Paddy Moloney, Chieftains Silent Night: A Christmas in Rome Genres:Folk, International Music, Special Interest, New Age, Pop, Classical Paddy Maloney has spent three decades arranging music for one of the world's great instrumental groups, the Chieftains, which must have given him a hunger to write for the human voice. A Christmas in Rome features either c... more »hoirs or solo singers on nearly every track. To sing his arrangements of Christmas music, Maloney has assembled an eclectic collection of musicians from around the world, including the Harlem Gospel Choir, the Bulgarian Voices Angelite, the Glenstall Abbey Monks, Maire Brennan from Ireland, Sissel Kyrkjebo from Norway, and Pietro Ballo from Italy. The instrumentation tends toward the orchestral and the vocals toward the ethereal. The Chieftains appear on a few tracks and Maloney plays tin whistle and uilleann pipes on a number of the arrangements. --Michael Simmons« less
Paddy Maloney has spent three decades arranging music for one of the world's great instrumental groups, the Chieftains, which must have given him a hunger to write for the human voice. A Christmas in Rome features either choirs or solo singers on nearly every track. To sing his arrangements of Christmas music, Maloney has assembled an eclectic collection of musicians from around the world, including the Harlem Gospel Choir, the Bulgarian Voices Angelite, the Glenstall Abbey Monks, Maire Brennan from Ireland, Sissel Kyrkjebo from Norway, and Pietro Ballo from Italy. The instrumentation tends toward the orchestral and the vocals toward the ethereal. The Chieftains appear on a few tracks and Maloney plays tin whistle and uilleann pipes on a number of the arrangements. --Michael Simmons
"I bought this last year on the strength the Chieftains' Bells of Dublin -- my favorite Christmas album -- and was intially disappointed as this is a very different project. Much of the music seemed too highbrow for my tastes and some of the different styles clashed. But it grew on me upon repeat listenings and I could hardly wait for Advent 2001 to hear it again. The pieces are uniformly joyous and spiritual in a sense that is lacking in the vast majority of "holiday" music."
Flawless
Tim Cooper | 12/04/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Opening with a haunting a capella rendition of Silent Night, and continuing with delightful lilting Celtic tunes, joyful gospel, sacred chant, and grand orchestral pieces, this album is a journey around the globe, singing in a dozen languages and musical traditions. While each track can stand alone, Paddy Moloney's arrangements blend the disparate styles and languages into an operatic telling of the story of Christmas, with a masterful sense of narrative pacing. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Solstice, or Hanukah, this is an essential recording for the season."
OUTSTANDING!
M. Goodwin | Edina,, MO USA | 01/04/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Chieftains and all the guest performers, orchestra and vocals, combine to make an international holiday for all of us stay-at-homes. I have listened to it over and over, even though Christmas is now history for this year."
A wonderful World Christmas music album
Jonathon Smith | Greenwood, SC USA | 12/19/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Many of the reviews I have read are misleading. This cd features the Chieftains, but they are not dominant on most tracks. This album features many folk carols from around the world. There are songs from Bulgaria, Italy, France, Norway, Ireland, etc. Maire Brennan and Carolos Nunez are two other familiar artists performing. There is a wide variety of music that gives only a glimpse into Christmas music from other parts of the world. A wonderful album for world music enthusiasts."
Love, Love it!
Melissa Dickens | Alpharetta, GA and various points beyond | 12/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"(Except for Joy to the World, which does not match the wonderful angelic sound of the rest of the album. A Gospel arrangement in the middle of heavenly tone of the rest of the music just does not go!)
HOWEVER, this is not your run of the mill, sappy christmas music. It is one of my very favorite albums."