Songs from the Heart (Celtic Woman album) explained

Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart
Type:Studio
Artist:Celtic Woman
Cover:Celtic Woman Songs from the Heart.jpg
Released:16 January 2010
Recorded:July 2009
Studio:Windmill Lane Studios 1 & 2, StudioTWO and RTÉ Studio 1, Dublin, Ireland
Genre:Celtic, new-age, vocal, classical
Language:English, Irish, Latin, Italian
Label:Manhattan
Producer:David Downes
Prev Year:2008
Next Year:2011

Songs from the Heart is the fifth studio album and fourth on-stage production by all-female Irish musical ensemble Celtic Woman, released on 16 January 2010.

Performers in Songs from the Heart are vocalists Chloë Agnew, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly, Alex Sharpe and fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt. The German deluxe edition, released in January 2011, also features newer member (at the time) Lisa Lambe, as well as former members Órla Fallon and Méav Ní Mhaolchatha.

PBS special and DVD release background

Songs from the Heart was originally filmed as a TV special for American broadcaster PBS, as well as a DVD release, at Powerscourt House and Gardens near Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland, in July 2009. The concert was filmed by Alex Coletti Productions and Brennus Productions with editing by the Windmill Lane Post Production studios in Dublin.

Like its predecessor A New Journey, the show was delayed by rain days before taking place; it also rained the day before, 'washing out' the rehearsals and forcing the performers to rehearse inside the main hall in the Powerscourt House.[1] The concert was further delayed when the electrical generator powering the lights, cameras, and other electrical equipment failed during the song "Goodnight My Angel," requiring the show to stop while a second generator was sent for. The first generator was later fixed, allowing the show to continue with a restart of said song.

The DVD release and PBS special do not reprise the full concert, which composer and director David Downes mentioned was over two hours long. As the group did not have the rights to show all of the tracks performed during the recording of the PBS special and DVD release, the actual concert as shown was over one hour in length. Omitted songs that were performed included "Carolina Rua" and "You'll Be in My Heart".

The DVD also includes a 20-minute 'making-of' featurette showing the lead-up to the first show, starting three days before, where former CEO of the group Scott Porter mentions that Powerscourt was 'one of the most beautiful and challenging locations we've ever performed in'.

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Celtic Woman

Band

Irish Film Orchestra

Aontas Choral Ensemble

Black Raven Pipe Band

Production

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2010)Position
US Billboard 200[2] 195
US World Albums (Billboard)[3] 1
Chart (2011)Position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[4] 7
US World Albums (Billboard)[5] 3

References

  1. During the 'making-of' featurette for the Believe special, composer and musical director David Downes said that it had rained for three days ahead of the Songs from the Heart concert occurring.
  2. Web site: Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2010. Billboard. 28 August 2021.
  3. Web site: World Albums – Year-End 2010. Billboard. 28 August 2021.
  4. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2011. hitparade.ch. 26 April 2021.
  5. Web site: World Albums – Year-End 2011. Billboard. 26 April 2021.