I recently discovered the Orthodox Celts on youtube. They're not exactly traditional but they're pretty good musicians. I want to pick up one of their CDs but I can't find them for sale anywhere.
They were all Orthodox before the Great Schism of 1053 (except for sundry Donatists, Nestorians, Arians et cetera). Or if not Orthodox, all the same thing, anyway.
i thought it was a joke too but they're a serbian band that plays traditional irish music. they're music is very well done and the singers deep serbian accent adds an interesting twist to the traditional style. just search youtube for orthodox celts
Do they think that deep down they are the real Celts? I remember on the back of Potts / Moloney's "Tin Whistles" record it had something about the Celts originating round Belgrade.
pavlf, i have an interest in them because i enjoy their music. i'm not trying to pass them off as irish traditional, but i do enjoy odd and unique twists now and then.
well, that's fair enough mr haud (or am i addressing dylan moran? ). I'm not entirely sure sure how odd or unique they are though. They strike me as rather conventional and derivative, the only odd and unique things seem to be their geographical location and cultural background.
But ... well, if that's what you like go ahead. It just seems strange, given the wealth of other material available, that anyone would settle for this - unless, like I say, you are in serbia (in which case I would also wonder why you weren't listening to the wealth of amazing serbian material available).
Pavif - there's no explaining why this music hits people they way it does - I've played this music in some sessions where there isn't a "Mac" or an "O" last name in the room. One of the best flute players in our town is a guy who was born in Germany. Furthermore, he tells me that Japan has some great sessions when he visits on business. I checked out this band's video - it seems as common a version of "Star" as any I've heard - Serbian, Irish or otherwise. (And the girl fiddle player was a cutie-pie!)
I've got a couple of their CDs (before I get drummed off the board for ever, I should point out that I bought them on spec at a car boot at the Cropredy Festival a few years ago before I'd ever heard of the band). If you have no joy sourcing them, drop me a line and we can work something out.
I wouldn't say it's terrible - I've heard far worse both in local pubs and on commercial recordings - but they're definately an acquired taste. Not sure some of the lyrics are quite correct, though.
Eno
Yes, I know it is entirely possible for someone from Timbuktu to be great at ITM. I'd never argue otherwise. I'm not a fascist. I've heard amazing players from all over this planet. My point is that these people are NOT great. The only interesting thing about them is that they are from Serbia. Unless the fiddle player happens to be having a pint next to me in the pub I don't care what she looks like!
haha fair play pavlf, eno, i'd love to get ahold of some of their cds, no luck so far. I'm off to do fun college transfer sh*te but i'll drop that line when I'm back, cheers
Hey, I'm Orthodox Celts' fan from Serbia. I don't actually know any Irish band playing Irish folk music, so I cannot say if Orthodox Celts are better or worse than them, but I can only assume that they can't be more Irish than Irish themselves (answer to one of your questions no, they dont think they are Celts)
They are really one of the most popular bands in Serbia, and considering that they are playing unusual kind of music (for this part of the world anyway) their archievement is just amazing... I see people buying books about Celtic myths and legends, wearing Celtic FC jersey and so on...
@ author of the discussion:
You can buy their newest album over here: http://www.yu4you.com/items/en/cd/item_3641.html , but I dont like it very much, their best albums are "Green Roses" and "The Celts Strike Again".
On their official site you can watch some of their videos, but they are really low-quality.
Does anyone know if these guys are actually Orthodox Christian? Judging from the fact that they ARE serbian and it's in their name, I would imagine so, but I was just curious... : )
HighlandLassie - What the band thinks is anyone's guess, but Serbia is Orthodox, or mainly so. The Christianity of the Serbs originally came, as far as I know, from the Greek Byzantine Empire, then ruling the Eastern Mediterranean.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, when Christianity was establishing itself as a cultural force in Britain and Ireland, there seems to have been a lot of trade between here and the Byzantine lands; for example icons might have inspired figure-paintings in the manuscripts, Coptic textiles (Egypt) might have inspired Celtic interlace, and so on.
The rise of Islam in c7 made the Mediterranean dangerous and took territory from the Byzantines, so the sea trade seems to have fizzled out. In the c11 there was the Great Schism between the Orthodox and the Catholics, resulting in long-term alienation and antagonism between the two blocs (which church leaders have been trying to end).
So for a shortish but significant time, the British and Irish peoples were communicating, if not directly with the Serbs or Slavs, at any rate with the Byzantine civilisation that influenced their culture.
