| Riverdance: Music From The Show | 
 enlarge | Creator: Bill Whelan
Label: Decca U.S.
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98 (€14.99)
Buy New: $2.49 (€1.97)
You Save: $16.49 (€13.03) (87%)
Buy New/Used from $2.49 (€1.97)
Avg. Customer Rating:   (39 reviews)
Sales Rank: 7696
Format: Special Edition, Soundtrack
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.7 x 0.4
MPN: 53076
UPC: 601215307627
EAN: 0601215307627
ASIN: B000005B2O
Release Date: June 17, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Reel Around the Sun | | • | The Heart's Cry | | • | The Countess Cathleen/Women of the Sidhe | | • | Caoineadh Cu Chulainn (Lament) | | • | Shivna | | • | Firedance | | • | Slip into Spring | | • | Riverdance | | • | American Wake (The Nova Scotia Set) | | • | Lift the Wings | | • | Macedonian Morning | | • | Marta's Dance/The Russian Dervish | | • | Andalucia | | • | Home and the Heartland | | • | The Harvest | | • | Riverdance (Reprise) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Based on Irish folk dancing styles, Riverdance was originally devised as a 20-minute intermission entertainment for the Eurovision Song Contest. There, its phenomenal reception inspired composer Bill Whelan to expand the piece into a full-length stage show, still centered around Irish music, but now telling a loose story of many different peoples who in the 20th century have found themselves emigres. The paradoxically formal yet expressive, sensual, and exhilarating energy of traditional Irish dance and Irish folk music is only the beginning. A work full of strong melodies, excitement, romantic dreams, and nostalgic longing, the full Riverdance show is a spellbinding spectacle. Complete with orchestra, Whelan brings influences from Irish classical music, incorporates the haunting sound of vocal group Anuna, and adds the diverse folk sounds of Nova Scotia, Macedonia, Russia, and Andalucia to his rich cultural melting pot. Playing on the album are some of the finest folk musicians around, including piper Davy Spillane and Eileen Ivers on fiddle. The result is not just a tuneful souvenir of a great stage show, but a most enjoyable release in its own right. Whelan also has worked on the Rob Roy soundtrack and composed The Seville Suite and The Spirit of Mayo. --GaryS. Dalkin
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| Customer Reviews: Read 34 more reviews...
 A MUST HAVE FOR ALL IRISH! April 4, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
THIS IS A MUST HAVE CD FOR ALL TRUE IRISH BLOODED PEOPLE OUT THERE. THIS IS THE BEST CD YET RIVERDANCE HAS MADE.
Outstanding!!! October 14, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have every Riverdance DVD and have watched the live show once. This CD is based on the original production (With Michael Flatley and Jean Butler) and while it might not carry the "excitement" of the original show as others have commented, it is a great way to remember the beautiful music and orchestration when you are not close to a DVD player to enjoy the video production. The unfortunate thing in listening to the "soundtrack" of a live/video production is that separated from its visual context, it can be difficult to understand or appreciate. Riverdance is a visual as well as a sound experience. If you have never watched the show, it would certainly be hard to appreciate the music in this CD. I listen to it frequently and love the music more each time. If you are a Riverdance fan, this CD is a must. It's simply superb.
 Disappointment after seeing the show March 6, 2006
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
I recently saw the show live & was excited to get the soundtrack. However, as many other reviewers have noted, it was a big disappointment - it doesn't match the charisma of the show. While it does have some great songs on it, you just don't get the feeling you got while actually watching the show, which was a tremendous feeling of excitement & thrill. I must add, I did pick up the 'Lord of Dance' soundtrack & was happily impressed.
 Disappointed September 28, 2005
4 out of 11 found this review helpful
Not the type of music I had envisioned...much slower than I was hoping for.
Can't get enough of Riverdance! July 30, 2005
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
First off, I'm 16 years old. I love music, just about every kind there is. I never cared for Riverdance before until last year when I listened to a song from "Lord of the Dance" completely by accident and then went from there. Now, I completely appreciate it, and I believe it's the best stuff I've ever listened to, and I don't regret it all. It's very refreshing, and it just calms you down, and I swear, some of the songs on here sends shivers down my spine even after listening to it for a good year now. While I don't like every song on the CD like I do with "Lord of the Dance" I still think the music is special and unique in its own way. The music from "Lord of the Dance" is more...alive, but "Riverdance" is good for relieving stress, meditating, or for filling you up with so much emotion it could make you cry. Honestly, it's all great.
If you're not convinced yet, then here's a breakdown by song!
REEL AROUND THE SONG: As one person has already said: PERFECT! This is probably the best on the CD. It's starts a little slow with the flute(but then, you learn to love it, the more you listen to it) and then as it progresses, it gets better and better, and then, even better. So it's perfect in every way. But then, considering the song is almost nine minutes long, it better be good.
THE HEART'S CRY: This is a vocal. Nice song, beautiful lyrics, a voice I could tolerate, and I'm just starting to appreciate vocals.
COUNTESS CATHLEEN/WOMEN OF THE SIDHE: Another personal favorite that's almost perfect. The first is very light and pretty, but I love the second half! Very lively and I actually dance to it.
CAOINEADH CU CHULAINN/LAMENT: This is one of the songs that fills you up with emotion and shivers down your spine. It's a very sad (well, the song's called "Lament"), emotional song, and I still listen to it with fresh ears, and probably always will.
SHIVNA: This is another vocal. The only problem with it, is that it's in another language (I'm guessing Gaelic) so I don't know what the heck they're saying, but that doesn't stop me from loving it. Ironically, it's my favorite vocal on here.
FIREDANCE: A mix of Celtic and Spanish music and the results are pretty good. The end of the song is really the only good part of the song though. The beginning's too slow for me.
SLIP INTO SPRING: Very light and incredibly sweet and one of my favorites.
RIVERDANCE: Another favorite (you're probably getting tired of me saying that),it's true. The lyrics are good, the music's beyond great. You really outdid yourself, Whelan.
AMERICAN WAKE: This song falls in the middle. Starts off a wee bit repetitive, but gets better as it progresses.
LIFT THE WINGS: A vocal. Well, the music in the beginning was great. But I just can't get into the song. I think it's the voice that drives me away. Good lyrics though.
MACEDONIAN MORNING: Blah. That's the only word I can use to describe this song. This song can't move me at all. It doesn't go anywhere, it's tiring and dull and flat, and it wouldn't harm the CD if they took this song out.
MARTA'S DANCE/THE RUSSIAN DERVISH: Another (you guessed it!) favorite. It's a mix of Celtic and Russian music, and yes it is a little too repetitive and long, but it's still good and the last two minutes of the song is my favorite part.
ANDALUCIA: I enjoy this song from time to time, it's good, just not as memorable as the other songs.
HOME AND THE HEARTLAND: This song's altogether cute. The lyrics and the music are cute, and the voice that sings it is so tender and beautiful. My second favorite vocal.
HARVEST: Lovely song, falls in the middle and there's some parts that I especially love.
RIVERDANCE (REPRISE): Uh,good, but I'll stick with original.
I don't regret buying this CD at all and I'm sure you'll love this as much as I do. There will be at least one song on here you'll like if not all. If you love emotion and beauty, and you're passionate about music, then you'll love this.
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