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Celtic Songs of Worship Project
Prairie Bible College is pleased to announce the release of two CDs of inspiring Celtic Christian music. The recordings feature musicians from the Performing Arts & Worship Department of Prairie Bible College, Three Hills, Alberta, Canada, together with Onóra, a Dallas-based Celtic ensemble of highland pipes, hammered dulcimer, folk and concert harps, bouzouki, tinwhistle, bodhran, guitar, accordion, and other instruments.
The superb singing of Fiona O’Leary, a Prairie student from County Cork, Ireland, is highlighted on both CDs.
Each of the two CDs has twenty songs, about an hour of music. The musical moods range from meditative reflections to rollicking jigs and reels, from a cappella solo voice to the 35-voice Ambassador Choir. Many of the songs combine exquisite Irish or Scottish melodies, often hundreds of years old, with new Christian lyrics and richly evocative harmonies. Most are in English, several in Gaelic. As well, a few well known hymn texts are sung to traditional folksong tunes.
Reviews
“Listen to these musical expressions of prayer; this is music that evokes a rich past and is as precious as Celtic jewelry. It will enrich all who hear it.”
"The use of old tunes with new words is always a little hazardous. However, I feel that this combination of the two on these recordings has produced a good unique substance. It is a joy to listen to great music from Celtic lands - and a deep experience to take in these words. This is truly a new contribution that will enrich our ears and minds. You will find yourself wanting to sing these songs."
-- David Adam leading authority on Celtic Christianity, Holy Island (Lindisfarne), UK
"Sometimes when searching the category of Celtic Christian music, you may discover some CD releases will simply throw in an Irish-sounding pipe, perhaps a fiddle, and create some fairly ordinary music. However, if you want to experience Celtic Christian music far removed from the ordinary, then I highly recommend the two releases from Prairie Bible College, "Kindle My Heart" and "God Above, God Below".
"With beautiful melodies up to 400 years old, and lyrics meant to encourage worship of The Ancient of Days, this is not music that will appear in the Top 10 of your local Christian hit radio station... but, the person who discovers this music will know they have been ministered to in mind, emotion and, most importantly, spirit."
-- Ken Adams, host of "Celtic Spirit" radio show heard on KRDU, Fresno, California.
"As I listened to "God Above, God Below" I was struck with the fact that this CD is a full, multi-course meal, both musically and lyrically. It's hard for me to think of any other CD I've heard recently that holds so much impact and meaning as this collection of Celtic worship songs. ..."
(read full review)
-- Rich Stone, Pastor of 'River of Life Church' in Duncanville, TX
"These songs are haunting and beautiful. They draw us into the depths of the Spirit and lift us into the realms of the transforming and mystical presence of God. They reconnect us to the roots which we have neglected to our peril."
-- Rev. Ray Simpson, founder of a Celtic Christian community on Holy Island (Lindisfarne), UK, noted scholar and author, and primary tutor in the "Celtic Christian Studies" program.
"If we could hear wildflowers sing, perhaps their sound would be something like what we hear on this CD [God Above, God Below]. Innocence without naivete. A purity that comes from faith lived in a harsh environment. Hope that has sprouted in the climate of painful, heart honesty. Both musically and in the simplicity of its lyrics, this collection offers an embrace to the weary, jaded, disappointed heart. It is both folk music and folk medicine. . . . If you are weary of celebrity bands and highly produced albums, this CD will prove especially refreshing. It will quiet your soul."
-- Barbara Colborn, customer review
"I was overwhelmed by the quality of both the music and the recording and by the spiritual depth, all the while maintaining the culturally-appropriate orientation."
-- James Patrick Jones, Clann a’ Chalmain (a Celtic Christian minstry), Texas
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