I worked years ago on an archaeological dig in Shetland. It was a croft or barn building that turned out to have been, previously, a minor noble's house. Down below that, two suspected graves were reported (the traces were faint). As this was evidently a pretty early layer, people searched quite hard for whatever else there might be. A minute fragment of gold leaf turned up, and a chip of some ornamental stone - I forget what sort - that had to have come from Egypt! The verdict was that this was the site of a chapel from the Pictish period preceding the coming of the Vikings to Shetland. So your Eastern Mediterranean goods got all the way to Shetland...
Hey lads
Or at least all of you who think Serbs can't be Celts...her'es some info for you -
You think you have to be Irish, Scottish etc to be Celtic?
You're wrong!
I've just spent a year doing Celtic Studies at degree level, I thought the same as you, but my fairytale was blown apart!
The birthplace of the Celtic peoples was Austria/Germany, an area known as the Haalstaad, and Ireland was one of the last places for Celtic life to arrive. In fact the chances are it may have went to serbia before it arrived here. After all, serbia is mainland Europe, and aeroplanes didn't exist back then!
The Celts actually lived in areas of Southern Europe stretching the whole way across to Turkey at various stages, and they took on both the Greek and Roman civilisations. So they were pretty damn cool!
As for the Orthodox Celts...they are brilliant and you should be proud that Irish music is so well known that it is even respected 1000 miles away in a country that is not even in the EU.
Be proud and enjoy the music of the Orthodox Celts cos they're absolutely brilliant..
Orthodox Celts
Orthodox Celts
I recently discovered the Orthodox Celts on youtube. They're not exactly traditional but they're pretty good musicians. I want to pick up one of their CDs but I can't find them for sale anywhere.
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by Aodh Rúadh
Re: Orthodox Celts
Orthodox? Celts? I would take it as a joke.
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by slainte
Re: Orthodox Celts
They were all Orthodox before the Great Schism of 1053 (except for sundry Donatists, Nestorians, Arians et cetera). Or if not Orthodox, all the same thing, anyway.
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by nicholas
Re: Orthodox Celts
Pints of guinness, The Edge playing bass, Scottish football club badges, and Tim Pat Coogan.
What can I say.
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Orthodox Celts
i thought it was a joke too but they're a serbian band that plays traditional irish music. they're music is very well done and the singers deep serbian accent adds an interesting twist to the traditional style. just search youtube for orthodox celts
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by Aodh Rúadh
Re: Orthodox Celts
Do they think that deep down they are the real Celts? I remember on the back of Potts / Moloney's "Tin Whistles" record it had something about the Celts originating round Belgrade.
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by nicholas
Re: Orthodox Celts
ive seen the video of them doing star of the countuy down. very good going. the accent is suprisingly suited to the song.
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by Kevo32A
Re: Orthodox Celts
I don't get why anyone outside of serbia purporting to have an interest in irish music would have even a vague interest in this band. Why?
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by pavlf
Re: Orthodox Celts
They are a folk group, as loosely defined in Belfast, and they could make a fortune in Belfast. Every venue would have them.
We do that type of stuff on Paddy's night, and this group would be very popular, in Norn Ireland anyway.
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Orthodox Celts
Who knows, they might win Eurovision with ITM.
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by nicholas
Re: Orthodox Celts
pavlf, i have an interest in them because i enjoy their music. i'm not trying to pass them off as irish traditional, but i do enjoy odd and unique twists now and then.
# Posted on August 2nd 2007 by Aodh Rúadh
Re: Orthodox Celts
well, that's fair enough mr haud (or am i addressing dylan moran?
). I'm not entirely sure sure how odd or unique they are though. They strike me as rather conventional and derivative, the only odd and unique things seem to be their geographical location and cultural background.
But ... well, if that's what you like go ahead. It just seems strange, given the wealth of other material available, that anyone would settle for this - unless, like I say, you are in serbia (in which case I would also wonder why you weren't listening to the wealth of amazing serbian material available).
# Posted on August 2nd 2007 by pavlf
Re: Orthodox Celts
Pavif - there's no explaining why this music hits people they way it does - I've played this music in some sessions where there isn't a "Mac" or an "O" last name in the room. One of the best flute players in our town is a guy who was born in Germany. Furthermore, he tells me that Japan has some great sessions when he visits on business. I checked out this band's video - it seems as common a version of "Star" as any I've heard - Serbian, Irish or otherwise. (And the girl fiddle player was a cutie-pie!)
# Posted on August 2nd 2007 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: Orthodox Celts
Weesht!
I've got a couple of their CDs (before I get drummed off the board for ever, I should point out that I bought them on spec at a car boot at the Cropredy Festival a few years ago before I'd ever heard of the band). If you have no joy sourcing them, drop me a line and we can work something out.
I wouldn't say it's terrible - I've heard far worse both in local pubs and on commercial recordings - but they're definately an acquired taste. Not sure some of the lyrics are quite correct, though.
