This has to be the most perfect and beautiful rendition of The Wexford Carol I have ever heard. Congratulations to all of the assembled and amazing talent in that room. 👏👏👏❤️❤️
Heard this carol for the first time in my life this week (Dec 2022) and I'm nearly 50 years old and have Irish roots on my mother's side.. I don't know why this song is never played anywhere. What a melody from centuries past!
The tune apparently dates to the 12th century, of The Old World, although the lyrics may have been written later, and the Irish-language version was written later still. The composer, author and translator (from the original English to Irish) are unknown.
I sung this as a child, in Enniscorthy (It is the Enniscorthy Carol, and was long before anyone else got on the bandwagon. It sounds like nothing else, not even any other Irish tune (apart from the three repeated tonic notes at the end of each verse). Word has it that a parish priest heard a farmer singing it, and he wrote it down.
This is one of THE most beautiful, most haunting arrangements of any Christmas songs I've ever heard. I would never have thought to put the consort of instruments together to play this song, yet--listen to it: it is magnificent. I love the mysticism, the slightly country/Irish feel to the arrangement. Alison Krauss's voice is perfect for this arrangement. I can think of no singer who could have sung it more exquisitely than she does. What a gift of music into the world for my weary American soul this Christmas of 2020. Phew. I needed that.
Alison Krauss - as mentioned elsewhere, hers is the voice you hear when passing through the gates of heaven. I've never heard the words to this song, I've only played it in my brass quintet, I could not have found a better rendition that this one to hear the words the first time. Wow. No autotune, no over singing just pure natural talent backed by world class musicians playing real music on real instruments. We need MORE of this!
I had not seen this until this Christmas of 2020. It is a soothing balm at the end of a horrific year. Alison Krauss and You-Yo Ma... two of our national treasures.
@@arianebrendaalberskristian5866 it’s not a contest. A lot of people lost their jobs and homes in 2020. 750,000 lost their lives to Covid in America alone and many never got to say goodbye to their loved ones.
This is an ancient Irish carol and has been covered by dozens, if not hundreds of singers over the years, both from Ireland and elsewhere. It is a very distinctively Celtic air, and it is an amazing achievement by Alison Krauss and a tribute to her versatility that this appears to now be the most popular version on Irish radio over the Christmas season. Well done to all involved.
Much of mountain music was from Scotland and Ireland. You can hear similarities in voices from each area, as well as shared songs. Eerie and beautiful!
@@soccerchamp0511 ...and Allison Kraus isn't from the Smoky mountains, or even that region. She did manage to learn the music styles (singing and fiddling) very well, tho.
I guess they got it on the first pass!😊 Many thanks to Allison, Yo Yo Ma, and the other artists for this heavenly carol, and ALL THANKS to GOD for sending the Messiah about Whom the carol was written.🙏🏻☝️❤😊
Well said, many of us share that Ireland/British Isles to Appalachia heritage, and nothing satisfies so completely as the haunting music that immigrated with us. It touches me, that's for sure.
Every song she sings has a poignant autheniticty that bleeds through in the lyrics. When she is paired up with msical masters such as here it's an amazing marriage.
this is real Christmas music. about a supernatural event that changed the world. when I hear this my heart explodes with love for our Lord Jesus and my eyes tear up for this unsaved world. such is the power of music.
Despite having never heard the song before, I found it incredibly moving. Alison Krauss continues to have the voice of an angel and whoever put this project together is inspired. Happy holiday to all!
Yes, Natalie McMaster there too adding a layer to this perfect performance... all of those musicians together. It's so beautiful. I had heard of Alison Krauss but I had not heard her voice until this video... on this Christmas Day in 2022.
I have not felt the Christmas spirit this year. This beautiful song and music and then adding Alison's angelical voice just filled me with Christmas spirit. Thank you to all.
Yep. First Christmas carol I've listened to this year, and I'm already well into Christmas day. Any others that I thought of were a little too merry for me this time. Grateful there's one I finally could ease into Christmas with.
Such a lovely version of our (we Irish) glorious Christmas song! Once again Maestro Yo-Yo Ma demonstrates he is the greatest 20th/21st century cellist!
That is the fine piper from Galicia Spain, Cristina Pato. She has collaborated with Yo-Yo on several occasions. It really fills out the song beautifully
I think this song really gives the chills and emotion it does because it was originally written in a mode and then switches when they start the chorus compared to the verse.
Alison Krause continues to amaze me with her versatility and talent !! Wow ! However Yo-Yo Ma is, has long been and I hope shall be for many years, my MOST favorite instrumentalist. Never have I seen him upstage another artist. Even with his incredible talent, he remains humble, funny, gracious and willing to lend his talent wherever it takes him. I am a number one fan!!!!! Thank you for the music and joy you bring to my life!
A great musician needs to have a great ear for music, and therefore _always_ knows exactly where and how to play his notes. Yo-Yo Ma, Alison Krauss, _et al,_ are great musicians.
