Moya and Orchestral Music

[nessieq]

heya folks. the new Aurthur sountrack has made me consider this matter really seriously, and i know i've mentioned it in other parts of the forum, but i thought i'd start a new thread to seee what you guys think.

my question is this : what doe you think of moya's orchetral work? do you think her voce blends with the sound well? do you think she should do more work with orchestras?

thanks in advance for any responses i get.
nessieq.

[Phantas]

although I didn't vote, and ahven't heard the Arthur soundtrack...I still say "yes", as I'd love to hear something from HER hand (instead of someone else) with an orchestra backing her up. I think I heard it once before...not sure where...have a song somewhere if I'm not mistaken...must search it up sometime.

Anyway, I'd love to hear something classical of her...but not for a movie. Her voice and songs are great but I don't think she is fit for that kind of stuff (yes, I've heard "Come Josephine" and didn't much like it really). Enya is a whole different story, but Moya's voice isn't that etheric to us as "backing vocal" in orchestral tracks (what I mean is the voice and music don't mix in enough, they stay two seperate entities), but I think her best vocal work would come from songs without any backing, with backing music gradually coming in.

Love,
Phantas

[nessieq]

well, i personally think moya's voice goes really well with orchestral background. "come josephine" was so beautiful it made me cry (although i always had a thing for titanic... and normally cry at the end ) .
i really think moya should do some more of this work! ok, if not for a film, she could do a whole album with the orchestral sound! maybe not even new material, but doing some of her other songs arranged for orchestra. i'd love to see that, i heard "tara" and "harry's Game" performed with an orchestra at the beautiful night concert and i think it brought a whole new depth and beauty to moya's work. i'd love to see some more stuff like this... i wonder would moya ever consider it, i'd love to hear her pinion on the matter, but i know that's a lot to ask.
nessieq.

[cantilena91]

Since King Arthur is not yet arrived to Finland, I don't have the soundtrack as yet, but I think that it's better for Moya's style to use "real" instruments more than electric instruments. Her voice sounds quite ethereal at times and that can be drown out by the orchestra, but if the mixing is done well enough, her music could sound very nice indeed! Due to that there are so many "electric" instruments on TH, that sort of put me off from listening to it as much as other Moya albums. Real instruments are just much better!

Suvi

[wonky_eggs]

Some songs I'm keen on, others I'm not so. But I still feel Moya's voice goes well with the style of music. Some of her rare works such as "No Scenes of Stately Majesty", "Ondine", "Rose of Bethlehem" and "As Tears Go By" (I think they're all orchestral, they're off the top of my head) sound great and are among my fave songs.

One thing Moya might consider doing one day in years to come is doing a Joni Mitchell, and re-visit her back catalogue with an album of orchestral versions of songs.

Barry.

[nessieq]

One thing Moya might consider doing one day in years to come is doing a Joni Mitchell, and re-visit her back catalogue with an album of orchestral versions of songs.
.

i'd like to see that. i think some of her old stuff would be great rochestrated.
nq.

[Phantas]

Some songs I'm keen on, others I'm not so. But I still feel Moya's voice goes well with the style of music. Some of her rare works such as "No Scenes of Stately Majesty", "Ondine", "Rose of Bethlehem" and "As Tears Go By" (I think they're all orchestral, they're off the top of my head) sound great and are among my fave songs.

One thing Moya might consider doing one day in years to come is doing a Joni Mitchell, and re-visit her back catalogue with an album of orchestral versions of songs.

Barry.

Thanks Wonky_Eggs, it was "Rose of Bethlehem" I was talking about!
I really like the way she handled that song.
I think it's also a negative thing that Moya is being "cast" for the same things as her sister Enya, only because she is known more for her ethereal voice with Clannad and some of her solo-tracks. But her voice is much more able to do a wicked song, take for example "Hard to Break the Seal" or "Ageless Messengers"... they're eseentially rock-songs and Moya pulls it off quite well.

