Church Libraries, Spring 2008

These two DVD/CD sets are beautifully sculpted to combine the wonder of God's creation with worshipful tones of instrumental music. Celtic Hymns is a collection of traditional Gaelic religious pieces, such as "Be Though My Vision" and "O Sacred Head Now Wounded," featuring Celtic instrumentation and breathtaking Irish scenery. The misty, spiritual sounds of piano, guitar, recorder, flute, and bagpipes flow peacefully over video images of Ireland's lush, green scenery and ancient architecture. It also includes several tracks of Celtic poems and Gaelic prayers read over similar musical backgrounds for an overall peaceful effect.

Libraries Alive, Vol. 50 No. 2 2008

Now for something entirely different. Celtic Hymns is a collection of twenty hymns, many of Irish heritage from familiar well-loved hymns such as, "The King of Love my Shepherd is," "Be Thou my Vision," "Amazing Grace," to the unfamiliar such as "Bi a losa, im chroise," sung in Gaelic. All hymns are beautifully performed by professional musicians with sing-a-long lyric subtitles as an option. Footage from scenic Ireland and its coastal Islands along with a scripture verse, accompany the hymns. A PDF of the song lyrics is available. The second disc is a CD of the twenty songs performed on the DVD. Obviously, this is not a necessity for any church library. However, if you have a strong music program and/or music collection for circulation, this would be a perfect addition. Who wouldn't enjoy a color picture travelogue of Ireland with lovely music?

Celtic Hymns Song Lyrics