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  • J.E Stanway

J.E's Playlist: For Celtic Hearts

Before we get into this article, I want to quickly thank all of you for the support you've given our magazine this past year. We're sorry to leave it behind, but we're all eagerly anticipating our future projects! Thank you, dear reader; we hope you've enjoyed your time with us and that we've helped to ease the strain of this past year a little bit.


Sincerely,

Jasmine, former editor of The Postmodern Journal


"Miranda" (1916) by John William Waterhouse

As a writer of Canadian historical fiction, Celtic music is usually the first thing I flock to when I need inspiration for a story, as it's the backbone of much of our culture. Being of Scottish descent myself, I have a special affection for this music and the culture that surrounds it, as it connects me to my ancestors in a very unique and beautiful way.


This being my favorite genre, I can't possibly narrow down all the music on my Be Still, My Celtic Heart playlist and choose a list of favorite songs, so I decided to choose my favorite albums and artists instead!


Erutan



Erutan is one of the first modern Celtic composers I came across when I began getting into this genre more. She writes and composes her own music, plays multiple Celtic instruments, and writes her lyrics in the style of Irish and Scottish legends. Whenever I play one of her songs, I'm instantly transported to the 16th century and living among the creatures of the forest, completely immersed in nature and serenity.


Her album The Court of Leaves is a collection of traditional Celtic instrumentals, but with the birds, rustling wind, rain, and other nature sounds in the background, these songs feel completely new. Among all of her albums, this is one of my favorites.


Other albums from Erutan:


Raindancer

Jabberwocky (single)

The Dancing and the Dreaming (single)

The Hunters Mark (single)

Tarts (single)


The Village Soundtrack



The Village is probably one of my favorite period dramas and definitely my favorite thriller. The storyline is engaging, heartwarming, and ominous, and the twist is simply genius. The first thing that I ever noticed about this movie, though, is the gorgeous soundtrack composed by James Newton Howard.


The emphasis on the fiddle and the muting of the other instruments almost adds an echo effect to the music, adding pointedly to the chilling and "Dark Cottagecore" aesthetic to the film. There's a distinct Celtic style to the soundtrack of this movie, which, when you know the plot of the film, adds to it perfectly.


Other soundtracks by James Newton Howard:


Peter Pan (2003)

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Hunger Games (2012)


Lisa Lynne



Lisa Lynne has released some of my favorite instrumental Celtic songs, and the majority of them span from Weaving Worlds, her collab album with Aryeh Frankfurter. The atmosphere of Lisa's music makes me think of dances at Victorian-era country weddings, running through fields of heather on a stormy afternoon, and getting lost in the woods only to be found by a fellow wandering soul.


My favorite songs from this album are A Fond Wish, a Bountiful Life, and Aurora Borealis. Each one will instantly fling you to an Irish cliffside, where you'll be standing in a long billowing dress overlooking the sea and embracing your own Celtic heart.


Other albums from Lisa Lynne:


Two Worlds One

Harmony House

Secret Songs


Far From the Madding Crowd Soundtrack



Like The Village, Far From The Madding Crowd endeared itself to me right away due to the unbelievable genius of Craig Armstrong's soundtrack. Being a British film, a Celtic soundtrack was the ideal choice for the themes, tone, and aesthetics of this movie. The emphasized fiddle and Celtic harp in nearly every song create this peaked sense of romantic longing that the storyline of the film is truly based around.


Soundtracks make or break a film, and I can firmly say I've never watched a movie whose soundtrack embodied the emotions of a story so perfectly. Every time I listen to the music from this film, I want to throw it all away, take myself to Wessex, inherit an estate, and marry a humble sheep farmer.


Other soundtracks and albums from Craig Armstrong:


Victor Frankenstein (2015)

Me Before You (2016)

The Edge of the Sea (2020)


While I could go on forever about the Celtic music that I love, these above-mentioned albums and artists will always hold a firm place in my Scottish-Canadian heart. If, however, you'd like more Celtic recommendations, you can click the link below to stream my personally curated playlist.


 

Click here to stream Be Still, My Celtic Heart on Spotify.

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