Her tone and vibrato are things of legend,her sensitivity to pitch is genius.Yo-Yo Ma is incredible on his instrument,the collaboration is profoundly impeccable.
Her bell clear pure tone, controlled vibrato and that absolutely perfect pitch ugh. Her ability to flawlessly bend notes like a whammy bar is freakish. I first noticed that on her collabs with RP. Amazing vocalist. 🎙️🎼🫠😍
I cannot love this rendition more, no matter how many times I hear and see it. Poetic beauty in every haunting note. Play this as I lie dying, and I shall die at peace...
Best. Best. Best. She has a magical voice and spirit. Yo Yo Ma has been a gift to me, the most un-musical person, all my life. He is a candle of light and love.
Alison and Yo are amazing, but the rest of the musicians are all in and deserve full credit. This is a deep and beautiful magic -- sheet music scattered on the floor, and all.
Allison's folksy vocals take center stage in this and I got chills listening to this song. I would love to hear her do an album of nothing but Celtic folk songs!
Yo Yo Ma, "We'd be so lucky" (to get it on the first pass....) With professionals like Alison Krauss and Yo Yo Ma getting it right the first time was a foregone conclusion! Beautiful work!
Everytime I listen to this hymn, it becomes that much more manifest to express my everlasting humble gratitude as an American of Irish descent for the sublime beauty Alison Krause and Yo Yo Ma have given to it in this particular recording. I'm 68 years old, seen and experienced much, been blessed with a wonderful wife, four adult children and three grandchildren. One would think I might've gotten most of my tears of sentiment out by now; No, never. Because one can never NOT be moved to tears while listening to this recording of an already lovely Irish hymn. While my paternal grandmother, Marie Keane, as a child teenaged child with her sister Bridget, as they left their native town of Belmullet way up in Mayo to head south on a donkey cart towards (then Queenstown, not far from Wexford) to board a ship to take them to the New World. Every time I hear this, I can't help but thinking of them as well as Mary, pondering, ever pondering . . .
Queenstown is now known as Cobh (pronounced Cove) in Cork Harbour - it is a fair distance from Wexford (~100miles) .... major departing point for Irish Emigrants
A more angelic voice cannot be found ... and, once more, Yo-Yo Ma is front & center of a beautiful work of art. I’m wondering who the 500+ clowns with thumbs down are, and what they think would be more incredible 🎼❤️
My love for Alison Krauss began in the early 1990's after hearing her music on the local country and western radio stations around New Orleans. Her voice personified the melancholy soul of Bluegrass for me. It wasn't until years later that I watched her in a music video that my love for her music was solidified. Alison Krauss has an air of a tortured soul that well played out through her music videos with changes in her appearance and her selection of material. I am drawn to listen to the story she sings because I saw the real struggle in her transformation. She appears to be looking for approval from those she sings too to fill the gaps left in her real life. I will always love her music, but I am truly humbled by her grace.
I so badly wanted Yo-Yo Ma to say 'you nailed it' after the song. Pure talent! As a singer I know that this song is not as easy as some might think.. Her vocal artistry was perfect. Oh...and the cello player and other musicians. Wink. Amazing to all!!!!
Never heard this carol before this, never even heard OF it. I feel cheated going this many years of my life without it, and yet so lucky to have stumbled upon it once I became a fan of Alison Krauss. This is exquisite, and is instantly one of my favorite Christmas songs. Her voice is so beautiful and the instrumentation so fascinating.
Beautiful carol. It is almost like a prayer. Alison's voice is amazing. It is as if she is feeling what she is singing. I am so glad this was postes for all to hear. God has certainly blessed you with this voice!
How there can be any negative comments regarding this video is unbelievable. This beautifully performed carol brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. I purchased the album and even have my ALEXA device play THE WEXFORD CAROL whenever I am in the Christmas mood----all year long. Thank you so much Yo-Yo Ma and Allison Krauss for this gorgeous piece of music.
Allison has the most beautiful voice and it was perfect for this song. I wonder if it was written by an Irishman or woman as it definitely sounds Celtic. It has a mysterious, haunted sound to it. This was just perfection!
It is an Irish hymn dating to the 12th century. It has undergone multiple iterations over the centuries. This version is perfection with the Uillean pipes giving it an authentic Celtic sound. The Irish boy choir Libera also does a magnificent version.
Such a haunting, pulsing tune. Yo-Yo Ma's cello, the background to stir the soul and Alison's pure voice all together conger an image of the Nativity with the Virgin Mother and her newborn babe. Hallelujah (Praise the Lord) he has come to save mankind.
Boy! I don’t think I have ever heard a bad note being sung by Allison. The assembly of amazing musicians makes this a perfect song to my old ears. Beautiful!👍👍
What wonderful, joyous combination of talent. Yo-Yo Ma is superb on cello and Allison Krauss has the voice of an angel. In spite of her bluegrass/country background she lends a distinctive Irish flavor to this carol as it should be. Yo0Yo Ma's playing was the perfect background.
