The high-point of the week was a concert at WIT Chapel, featuring Iarla O Lionaird, Gavin Bryars and the excellent The Crash Ensemble. In a darkened and welcoming chapel Anail De (Breath Of God) was an exploration of pre-1600 texts from Irish Spiritual manuscripts selected by the artists. There was no proper programme and they explained as they went along.
Kate Ellis, on cello, played a slow air with such hypnotic beauty like sitar music until a shiver of violas joined in with the plaintive sean nos voice of O Lionaird. This was beautiful and tranquil with notes sustained on guitar amps and at times the guitar like chiming bells. O Lionaird can wail like a guitar on echo.
I was puzzled by a Bryars piece called Flower Of Friendship and it seems out of place like a Mahler quartet on an Enya cd. O Lionaird was wonderful with laments and the beautiful Hail Mary, as Gaeilge, was a deep well of contentment.
