RIVERDANCE: MUSIC FROM THE SHOW UD53076

This release accompanies the Riverdance stage presentation, which has now been seen by over three million people across the world. Composed by Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty, and directed by John McColgan, Riverdance The Show highlights the excitement of Irish dance and music and has been captivating audiences all over the globe.

Bill Whelan won a coveted Grammy Award in 1997 for his album, RIVERDANCE - MUSIC FROM THE SHOW (Celtic Heartbeat/Universal Records) which also held the #1 position on the Billboard World Music Chart for over 6 months and is certified double platinum in Ireland and Australia, gold twice in the UK, and gold in Norway, the U.S. and Canada and platinum in the US.

Bill was also named Billboard Magazine's Top World Music Artist for 1996 & 1997 and the RIVERDANCE album was the Top World Music Album for 1997 for the second consecutive year. The soundtrack features 15 of Whelan's compositions, and captures the traditional beauty of Celtic music with new melodies that evoke sounds from Russian, Spanish, Eastern European, and American music.

TRACK LIST

Click track names to listen to 30 sec MP3

1. Reel Around The Sun (8:42)
2. The Heart's Cry (2:26)
3. The Countess Cathleen/Woman Of The Sidhe (5:43)
4. Caoineadh Cu Chulainn (Lament) (4:10)
5. Shivna (3:39)
6. Firedance (6:03)
7. Slip Into The Spring / The Harvest (5:00)
8. Riverdance (5:44)
9. American Wake (The Nova Scotia Set) (3:08)
10. Lift The Wings (3:00)
11. Heal Their Hearts / Freedom (6:26)
12. Macedonian Morning (2:56)
13. Marta's Dance/The Russian Dervish (6:03)
14. Andalucia
15. Riverdance Reprise (4:32)

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

"Largely because of the success of Riverdance, Irish music is impacting the pop music market as never before. It's hard to believe, for example, that the highly popular score for the film Titanic would have emerged as it did without the prior existence of Bill Whelan's remarkable music for Riverdance."
Don Heckman Jazz and World Music critic for The Los Angeles Times

"Riverdance composer Bill Whelan's celebration of Irish song and dance that has thrilled audiences from Dublin to Manhattan, exposes the architecture of Celtic music as well as its finery." Chicago Tribune

"Bill Whelan's music is haunting, evocative..." Daily News

"Whelan's melodic themes are strong and vibrant." St Petersburg Times

"The soul of Riverdance is the music of Bill Whelan, who has imbued the score with with a mystical quality of both ancient melodies and modern harmonies, underscored by myriad ethnically diverse rhythms." Daily Variety

"Riverdance stands on its own as a great musical work beyond its value as the soundtrack to the dance-rich theatrical piece." Billboard Magazine

"This soundtrack from Dublin's hit musical makes traditional Celtic music hip and stylish, blending instruments like the fiddle and the sax into elegant folk compositions." US News & World Report

"Riverdance not only stands up outside the theatrical fourth wall, it represents world music at its finest." Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"With the astonishing critical and commercial success of the Riverdance stage show, for which he wrote all the music and lyrics, there can be little doubt that Whelan has earned the title of High King of Irish Music." Dirty Linen Magazine

"Fabulous, stupendous, electrifying, unique." Irish Voice

"Whelan has assembled a stellar collection of the talents of Irish music and woven several different ethnic strands into a complete work. Ten out of ten." Hot Press