Sealladh Sìtheil - Niall Mac-a-Phi

A Peaceful View - Neil MacPhee

	I just picked up a new recording. Sealladh Sìtheil, by Neil
MacPhee of Sydney. I don't know his background but he obviously knows his
Gaelic.  The title is Gaelic for "A Peaceful View". This fits the tunes. 
All of them are at least slightly familiar to me. The cover picture is a
view I don't get to see of Cape Breton. Lovely view as photographed by
Owen Fitzgerald. 

	The producer of this is a favoured son of the Island, Allister
MacGillivray. Two other MacPhees, Jolane and Norma Jean provide harmony
vocals. Piano was played by Shauna Doolan, who's the piano player for
Oranaiche Cheap Breatuinn. Other instruments featured are Guitar with
Allie Bennett, Violin with Shawn MacDonald, and Flute by Angelo
Spinazzola. Al has been featured on several of the B&R Heritage
Enterprises Gaelic recordings as both Guitar player and/or Producer. 

	Lucky for me, the lyrics are included in the CD. I'd hate to see 
the fine print that would have to accompany the cassette version though. 
The CD is mostly Gaelic, with two English songs. Almost all of the Gaelic 
songs are ancient, traditional pieces. What a wonderful collection. The 
two others are The Miracle Song, written by Neil himself, and You'll Be 
Home Again written by Allister. Both are nice songs. I think Allister has 
written a great song for the "away" Capers! This was sung by Carol Jean 
"Cookie" Rankin in the Cape Breton Summertime Revue 1988. The chorus goes 

	Close your eyes,
	Dream a dream and maybe,
	Till you wake tomorrow morn,
	You'll be home again.


	The list of songs are

   An t-Eilean Aluinn		-	James MacDonald
   The Beautiful Island

   An Ribhinn Alainn		-	Henry "Fionn" Whyte
   The Charming Maiden

   An Téid Thu Leam, a Mhàiri	-	Iain Munro
   Will you go with me, Mary?

   The Miracle Song		-	Neil MacPhee

   An Cóineachan		-	Ancient
   The Fragrant One
   (A Fairy Lullaby)

   Maighdeanan Na h-Airidh	-	Neil MacLeod
   Maids of the Sheiling

   Mórag a Dùnbheagain		-	Original - Neil Matheson
   Morag of Dunvegan		-	Gaelic - Katherine Douglas

   Bha Mi'n Raoir an Coille Chaoil	Neil MacLeod
   Last Night I was in the Hazel Grove

   Fail O Ro Mar Dh'fhàg Sinn	-	Ancient Waulking Song
   In this Way We Left

   O Luaidh			-	Ancient
   O Darling

   Màiri Bhòidheach		-	Traditional
   Beautiful Mary

   You'll Be Home Again		-	Allister MacGillivray

   Cailin Mo Rùin-Sa		-	Donald Ross of Ullapool
   Maiden, My Love

   O Nach Till Thu Rinn A Ris	-	Traditional
   Will Ye No Come Back Again?

	Most of these songs, I have heard performed by various Gaelic
singers here in Halifax.  These are NOT among the "Top Ten" songs which
are done and done. Fresh songs to learn for Gaelic singers. I haven't seen
any of these on any other recording to date. The closest is An Téid Thu
Leam, a Mhàiri.  Heather Rankin sings a version of this on the Rankin
Family's Grey Dusk of Eve Limited Edition CD. Neil sings it as a three
verse song with chorus. The funny thing is that the three verses he has
are NOT in the Sinclair book, An t-Oranaiche. VERY interesting. The second
verse IS close to one in the book which IS sung by Heather Rankin. Will
have to ask where this version came from and if there are other verses. 

	
	An Còineachan is a very traditional lullaby which tells the 
story of a mother searching for her baby, who has been stolen by the 
Sithe, the fairy folk. The last verse goes, "I found the mist on the 
mountain but not my little baby". Why are so many of the lullabies in 
Gaelic SO sad? With the repetitions, this is one of the easiest Gaelic 
songs to learn.

	Mórag of Dùnbheagain is a very popular song in both English and
Gaelic. The original was by Neil Matheson, and translated by Katherine
Douglas. I doubt anyone of Cape Breton descent hasn't heard a version of
this song in one form or another. Very nice. Another love song is Càilin
mo Rùin-sa. I've heard an English version by "The Godfather", John Allan
Cameron. It's NOT as evocative as this, the Gaelic version, written by
Donald Ross of Ullapool, Scotland. Last verse of this starts, "I was full
of joy when first we kissed". 

	The last one is an old familiar piece. In English it's "Will Ye 
No Come Back Again). The start of the last verse, "Melodious is the 
thrush (Robin in Cape Breton) in the forest". You can't fault the imagery 
of the old Gaelic bards!

	What a wonderful addition to my song collection. Thank you Neil 
for all your work. I see you thank a few people on the back, Mae Cameron, 
director of Oranaiche Cheap Breatuinn (when is the next recording coming 
out?), Allister MacGillivray and Shauna Doolan. Two other people he
mentioned are Lauchie Gillis (whose recording I really treasure) and Tic 
Butler. Nice dedication!

	The cassette or CD is available at various places, including from 
the singer himself. Neil can be contacted at:

Neil MacPhee
99 Common St.
Sydney, NS
Canada
B1P 3L3

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