Back to topic:
I for one like the way Moya uses both "real" instruments (like violin, uillean pipe etc) and keyboards/synths. It's become her hallmark so to say.

for orchestral music, I think songs like "Rose of Bethlehem" work well and I would love to hear a rendition of her early "Against the Wind" song...it would be marvelous and transcending. I like the way Moya creates these "oumph!" songs if you know what I mean, songs that ahve this physical power in them. In the same, I don't htink they should re-render "To the Water" as that song is so beautiful as it is it can't be done any better

Love,
Phantas

[nessieq]

But her voice is much more able to do a wicked song, take for example "Hard to Break the Seal" or "Ageless Messengers"... they're eseentially rock-songs and Moya pulls it off quite well.

i completely agree with you there, phantas, moya has the power to let it rip when she wants to, and some of those songs should be left the way they are.

I for one like the way Moya uses both "real" instruments (like violin, uillean pipe etc) and keyboards/synths. It's become her hallmark so to say.

i see what you're saying, phantas, but moya's music has come on recently and do you not think that some new instrumentation and arrangements would give the music some new life? i'm not saying moya should convert to using orchestral instruments ALL the time - maybe just a few songs, to see what it's like and if it works, why not do some more? im not saying she should abandon her normal instruments and synth sounds - far from it! i LOVE that stuff, it's what makes moya's music moya's, but just for a change, maybe she should try something different.

I don't htink they should re-render "To the Water" as that song is so beautiful as it is it can't be done any better

i agree here too, there are some songs which are perfect and should be left the way they are, but i still think it would be really interesting to hear some new arrangements.

well, i hope all that worked out, all these quote buttons are confusing, bvt i hope i got my message across and sorry if i rambled a bit...

nessieq.

[Phantas]

Nessieq, your message is clear as glass.

However, i'm one to tend to the side of: This music is perfect, why change it?

I'm not to sure how some songs could be changed with new arrangements...but...

Perhaps a banjo sound could be included? I like this instrument sometimes.
Some panflute would work...although it's an overcommercialized insturment nowadays. Perhaps something with an Inca flavour, like Medwyn Goodall has done.

Well ,an orchestra would work, duh! I would lvoe to hear something like Mary of the Gaels in a violin-heavy version...that would rock!
And what to think of Harpsong, a song that is almost perfect...difficult to change...but maybe it can be done.

Well ,I'm all out of ideas right now...

Love,
Phantas

PS: Nessie, I'm still waiting for that song you promised

[cantilena91]

Here comes a sequel for the question: What Moya song you would like to hear as a pure instrumental, and why? And then, what Moya instrumental you would like to hear as a song and why?

Here is what I think: I would like to hear the song "Pilgrim's Way" (Misty-Eyed Adventures), just because of its flowing nature. On the other hand, my instrumental choice would be at least "Harpsong", I imagine it having pure Gaelic lyrics...

But, what do you think?

(Suvi)

[nessieq]

hey suvi.
ok, i have a rather strange answer to yur question - i'd love to hear either "bright star" or "tara" (both TH tracks) as instrumentals, simply because id love to hear what they'd sound like without all those amazing vocals. i'd love to hear wat other instrumentation#s in there, because the vocals are the main bit, you tend to get preoccupied with them and not apprechiate the rest of the music.
nessieq.

[Lynette]

suvi,
i'd like to hear ageless messenger done as a purely orchestral piece.

[mise]

I love the orchestral pieces, but I love her own instrumentals too. Orchestral pieces do tend to be very powerful thought. Máire has my blessing if she wants to do more of that

[Methica]

I'd love to hear Moya with orchestra live how would that be!!

[nessieq]

I'd love to hear Moya with orchestra live how would that be!!

That's a more common occurance than you might think, methica, i've seen her live with orchestra 3 times now (at least i think it's 3..) I'd also point out that when clannad get together with moya's band it's practically an orchestra anyway I counted 11 people on stage in glasgow!!