Moya Brennan

No offense, but to heck with Enya. Big sis Moya has, and always has had, the better voice and the more down-to-earth image. I have been a fan of Clannad for 20 years now, and can safely say that this is the only one of Moya's solo projects that I absolutely love. This is coming from somebody who prefers their late 70s to late 80s work. That means fans of little sis, might just enjoy this collection of Yuletide tunes.

Moya's trademark vocals are here, but they are often quite dreamy sounding. Gentle, yet joyous, and with just enough Irish instrumentation not to turn off adult contemporary snobs (believe me, there is such a thing where I live), it is a very nice collection of holiday tunes for a small gathering or family. Her vocals are gorgeous as usual, and her treatment is especially lovely on "Deck the Halls," "In the Bleak Midwinter," and "In Dulci Jubilo." The only thing I have a slight problem with is her rendition of "Carol of the Bells," which I find to be a watered down version of Manheim Steamroller's. Still, this is a lovely collection I cannot imagine anyone finding fault with unless they refuse to budge from the more hardcore celtic sound Clannad have been known for. You need this cd for your Christmas celebration if you like your holiday music on the cheerful, mellow side with a little something extra. It's also great music in the car while you're doing your yuletide shopping.

I bought a few of these CDs for my Irish friends because I love Marie Bennen's music. Although I have not listened to this particular one, I doubt I will be disappointed.

I simply love Irish versions of the carols and the way she sings it is very ethereal! Love it!

I tend to order at the last minute ..... and Piper likes her food ..."right now" .... thanks to your efforts and fast deliveries, she has not gone without. I cannot find Kitty Kaviar locally and it is her favorite thing...so that places you on her "best friend" list. Thanks again.

Moya Brennan's Christmas release is beautiful, but to me it is not exceptional. It is one that has beautiful Christmas music, but it does not stand out from others, such as Celtic Woman's Christmas tape, or the collection "One Silent Night" which features Brennan among others.

There are still some great tracks, such as "Carol Of The Bells", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Joy To The World", "What Child Is This?" and "Oiche Chuin (Silent Night)".

It is a mixture of the familiar and the not-as familiar traditional, and it focuses on the real Christmas as opposed to Santa Claus nonsense.

While the film didn't live up to the hype and was a let down to most the score stands alone against the movie and out shines Antoine Fuqua "epic". Composer Hans Zimmer picks up that gauntlet, producing an orchestral score bristling with massed brass, chorus and percussion as well as including Moya Brennan's wonderful voice they composes a score second best to Gladiator. Everything Hans Zimmer has composed, from Gladiator to King Arthur, is brilliant, and always original. He has a way of capturing the essense of a film in the score he composes, and each score is exquisite and cultural in its own way. The film is fantastic and listening to the soundtrack makes it even better. I greatly enjoyed Hans Zimmer's work on King Arthur. If you have enjoyed Hans ZImmer's work on Gladiator and Pirates of the Caribbean then pick this on up for this is great work from a great composer.

Hans Zimmer's powerhouse score for King Arthur was easily the best thing about the movie. Antoine Fuqua's pseudo-epic film was poorly conceived, historically apalling, and suffered from studio-neutering to get a PG-13. Somehow surviving the chaos that was King Arthur, Zimmer's score is still as fresh and powerful as it was when the movie came out--and tanked.

Some reviewers rightly noted that the movie was downbeat, dark, and very antiheroic, and that Zimmer's score was so powerful and loud it seemed inappropriate to Fuqua's grim work. They were certainly right. Divorce it from the film, and the score is a glorious stand-alone piece.

The score is reminiscent of Gladiator (Zimmer's scores all sounding similar in one way--or a dozen) but much louder and with a lot of dense, Philip Glass-like undercurrents of busy strings. Airy female vocals recall Gladiator but have a more medieval or Celtic sound, and the track "Tell Me Now," as sung by Moya Brennen, would be a full-blown pop song were it not so heavy and dark.

I've used a lot of negative-sounding words to describe Zimmer's score--heavy, dark, dense--but the soundtrack is really very beautiful. The bombastic, brass-heavy pieces in "Woad to Ruin" and "Budget Meeting" are nicely matched against the lighter but somewhat downbeat "Tell Me Now" and "All of Them." If you're wanting strong, heroic music to listen to (especially if you're looking for something different for your workout), King Arthur is the score to get.

Highly recommended.

Hans Zimmer is a brilliant composer.
Tell me how(what you see), All of them are so beautiful songs ! They're amazingly good executed and so all the music as well.
This soundtrack was beautifully made and it's so amazing as the movie.
I love it.

I was very tempted after the first and second listening to want to rename this score 'Variations on a theme by Moya Brennan,' but that would only be a cheeky disservice to the album. I was extremely happy with this album, and not just because I am a fan of Zimmer in general. While 'King Arthur' is thematically simpler than some of his other works (read: Gladiator), the overall score does not suffer for it. The way Zimmer incorporates the theme found in Moya Brennan's song (co-written by Zimmer) into the rest of the film's music is a strength of the score. The admirable part is the way in which he reminds us listeners of the theme, for he avoids copied repetition and produces some sharp, solid music. If you listen closely, you can hear the influence of Gladiator in a few of the chord progressions, but the semblance is not enough to distract.

