At number 3 is the second of two albums by the Irish band Horslips. It is The Book of Invasions, Celtic Symphony, which first appeared in 1976. Now with Horslips you get lots of nice Irish tunes in a rock setting plus a certain amount of mental stimulation that lies in theri very warm nationalism. So
The album is divided into three movements - In the old Ireland there were three principal categories of song, called geantrai, goltrai and suantrai - joyous strain, the lamenting strain and the sleep strain. When Lug was proving himself expert in every art before the Tuatha hierarchy his musical contribution was an immaculate performance of the three strains.
Later, after the Second Battle of Moytura, Lug and The Dagda (The Good God) pursue the Formorians who have stolen The Mighty One's harp. When the instrument is located The Dagda bids it come to him. As it flies to his hands it kills those enemies standing in its path. The Dagda plays the three strains and when the opposing host are sleeping, from the magic of the suantrai, he departs safely, taking his harp with him.
Later, after the Second Battle of Moytura, Lug and The Dagda (The Good God) pursue the Formorians who have stolen The Mighty One's harp. When the instrument is located The Dagda bids it come to him. As it flies to his hands it kills those enemies standing in its path. The Dagda plays the three strains and when the opposing host are sleeping, from the magic of the suantrai, he departs safely, taking his harp with him.
The Book of Invasions is a 12th Century chronicle of the various pre-Christian colonisations of Ireland. The race who occupied the country before the Gaels were the Tuatha De Danann - The Peoples of the Goddess Danann.
While their origins are unclear we know that the Tuatha were a mystical race, handsome and learned, elegantly dressed, expert in every art and science and supreme masters of wizardry. In the Mythological Cycle their place is amongst the traditions of Immortals. In fact the Tuatha were so magnificent their existence embarrassed scholars who, when transcribing the legends centuries later, did not know whether to regard them as men, demons or fallen angels. Bravest of all peoples, their leaders were wizards first and warriors second whose victories were gained more by superior knowledge and magic than by warfare.
The Tuatha De Danann occupied the country and lived in relative peace from 3303 Age of the World until the coming of the Milesian warriors in 3500 AoW. After their defeat at the Battle of Tailteann the Tuatha simply vanished from these islands. Tradition and popular belief has it that the Tuatha through their esoteric powers became the Sluagh Sidhe (The Fairy Host) and, taking their secrets and mysterious arts with them, entered an occult realm where they remain till this day.
While their origins are unclear we know that the Tuatha were a mystical race, handsome and learned, elegantly dressed, expert in every art and science and supreme masters of wizardry. In the Mythological Cycle their place is amongst the traditions of Immortals. In fact the Tuatha were so magnificent their existence embarrassed scholars who, when transcribing the legends centuries later, did not know whether to regard them as men, demons or fallen angels. Bravest of all peoples, their leaders were wizards first and warriors second whose victories were gained more by superior knowledge and magic than by warfare.
The Tuatha De Danann occupied the country and lived in relative peace from 3303 Age of the World until the coming of the Milesian warriors in 3500 AoW. After their defeat at the Battle of Tailteann the Tuatha simply vanished from these islands. Tradition and popular belief has it that the Tuatha through their esoteric powers became the Sluagh Sidhe (The Fairy Host) and, taking their secrets and mysterious arts with them, entered an occult realm where they remain till this day.
It doesn't grip me like it once did I confess but you can see how listening to those great tunes is enhanced by the background info, I guess.
Check here for samples.
Tracks: 1st Movement- geantrai. Daybreak. March Into Trouble. Trouble (with a capital T), The power and the Glory, the Rocks Remain, Dusk, Sword of light, Dark.
2nd Movement- goltrai. Warm Sweet Breath of Love, Fantasia (My Lagan love), king of Morning Queen of Day.
3rd Movement- suantral. Sideways to the Sun, Drive the Cold Winter Away, Ride to Hell.
3rd Movement- suantral. Sideways to the Sun, Drive the Cold Winter Away, Ride to Hell.
Just a really great pop rock album.
No comments:
Post a Comment