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Friday, May 2, 2014

Review of Peter Hollen’s “The Parting Glass”



           


Theoretical physicists are fond of debating whether or not time travel is possible, but I already know it is. So does Peter Hollens. Music has the power to transport us to a different time in place, even if we have never been there before. Hollens helps us journey a few hundred years back to the Scottish highlands, or perhaps a crowded pub on the outskirts of Dublin, back before there was even a railway between Blackrock and Kingston. He does so with his song choice.

Peter is one of the most particular artists when it comes to covering a song, but if you are going to put together a folk album like he is, this one is a no brainer. The Parting Glass is a traditional Scottish and Irish folk song that predates Robert Burns and “Auld Lang Syne.” It was first distributed a broadside, or music and lyrics printed on one side of a single, cheap, sheet of music. Early renditions of the song predate even the height of broadside popularity, with the lyrics found in letters as old as 1605. Imagine a time before radio. The only way to hear music was to listen to it live or make it yourself. The Parting Glass is a commoner’s song, not born of nobility of court composer.  Its author is up for debate, but its roots exemplify what I think Peter Hollen’s is all about as a representative of Independent music.

There was no commercial force behind the Parting Glass. It never received a gold, platinum or triple platinum rating, and it never needed a club remix. It never even had a big name behind it. The song quite literally has a life of its own, and Hollens gives it new life again in his own style. The song has been covered by folk legends like Celtic Woman and Wailin’ Jennys. Recently it was also featured at the dramatic conclusion of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag.

Peter returns to the song to its roots with a single acapella voice. The silence surrounding the song’s introduction captures the bittersweet mood of the song perfectly. Peter adds voices (different versions of his own) as the song progresses to its crescendo, and even includes some traditional Scottish Style accompaniment. This accompaniment departs as the song winds down, and the listener is left to contemplate what the song means to them. Perhaps there are friends that need to be reached out to. Perhaps there are loved ones who have gone on from this world. Perhaps it’s time to say goodbye to one of life’s chapters and begin a new one. Whatever the song means to you personally, Peter Hollen’s rendition will give weight to it. Check out his video now on youtube or loudr to travel back in time with “The Parting Glass,” and find yourself immersed in an example of what music is all about.



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