Eno
# Posted on August 2nd 2007 by bc_box_player
Re: Orthodox Celts
Yes, I know it is entirely possible for someone from Timbuktu to be great at ITM. I'd never argue otherwise. I'm not a fascist. I've heard amazing players from all over this planet. My point is that these people are NOT great. The only interesting thing about them is that they are from Serbia. Unless the fiddle player happens to be having a pint next to me in the pub I don't care what she looks like!
# Posted on August 2nd 2007 by pavlf
Re: Orthodox Celts
haha fair play pavlf, eno, i'd love to get ahold of some of their cds, no luck so far. I'm off to do fun college transfer sh*te but i'll drop that line when I'm back, cheers
# Posted on August 2nd 2007 by Aodh Rúadh
Re: Orthodox Celts
Apologies Pavif - I misunderstood you the first time - you make a good point.
# Posted on August 2nd 2007 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: Orthodox Celts
Hey, I'm Orthodox Celts' fan from Serbia. I don't actually know any Irish band playing Irish folk music, so I cannot say if Orthodox Celts are better or worse than them, but I can only assume that they can't be more Irish than Irish themselves (answer to one of your questions no, they dont think they are Celts)
They are really one of the most popular bands in Serbia, and considering that they are playing unusual kind of music (for this part of the world anyway) their archievement is just amazing... I see people buying books about Celtic myths and legends, wearing Celtic FC jersey and so on...
@ author of the discussion:
You can buy their newest album over here: http://www.yu4you.com/items/en/cd/item_3641.html , but I dont like it very much, their best albums are "Green Roses" and "The Celts Strike Again".
On their official site you can watch some of their videos, but they are really low-quality.
P.S.
Sorry for my bad English to all of you.
# Posted on September 11th 2007 by football_addict
Re: Orthodox Celts
Does anyone know if these guys are actually Orthodox Christian? Judging from the fact that they ARE serbian and it's in their name, I would imagine so, but I was just curious... : )
# Posted on September 21st 2008 by Celtic.ceilidh
Re: Orthodox Celts
HighlandLassie - What the band thinks is anyone's guess, but Serbia is Orthodox, or mainly so. The Christianity of the Serbs originally came, as far as I know, from the Greek Byzantine Empire, then ruling the Eastern Mediterranean.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, when Christianity was establishing itself as a cultural force in Britain and Ireland, there seems to have been a lot of trade between here and the Byzantine lands; for example icons might have inspired figure-paintings in the manuscripts, Coptic textiles (Egypt) might have inspired Celtic interlace, and so on.
The rise of Islam in c7 made the Mediterranean dangerous and took territory from the Byzantines, so the sea trade seems to have fizzled out. In the c11 there was the Great Schism between the Orthodox and the Catholics, resulting in long-term alienation and antagonism between the two blocs (which church leaders have been trying to end).
So for a shortish but significant time, the British and Irish peoples were communicating, if not directly with the Serbs or Slavs, at any rate with the Byzantine civilisation that influenced their culture.
I worked years ago on an archaeological dig in Shetland. It was a croft or barn building that turned out to have been, previously, a minor noble's house. Down below that, two suspected graves were reported (the traces were faint). As this was evidently a pretty early layer, people searched quite hard for whatever else there might be. A minute fragment of gold leaf turned up, and a chip of some ornamental stone - I forget what sort - that had to have come from Egypt! The verdict was that this was the site of a chapel from the Pictish period preceding the coming of the Vikings to Shetland. So your Eastern Mediterranean goods got all the way to Shetland...
# Posted on September 22nd 2008 by nicholas
Re: Orthodox Celts
Hey lads
Or at least all of you who think Serbs can't be Celts...her'es some info for you -
You think you have to be Irish, Scottish etc to be Celtic?
You're wrong!
I've just spent a year doing Celtic Studies at degree level, I thought the same as you, but my fairytale was blown apart!
The birthplace of the Celtic peoples was Austria/Germany, an area known as the Haalstaad, and Ireland was one of the last places for Celtic life to arrive. In fact the chances are it may have went to serbia before it arrived here. After all, serbia is mainland Europe, and aeroplanes didn't exist back then!
The Celts actually lived in areas of Southern Europe stretching the whole way across to Turkey at various stages, and they took on both the Greek and Roman civilisations. So they were pretty damn cool!
As for the Orthodox Celts...they are brilliant and you should be proud that Irish music is so well known that it is even respected 1000 miles away in a country that is not even in the EU.
Be proud and enjoy the music of the Orthodox Celts cos they're absolutely brilliant..
# Posted on September 18th 2009 by mary murphy