From: farrell@news.cis.ohio-state.edu (christopher k farrell)
Subject: In Concert
Organization: The Ohio State University Department of Computer and Information Science
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 17:54:13 GMT


	Well, I saw In Concert with Enya, Sarah McLauclan, and Kenny Loggins.
Apparently it was a rerun, so some of you may have seen it before.

	The Enya segment was only long enough to play about half of each of
the Orinoco Flow and Carribean Blue videos, and it wasn't live; it was just
clips of an interview with her.  It was interesting for me, as I've never
actually heard her speak before, but it dodn't give me much insight into her
music (except confirming that she was actually classically trained).

	On a secondary note, I find it somewhat depressing (but only somewhat)
that most people seem to concentrate on Orinoco Flow and Carribean Blue.  Nice
songs, certainly, but she has other pieces with so much more power.  It's
like listening to a Hayden String Quartet when you could be listening to a
Beethoven symphony (or, my favourite comparison, a Schubert song).  Sure, it's
pleasant and moving in it's own way, but there is so much more.

	I was hoping maybe to hear if she is working on an album or what.  I
don't expect to actually *hear* a new album for about a year, but it would
be nice to know if she's working on one!  Might ease the waiting if I new one
was in progress.

	Here's what I think Enya should work on next (or, at least what would
make me revere her for all eternity if she did):  a song cycle.  As far as I
know, Schubert is the only one to have written serious song cycles, and I'm
sure Enya could do it.  It wouldn't be Schubert-esqe of course, it would be
Enya, but the form could be the same; instead of using German sources she
could use Irish folk music and literature.  By giving an album more of a
common thread, by linking the songs that are already powerful and "human"
into one larger entity, she could raise her music yet another notch on the
artistic ladder.  Alas, my knowledge of the details of a "song cycle" are 
pretty slim (Damn it Jim, I'm a clarinetist, not a vocalist; we didn't study 
much in the way of song-cycles back in Music Theory/Appreciation) so I can't 
say much more.

	For all of you who like Sarah McLauchlan, I'm afraid I can't agree.
I went out and bought Solace after she received some good reviews here.  I 
really liked the last artist we talked about, Loreena McKinnet; unfortunately 
Sarah just doesn't seem to have it.  A little sticker on the cover of the 
album said somthing about being an impressive display of emotion; I remained 
more or less completely unmoved throughout the entire album.  She doesn't use 
the instrumentation she has very well, the tunes lack the variety I've come
to expect from Enya and Loreena McKinnet, the lyrics are superficial and not 
particularly meaningful (IMHO ... I'm sure I will draw a lot of opposition on 
that point), and it seems to me that she thinks she's a much better vocalist 
than she actually is.  Enya is a little shakey on Marble Halls (just a little),
but that is the only track I can think of where her voice wanders too far from
perfection; Sarah, on the other hand, seems to spend a chunk of time singing
just a little out of tune.  (I should say here that I am very sensitive to that
sort of thing, for whatever reason, so you may not notice; some of the passages
are pretty blatant, though).  Finally, I loose a LOT of respect for artists 
whose tracks consitantly end in "repeat and fade".  Fade-outs are unsatisfying
(what? No cadence?) and betray somthing of a lack of skill on the artist's 
part.  Why couldn't you write an ending?  Sure, it's difficult, but if you're 
going to be a music writer ...  Anyway, I'm afraid I can't really recommend 
her music.  Again, I listen almost exclusively to classical music; Enya and
Loreena McKinett are virtually the only exceptions.  So you might want to
take that into account.

	Ah well, I'll stop now.  Please no flames...  just my opinion.

	One last thing ... an order for was posted a while ago for Loreena 
McKinnet's music, but it seemed to be for ordering in Canada and I suspect the
prices, etc., were Canadian.  Do I need to change the form any for US orders?
If nobody knows I'll write to the address, find out. and let you know.

						Chris

-- 
"If every man says all he can, if every man is true
	Do I believe the sky above, is Caribbean blue ..." - Enya
Newsgroups: alt.music.enya