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• 1 2024-11-02T10:43:46-07:00 Celtic Woman's, "The Parting Glass" 16 plain 1558832 2024-12-19T11:31:03-08:00

  
  
  There is a balance between tradition and innovation, and the perfect balance is not easy to achieve. The Irish vocal ensemble, Celtic Woman, came up with a vibrant new interpretation of traditional Irish music on their 2011 album, Believe, produced by David Downes. The recording of “The Parting Glass” to close out the magical album is very different from former covers of the song, and can be classified as only one thing - glorious. Downes and the ladies of Celtic Woman took a traditional song and provided a bright new interpretation in order to remind listeners of the
  convivial purpose that the song was originally made for. 

  The song “The Parting Glass” has its premiere origins in Irish pubs, as a way to say goodnight in a more positive, reminiscent, and grateful way, as opposed to a solemn and overwhelmingly nostalgic way (Gilchrist 186). The lyrics tend to be sung with purpose and conviction, with each word of the phrase seeming individual. Each word then becomes strung together to form a lyrical statement (Gilchrist 184). The beauty of the piece is in the productive intentionality, and the way that is represented by its pace. In the article “Goodnight and Parting Songs,” highlighting pieces similar to “The Parting Glass,” author A.G. Gilchrist highlights the “rhythm of these short detached phrases” as having “a foundation in nature in the regular rise and fall of the breath” (Gilchrist 188). Like Gilchrist details, the song must be sung with uplifting deliberation behind the breath, something that the four principal women of Celtic Woman did so well. In this case, intentional breathing represents a calm and resolving scenario, as opposed to a sharp and surprising scenario that may represent uncertainty. This calmness is the exact purpose of a night song. 

  The piece begins with one voice above any instruments; the dynamics of the piece begin soft, but eventually grow into a spirited synchronous belt of four voices that blend so well together, it could be mistaken for one. While the song is an established traditional song, the purity of each of their tones, and the gradual increase in the presence of harmonies makes this performance a completely original, and special one. Most interpretations of this piece consist of only one voice; so, the presence of group vocal techniques like harmonies are especially powerful. The piece begins a cappella, and grows into an incredible array of instrumentals. This growing array of instruments is directly proportional to the amount of joy being discussed in the piece. This proportionality tends to directly reference the original convivial purpose of the song: even though the night is coming to end, the good vibes remain (more money is spent at the pub and therefore more fun is had) as the piece tends to be positive and reminiscent of the excitement of a night in Ireland. Each measure becomes something new, with the introduction of a new harmony, instrument, or voice, making the piece an absolute whirlwind to listen to, but a whirlwind that makes you sit down and acknowledge the presence of pure vocal beauty. The live performance (listen above) allows the listener to hear a short exhale, or almost release, of the words at the end of each lyrical phrase. It is not a careless or pained exhale, but rather a calculated expression of the end of a story that the specific line tells - the beautiful story of togetherness. The intentionality in even a basic human function, breathing, demonstrates Celtic Woman's care towards the song and their craft. Similar covers, like boygenius and Ye Vagabonds’ 2023 version of “The Parting Glass” produced by Interscope Records, seem to have a more downhearted and uncalculated nature. As Camille Murray says in her review of the boygenius piece, this version represents the “confusing intricacies of a goodbye” (Murray). But, is the feeling of confusion something you want to feel when listening to your favorite songs? Personally, on my playlist, are songs that make me happy. 
  
  Throughout almost the entire set, the performers remain stationary, until the last song. In the final moments of the show, the singers lurch forward, as evidenced by an increase in volume. Even at the end, the performers are “moving forward” and continuing to sing the song with joy and purpose. In other versions of the piece, like Hozier’s 2020 performance on The Late Late Show, the end of the piece is marked with a decrease in volume, potentially referring to the quieting and saddening of the spirit as the night ends. While this version is a beautiful tribute to those who have lost their lives, it is not the “convivial” portrayal that Gilchrist originally describes the song as being (Gilchrist 186). The ending of Celtic women’s performance as full of life, joy, and volume is an exact representation of why the song was written: to celebrate the joy of each other’s company and the beautiful night that was had. This joyfulness alludes to the song’s origins and proves that Celtic Woman has the upbeatness that the piece needs. Máiréad Nesbitt, one of the lead singers, noted that this album includes songs that are personally special to the singers of Celtic Woman (Cure), again proving Celtic Woman’s intentionality. This performance makes you want to simply grab a hold of those you love, and experience a moment of appreciation for them, exactly as night songs should.

  When singers can intentionally make an audience feel a certain way, they are doing their job correctly. Celtic Woman’s performance of an intentionally upbeat and fresh “The Parting Glass” is a beautiful homage to the song’s original purpose - cheerfully enjoying the company of those you love.