Moya (Máire) Brennan - Whisper to the Wild Water (1999)

“After Perfect Time [the preceding album] I talked to so many people about the uncanny spiritual quality that Irish music has and how it touches the soul in a way that no other music can quite do. Sometimes mournful yet full of hope, it captures sadness at a point where the only place to go is upwards. The spirit of days gone by which took the Irish abroad, to carry hope in the world, lives on.”

Máire Ní Bhraonáin (Moya Brennan)

Máire Ní Bhraonáin, better known as Máire Brennan or Moya Brennan (born August 4, 1952, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland), is a Grammy Award-nominated Celtic folk singer, songwriter and harpist. Brennan grew up as the eldest in a very musical family in the remote parish of Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), in the northwest of Ireland, a place where the Irish language and tradition continues to flourish. She began her singing career when her family formed the band Clannad in 1970. Her sister is Enya.

In total Brennan has recorded 25 albums, and has sold over 20 million records. In film, she was featured vocalist on King Arthur (2004), co-writing the title theme "Tell Me Now (What You See)" with Hans Zimmer and wrote additional music score for To End All Wars (2001). In 1995 she duetted with Shane McGowan with "You're The One" for the movie "Circle of Friends". Brennan has collaborated with many other musicians, including Alan Parsons, Bono, Robert Plant, Van Morrison, Michael McDonald from the Doobie Brothers, Bruce Hornsby, Def Leppard, The Chieftains, Paul Young, Paul Brady, Michael Crawford, Joe Jackson and Ronan Keating.

Brennan and Clannad are credited with the creation of contemporary celtic music and are held in high esteem for their vast contribution to bringing new life to old Irish songs. They have been compared to Seán Ó Riada, in that they brought the Irish language into popular culture through their music. One critic said "Clannad's music offers a terrific fusion between traditional and modern influences". It is Brennan's haunting voice that has left the most lasting legacy, it has become synonymic with Clannad's work and with Irish music in general. Her ethereal vocalization is considered the archetypal sound of Ireland and strains of her style have been acquired in the soundtracks to Titanic and Riverdance. Bono said of her voice, "I think Moya has one of the greatest voices the human ear has ever experienced".

Tracklist:
01. Follow The Word
02. Where I Stand
03. Hard To Break The Seal
04. To The Water
05. Whisper To The Wild Water
06. Peacemaker
07. Ageless Messengers
08. I láthair Dé (In God's Presence)
09. Life
10. Rinne Tú (You Made)
11. Mary Of The Gaels
12. Sign From The Hill
13. Bí Thusa Mo Shúile (Be Thou My Vision)

Total running time: 56:28