The Visit (Remastered) Loreena McKennitt

• 1 All Souls Night (2004 Remaster HD) 05:10
• 2 Bonny Portmore (2004 Remaster HD) 04:25
• 3 Between the Shadows (2004 Remaster HD) 03:45
• 4 The Lady of Shalott (2004 Remaster HD) 11:38
• 5 Greensleeves (2004 Remaster HD) 04:28
• 6 Tango to Evora (2004 Remaster HD) 04:15
• 7 Courtyard Lullaby (2004 Remaster HD) 04:56
• 8 The Old Ways (2004 Remaster HD) 05:52
• 9 Cymbeline (2004 Remaster HD) 05:04
• Total Runtime 49:33

Info for The Visit (Remastered)

An award-winning exploration of Celtic and folk influences, recast in an adventurous and contemporary light and featuring evocative lyrics by Tennyson, Shakespeare, Henry VIII and the artist herself.

The original album was recorded in 1991 and achieved the sale of over 2 million copies in more than 40 countries and was the turning point in the career of the Canadian singer/songwriter.

“Thirty years is a long time, no matter how you measure it,” McKennitt recalls.” Looking at it now as if through a picture frame, you can better see the period in which this all took place. I’ve heard from so many people that this record was the soundtrack of their lives when it was released in the early ’90s.” “In addition, we managed to include, in one way or another, the contributors who were very supportive at the time and also contributed to the album with their creativity like Jeri Heiden with the graphics, Tollington for his words and our original engineer Jeff Wolpert.”

Dave Tollington writes: “My time with Loreena has been a glorious journey through the world of art, geography, but also business at the height of her success and none of us thought this at the beginning or harbored expectations in this form. So much nourishing water that has flowed under the bridge – both personally and professionally.”

Broadening her focus toward a more eclectic range of Celtic-related subjects, and following her attendance at an international exhibition of Celtic artefacts in Venice, Loreena’s writing in her fourth album, The Visit, takes on the form of musical historical travel writing.

A multimillion-selling success around the world, this 1991 recording recasts Loreena’s early influences in an inventive and contemporary light. Its nine self-produced tracks range from a haunting version of “Greensleeves” sung “as I imagine Tom Waits might have done it” and a stirring instrumental “Tango To Evora” to the heartrending traditional balladry and proto-environmentalism of “Bonny Portmore” and, finally, one of Loreena’s best-loved creations, a gorgeously melodic setting of Tennyson’s epic Arthurian poem “The Lady Of Shalott”.

“The Celts knew, as we are re-learning now, the importance of a deep respect for all the life around them,” Loreena concludes. “This recording aspires to be nothing so much as a reflection into the weave of these things.”

“I have long considered the creative impulse to be a visit – a thing of grace, perhaps, not commanded or owned so much as awaited, prepared for. A thing, also, of mystery. This recording endeavours to explore some of that mystery.

It looks as well into the earlier eastern influences of the Celts and the likelihood that they started from as far away as Eastern Europe before being driven to the western margins of Europe, particularly in the British Isles. With their musical influences came rituals around birth and death which treated the land as holy and haunted; this life itself as a visit. Afterwards, one’s soul might move to another plane, or another form – perhaps a tree. The Celts knew then, as we are re-learning now, a deep respect for all the life around them. This recording aspires to be nothing as much as a reflection into the weave of these things.(Loreena McKennitt)

Loreena McKennitt, synthesizer, piano, harp, accordion, bodhran, vocals, arranger, producer, adaptation
Anne Bourne, cello
Al Cross, drums
Tom Hazlett, bass
Brian Hughes, balalaika, electric & acoustic guitar, assistant engineer, assistant producer
Patrick Hutchinson, uilleann pipes
George Koller, bass, cello, mad fiddle, tamboura, sitar
Rick Lazar, percussion, udu drum
Hugh Marsh, fiddle

Digitally remastered

Loreena McKennitt
is well known as a composer and singer. In a recording career spanning more than three decades, Ms. McKennitt’s ‘eclectic Celtic’ music has received critical acclaim world-wide, and gold, platinum and multi-platinum sales awards in 15 countries across four continents. To date, she has sold over 14 million albums with a catalogue that includes seven studio recordings, three seasonal recordings, a live in-concert DVD and two DVD documentaries. She’s won two Junos, Canada’s premiere music award, and has performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Less well known is the fact that Ms. McKennitt is a highly successful businesswoman who has created an independent record label with celebrated international success.

Born in Morden, Manitoba, Canada, she moved to Stratford, Ontario in 1981, where she initially worked with Canada’s renowned Stratford Festival. In 1985 she established her own record label, Quinlan Road, a move which has made her a rarity in the music industry.

In the early years, Ms. McKennitt ran the operation from her kitchen table, selling her recordings by mail order and producing her own concert tours. Today, she leads her own company with responsibilities that include everything from creating strategic business plans to overseeing marketing and promotion.

Ms. McKennitt’s business acumen is also applied to the three charitable foundations she established. Her Three Oaks Foundation provides financial support to cultural, environmental, historical and social groups.

The Cook-Rees Memorial Fund for Water Search and Safety, founded in 1998, has raised more than $4 million in support of water safety education, as well as search, rescue and recovery operations.

In 2000, Ms. McKennitt purchased a recently-closed public school in Stratford and transformed it into the Falstaff Family Centre. Responding to concerns identified by the local community, the Centre focuses on the needs of families and children in Perth County, Ontario, which is where she resides.

Ms. McKennitt’s passion for business is matched by her passion for human rights. In 2006 and 2007 she was involved in a landmark human rights privacy case in Britain, where the courts ruled in her favour. The judgment, which was upheld by the House of Lords, has helped to advance privacy law around the world.

Ms. McKennitt is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba. In 2002 and 2012 she was the recipient of Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals and in 2013 she was appointed to the rank of Knight of the National Order of Arts and Letters by the Republic of France.

From 2006 to 2013 Ms. McKennitt held the position of Honorary Colonel of the 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron in the Royal Canadian Air Force and upon completion of the appointment was awarded the RCAF Commander’s Commendationin recognition of outstanding professionalism and dedication.

She also holds honourary degrees from the University of Manitoba (Winnipeg), Sir Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo), Queen’s University (Kingston) and George Brown College (Toronto).

Booklet for The Visit (Remastered)