 17 – Treasures, which is a collection of musical gems, many of which happen to be Welsh.

Enjoy harp playing with Sue Richards and Kathleen Loughnane (in the group Dordan) in Show 38,  and  Janet Harbison, in Pigyn Clust, Cheryl Ann Fulton, and Robin Huw Bowen (in Crasdant) in Show 17.

Catch Forest Halls Celtic today at 12-2pm PST at Voice of Vashon, or on demand for the next weeks as well.  Click here to listen to all the current episodes of Forest Halls Celtic

Your host is bardic harper and storyteller Jane Valencia.

00:08 Spookytree / Lochaber No More
01:20 Sue Richards / Lament for Coire An Easa/Hazel Grove
05:26 Sharon Shannon / The Jewels of the Ocean
10:48 Seamus Byrne / Track 2 – Irish Nature Sounds
11:38  Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola / Oilean Na Teiscinne
13:52 Kate in the Kettle / Salmon
22:00 Dordan / Three Reels: Weave The Bog Cotton / Barr Na Ceibhe/ The Leaping Salmon
25:51 Ensemble Galilei / The Salmon Tailing Up the River
29:28 Julie Fowlis / Tha Mo Ghaol Air Aird a’ Chuain
32:39 Tina Malia / Sound of the River
38:05 Jon Parmentier / Old Growth
41:05 Seamus Byrne / Track 1
43:05 Jane Valencia / Finn and the Salmon of Wisdom – tale
51:30 The Cast (Mairi Campbell & David Francis) / Eventide
55:52 Skyedance / Harris Dance

Photo art by Jane Valencia

 

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Episode 37 – Radio Show – Kin – November 11, 2019

In this beautiful, diverse, and expressive world, we are all Kin. Join us today as we explore the idea of “kin” — from varying interpretations of the same melody to relationship with beings of nature and the natural world, to resting in with human family kinfolk.

Harp featured in this show is by Beth Kolle and Loreena McKennitt. Our second hour is a replay of Show 32 – “The Veil Between the Worlds.”

12:02: The Chieftains – A Chieftains Celebration
12:07: Loreena McKennitt – The Wind that Shakes the Barley
12:13: Beth Kolle – JB’s Reel
12:16: Talisk – Farewell
12:21: Crookshank – John Barleycorn
12:27: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh – Port na bPucai
12:31: Beoga – Aurora
12:41: Mischa MacPherson – Horo Chunna Mi
12:45: Cuig – New Landscapes
12:50: Julie Fowlis – Dh_eirich mi moch, b’ fhe_rr nach do dh_eirich
12:57: Claire Hastings – The House at Rosehill

Kin – Human, Deer, Harp, Ancestors …
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Radio Show – Episode 36 – October 27, 2019

One thing I love about producing Forest Halls Celtic is that I have times each week when I go “foraging” for music that is new to me. I’m especially eager to discover younger voices, and not just choose from my favorites of 20-30 years ago (though I enjoy playing those too!).

I’m especially delighted with some of my discoveries this time round:  One is Scottish contemporary folk singer, Kris Drever, singing  a song based on John Steinbeck’s articles in 1936 called the Harvest Gypsies, about the lives of the migrant workers of California. This song is lively and a joy to listen to, even as it presents a harshness of life that is still the reality of many groups of people today. Another is a piobaireachd — the classical music of the great Highland bagpipes — beautifully arranged by pianist Chris Gray. And let’s not forget the harps! We hear from Maeve Gilchrist, Julia Lane, Rachel Newton and Seckou Keita (kora, a 22-string African harp), and Cécile Corbel. In Cécile’s piece we hear a melody commonly played by beginners to the harp turned into a whole new version!

12:00: Forest Halls Celtic – Show 36/Spookytree – Lochaber No More
12:01: Annie Grace – Jock O’Hazeldean
12:04: Maeve Gilchrist – Peerie Joel’s Waltz (Ale Moller)
12:09: Kris Drever – Harvest Gypsies
12:12: The Bothy Band – The Strayaway Child
12:17: Nicola Benedetti – Coisich a Ruin (Walk My Beloved)
12:23: Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee, Castlebay – All Soul’s Night/Lament for Owen Roe
12:29: Rachel Newton – Here’s My Heart Come Take It
12:32: Rachel Newton and Seckou Keita – Willow
12:37: Chicouté – Go to the Ewe-Bughts, Marion / Tourbillon matinal
12:42: Cécile Corbel – Brian Boru
12:48: Chris Gray – MacKintosh’s Lament (Cumha Mhic an Toisich)
12:57 William Coulter, Edwin Huizinga & Ashley Broder / Two Trees

We’re also hearing right now Show 15, “A Wondrous and Spooky Samhain.”

Listen to both for the next two weeks — as well as Show 21 — snuck in on the air today by a tech-pixie!

 

P. S. I just realized that this is the birthday of the small harp featured in this photo. Not the harp’s actual date of completion, but the day it showed up on my doorstep after a long journey from Scotland and Ardival Harps,  across the ocean and continent, with delays due to 9-11. This little harp is 18 years old. Happy birthday, Snowy Owl!