Review: Celtic Connections

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,akenaton^
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 03:47 PM

Did anybody have the stomach to watch and listen to it right through?
Honestly?
"I'd rather hear the music developing and being played and encouraged than, as in much of the rest of the UK, it being the preserve of a relatively small group of ageing people"
That's pretty insulting to older people, do you think we have no taste? We have all lived through the revival and seen the music change, quite happy to go along with the singer/songwriter phase, unhappy about the demise of chorus singing......and trad singing in general.....but this is something else, I am reminded of the "Emperors new Clothes".......Anti-Music?....Fake Music??

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 03:39 PM

Agree with all of that Captain but I would argue that things are moving in the right direction in the rest of mainland UK with people like Jim Moray, Jon Boden, 9 Bach etc reinvigorating the music and bringing in new listeners and performers. I can't comment on Northern Ireland as I don't know enough about the music scene there

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,Captain Swing
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 03:23 PM

Scotland, unlike the rest of the UK, actively promotes its traditional music and the new music that comes from those roots. CC is a superb festival that celebrates the fruits of the journey that Scottish music has made around the globe. In some cases the music has changed more than in other cases - that's what a tradition does. Those variations and developments will sometimes be contentious - that's a good thing, promotes discussion, interest, criticism.

I'd rather hear the music developing and being played and encouraged than, as in much of the rest of the UK, it being the preserve of a relatively small group of ageing people.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 03:22 PM

I can't imagine why anyone would insult the memory of Martyn Bennett by describing his music as 'lowest common denominator'. He was widely regarded as one of the key figures in Scottish music of recent years and his CDs are a great legacy.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 03:18 PM

All the more reason to go in my view :-) I like trad when it is played well but there is room for all types of music in a festival - especially one this long!

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 02:23 PM

I suppose what makes it to television is the most bombastic, spectacular, lowest common denominator stuff, but that doesn't truly reflect all that happens at the festival. There is a lot of quality music to be heard on the ground. However, the festival definitely has changed over the years. There's definitely less of a focus on actual traditional music and song than there was even a decade ago.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 01:59 PM

The reference I made regarding 'links to other cultures' was in response to the comments that CC was a showcase of Scottish music and that artists were invited were from a range of countries. It was not related to that particular performance

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,IanA
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 01:55 PM

I can't say that I enjoyed it. Full orchestral brass section, contra bassoon, (contra bassoon????) harpsichord (inaudible) and sundry other oddities. Perhaps it was a Celtic contra bassoon. So much effort to so little effect. I longed for a still, small voice...

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 01:24 PM

Come on lads it was terrible, and I couldn't see any links to other cultures in the parts that I viewed.
It bore no relation whatsoever to folk music other than the pipers who seemed to be playing jazz o the highland pipes.
The overall sound was excruciating......torture.
I've been to several CC's and enjoyed them, usually try to see June Tabor.

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 12:38 PM

Unfortunately I missed it but I gather what akenaton describes is probably the Grit Orchestra's interpretation of the Martyn Bennett work 'Botthy Culture'. Martyn's work was truly original and groundbreaking and last year's orchestral performance of his 'Grit' was superb. It is tragic that his life was cut short as I am sure he would have continued to innovate and bring joy to the lives of those of us who don't want folk music preserved in aspic

As I say I didn't see the concert but I hope to if I can get it on iplayer here in England and I suspect I shall I enjoy it but I will reserve judgement

Celtic Connections isn't just a showcase of Scottish music 'Glasgow’s annual folk, roots and world music festival, Celtic Connections celebrates Celtic music and its connections to cultures across the globe'. I haven't been lucky enough to attend yet but I hope to at some point and its very diversity is the main attraction for me and I suspect many others who do attend

Subject: RE: Review: Celtic Connections
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 11:44 AM

Ake
"What are these people about? CC is supposed to be the showcase of Scottish music......they are making Scotland a laughing stock."

Where did you get that idea , have you read the nationalities of the official performers ... like the Edinburgh Festival its the "Fringe" ( and don mean Dt's hairstyle) that's the folky side

Subject: Review: Celtic Connections
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 04 Feb 18 - 06:07 PM

Did anyone watch Celtic Connections on BBC 2 Saturday night?
It was appalling, a full orchestra, half a dozen highland pipers, a chap gibbering into a telephone, and another rowing a pretend boat across the stage ....all to an audience of hundreds.
What has this shite to do with traditional or even "Celtic" music I ask myself?
It took pretentiousness to a new level and must have been an utter embarrassment to any folkies unfortunate enough to have stumbled upon it.    So this is the "new wave", the produce of the folk academies?
God preserve us. I had to turn the cacophony off gave it ten minutes and turned it back on......the tuneless din continued only louder.

What are these people about? CC is supposed to be the showcase of Scottish music......they are making Scotland a laughing stock.