When I first listened to the entire album, I was disappointed in how similar each of the score's longer-than-average tracks are to each other. After repeated listening, however, I found the seamless blending of each of the tracks into a more organic, delightfully focused whole to be a real strength. Again, this is Zimmer at some of his most iconic: several sub-themes are made up entirely of percussion and horns, interposed with mellower moments making use of Moya Brennan's vocals. The human voice is not absent in abundance, either, for Zimmer uses choir to heighten important musical (and one would assume, movie) moments. If I had to pick one, I would say the most musically interesting track in the score is number 3.

Still, there is very little reflection in this piece, and I would say this is one of Zimmer's most action-heavy pieces, for the pace of the music grabs you at the onset and doesn't let you catch your breath until the end. This will not win any converts to those who don't care for his music to begin with, but this is a shining example of what Hans Zimmer can do very well.

I just got the cd last week and i am so happy with it...I LOVE IT..Hans Zimmer is amazing...he is one of my favorit producers. i am glad i bought. i was looking for it everywhere but couldnt find it. but then i came to amazon and ordered it here.. so thanks for the amazing soundtrack!!

Sweet sweet sound. I'm new to this type of music but I can tell this is a classic.

Being a longtime fan of her family band Clannad, I didn't even try out her solo albums until recently and I was completely spellbound by Moya Brennan's fifth solo release entitled "Two Horizons". Though I had heard small excerpts of the release around the time it came out which was around late 2003 or early 2004, I didn't get to hear it thoroughly until early 2008 but I was spellbound beyond my expectations. This album is arguably my favorite solo album by this lead singer of Clannad.

"Two Horizons" is like nothing Ms. Brennan has created before this. The opening track "Show Me" as well as the epic "Bright Star" are the proofs of my argument. They are powerful songs that emphasize a side of the Clannad family that is sometimes too far in the background in Clannad's music. Yet here, Brennan's individual talent shines at it's absolutely brightest on tracks like "Falling", the epic "Tara" and the menacing beauty of "Sailing Away" which could give the best parts of Enya's "Watermark" album a run for it's money.

Moya Brennan's project is excellent. Lyrically, I'm not sure what the philosophy/theology is, or if it is just an enchanting story. This project, though, is wonderful. I am a fan.

Favorite tracks? You can say they all are. "Show Me", "Bright Star", "Change My World" and "Two Horizons" are the best of the best.

If you want a relaxing album to listen to with a unique beautiful voice all through it this is perfect for that mood. Moya Brennan takes her listeners to another place...you'll forget all your problems for a good long while.

the musice is beautiful but each track is simmarly composed they do not have very much of a verience

Moya is one of my very favorite artists, beginning with Clannad from years back. This album has some of her more popular songs, re-mixed & toned down with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Great listening music indeed!

I'm normally a fan of this genre of music, but Moya's (Maire in Gaelic) music is only so-so. After listening a couple of times, I never listen anymore.

Grabbed this one off the store shelf after hearing the first couple of cuts, and was not disappointed. None of the songs has the Irish-pub edge of some of her other stuff, but within the gentler demeanor of this CD there is tremendous variety. And it is very uplifting, especially because of the sense of personal struggle of some of the songs: struggles overcome, especially by faith, are the most uplifting things of all. Superb.

Of her solo CD's, this is perhaps Moya's most fluid and uplifting. It has the same contemplative feel as Two Horizons and Whisper to the Wild Waters, yet there is a deeper sense of 'flow' in this ensemble of tunes; a spiritul 'movement' enlivens the CD from beginning to end. The sound occasionally reminds me of Clannad's in their most mature phase (Sirius - Legend). There is a sense of joy in this music that is reminiscent of Perfect Time. An excellent album; I play it every day.

This is my 7th CD from Moya (Maire). Her voice continues beautiful like when she was leader vocal from CLANNAD.

I was very excited to see a new album by Moya Brennan and this one definitely did not disappoint! Very beautiful songs and quite a few catchy numbers... I highly recommend this album. Equally as excellent as her other solo albums!!

No offense, but to heck with Enya. Big sis Moya has, and always has had, the better voice and the more down-to-earth image. I have been a fan of Clannad for 20 years now, and can safely say that this is the only one of Moya's solo projects that I absolutely love. This is coming from somebody who prefers their late 70s to late 80s work. That means fans of little sis, might just enjoy this collection of Yuletide tunes.

