Scottish Music -- Celtic

Celtic Music

Often a fusion of different "Celtic" styles (Irish, Scottish, English, Spanish, Middle Eastern), this genre is more a modern interpretation of what is thought to be Celtic. Often has a dreamlike, mystical quality. It is more New Age than historical.

Braveheart soundtrack

The Mel Gibson film soundtrack by James Horner helped popularize the Celtic music scene.Below is the film's main theme. You will hear this a LOT in shops in Edinburgh.

Outlander soundtrack
Based on the popular series of novels by Diana Gibaldon about a time traveling 20th Century woman trapped in 18th Century Highlands, the STARZ TV show has become a major hit. Filmed entirely in Scotland, it's soundtrack has also become a hit. Here is the opening theme, "The Skye Boat Song." (NOTE -- we will be visiting Doune Castle, the main setting for the show).

Julie Fowlis

From the Outer Hebrides (islands on the outer edges of Scotland), Fowlis performs mostly in Gaelic. An exception to this is the song below, her biggest hit which was the title song from Pixar's Brave.

Celtic Women

This all-female ensemble evolved out of the popular Riverdance phenomenon. Like a lot of modern Celtic music, it is a blending of Scottish and Irish traditions. This is their most famous song, "You Raise Me Up".

Enya

Although born in County Donegal, Ireland, Enya led the Celtic revival on the 1980s, and is still quite popular today. Her first hit in the US was the 1989 hit, "Orinoco Flow". Below is her hit, "The Celts" from a TV show of that name.

Peatbog Faeries

A Celtic fusion band from the Isle of Skye. Mixes traditional music with modern club dance music.

Loreena McKinnett

A Scottish-Canadian, McKinnett mixes Scottish, Irish, Middle Eastern and other traditions together to form a unique sound. In the 1990s, she had a big hit with "The Mummers Dance" (see Christmas pot). Below is a song called "Standing Stones."