Moya's trademark vocals are here, but they are often quite dreamy sounding. Gentle, yet joyous, and with just enough Irish instrumentation not to turn off adult contemporary snobs (believe me, there is such a thing where I live), it is a very nice collection of holiday tunes for a small gathering or family. Her vocals are gorgeous as usual, and her treatment is especially lovely on "Deck the Halls," "In the Bleak Midwinter," and "In Dulci Jubilo." The only thing I have a slight problem with is her rendition of "Carol of the Bells," which I find to be a watered down version of Manheim Steamroller's. Still, this is a lovely collection I cannot imagine anyone finding fault with unless they refuse to budge from the more hardcore celtic sound Clannad have been known for. You need this cd for your Christmas celebration if you like your holiday music on the cheerful, mellow side with a little something extra. It's also great music in the car while you're doing your yuletide shopping.

I bought a few of these CDs for my Irish friends because I love Marie Bennen's music. Although I have not listened to this particular one, I doubt I will be disappointed.

I simply love Irish versions of the carols and the way she sings it is very ethereal! Love it!

I tend to order at the last minute ..... and Piper likes her food ..."right now" .... thanks to your efforts and fast deliveries, she has not gone without. I cannot find Kitty Kaviar locally and it is her favorite thing...so that places you on her "best friend" list. Thanks again.

Moya Brennan's Christmas release is beautiful, but to me it is not exceptional. It is one that has beautiful Christmas music, but it does not stand out from others, such as Celtic Woman's Christmas tape, or the collection "One Silent Night" which features Brennan among others.

There are still some great tracks, such as "Carol Of The Bells", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Joy To The World", "What Child Is This?" and "Oiche Chuin (Silent Night)".

It is a mixture of the familiar and the not-as familiar traditional, and it focuses on the real Christmas as opposed to Santa Claus nonsense.

Sweet sweet sound. I'm new to this type of music but I can tell this is a classic.

Being a longtime fan of her family band Clannad, I didn't even try out her solo albums until recently and I was completely spellbound by Moya Brennan's fifth solo release entitled "Two Horizons". Though I had heard small excerpts of the release around the time it came out which was around late 2003 or early 2004, I didn't get to hear it thoroughly until early 2008 but I was spellbound beyond my expectations. This album is arguably my favorite solo album by this lead singer of Clannad.

"Two Horizons" is like nothing Ms. Brennan has created before this. The opening track "Show Me" as well as the epic "Bright Star" are the proofs of my argument. They are powerful songs that emphasize a side of the Clannad family that is sometimes too far in the background in Clannad's music. Yet here, Brennan's individual talent shines at it's absolutely brightest on tracks like "Falling", the epic "Tara" and the menacing beauty of "Sailing Away" which could give the best parts of Enya's "Watermark" album a run for it's money.

Moya Brennan's project is excellent. Lyrically, I'm not sure what the philosophy/theology is, or if it is just an enchanting story. This project, though, is wonderful. I am a fan.

Favorite tracks? You can say they all are. "Show Me", "Bright Star", "Change My World" and "Two Horizons" are the best of the best.

If you want a relaxing album to listen to with a unique beautiful voice all through it this is perfect for that mood. Moya Brennan takes her listeners to another place...you'll forget all your problems for a good long while.

the musice is beautiful but each track is simmarly composed they do not have very much of a verience

I was shopping in London recently & saw this album quite pre-dominantly displayed at a store. Being a fan of Dominic's music, I bought the CD despite the hefty price tag. I am not disappointed. This CD by the artist is one of his best.The compositions are well chosen & played to perfection. As another reviewer wrote, the only track that I found less appealing was the one with Placido.....I am not a great fan of opera. Dominic's compositions cover Bach, Albinoni, Beethoven, Erik Satie & even Ennio Morricone ! There's a beautiful rendition of Shape of My Heart with Sting. Another thing about this CD...is the excellent cover photography & art work, simple & meaningful liner notes. In short, well done. Pick this one up !

Dominic Miller's "Shapes" album is one of the most beautiful but hard-to-catergorize albums I've listened to. Most of the cuts are based on classical works that Miller rearranges and flavors with a surprising range of influences and experience to produce something new and unique: You've never heard classical this easy fall in love with before. (There's also a new rendition of "Shape of My Heart", with Sting.)

Miller is a pop music session guitarist with classical roots and a unique melodic / harmonic sensibility. On this album, he uses his exquisite guitar work to reshape the classical pieces, sometimes just a little, sometimes to an unexpected degree. He's a master of small gestures -- riffs, short counterpoints, quiet passages, rhythmic shifts that last only a few bars -- that, linked together, transform and give surprising life to the music he plays (and help you hear the original pieces with more understanding and richness, if you already know them).

Basically, this is one of the most pleasant, beautiful, moving, peaceful, uplifting albums I've ever had the pleasure to hear, and I don't have to feel uncool about loving this sweet album, given Miller's chops and history in the popular music field, and the fantastic singers who contribute to 3 tracks (Sting, Marie Brenner of Clannad, and Placido Domingo -- I get chills each time I hear Domingo sing the Kyrie from "Missa Criolla" over Dominick's outstanding, delicate guitar work). After 30 or so plays, I'm more eager to play it again, not less. I definitely recommend this album.