A’ Siubhal Teann ris an Dùthchas	Travelling Close to the Heritage
"Colla Mo Rùn" le Mairead Stiùbhart is Ailean Dòmhnallach; Greentrax Recordings, Gàidhlig, £12.99 CD lèirmheas le Jennifer Marshall ri fhaighinn aig www.musicscotland.com	"Colla Mo Rùn" by Margaret Stewart and Allan Mac-Donald; Greentrax Recordings, Gaelic, £12.99 CD review by Jennifer Marshall available at www.musicscotland.com
'S e seo an dàrna clàr aig Mairead Stiùbhart agus Ailean Dòmhnallach, agus tha e a’ dearbhadh gu bheil an dithis aca àraidh air a’ chliù a choisinn iad leis a’ chiad fhear a rinn iad. Tha an aon measgachadh de dh’òrain Ghàidhlig agus ceòl na pìoba air a’ chlàr seo sa bh’ air a’ chiad chlàr, ach tha guth Ailein Dhòmhnallaich a’ cur doimhneachd agus caochladh nach robh ann roimhe ris an fhuaim.	This is the second Album by Margaret Stewart and Allan MacDonald, and it proves that they are worthy of the reputation they gained with the first recording they made. This album contains the same mixture of Gaelic song and pipe music as the first, but the addition of Allan MacDonald’s voice gives the overall sound an extra depth and variety.
Tha sgioba luchd ciùil ainmeil a’ cumail taic ri cuid òrain, agus abair nach biodh deagh chuirm chiùil ann le Iain Dòmhnallach, Iain MacPhàrlain, Ailean MacEanraig, Ingrid NicEanraig, James Mac an Tòisich, Malcolm Stitt agus Rona Lightfoot air an ùrlar còmhla ris an dithis eile.	A team of well-known musicians accompany many of the tracks and a line up of Iain MacDonald, Iain MacFarlane, Allan Henderson, Ingrid Henderson, James MacIntosh, Malcolm Stitt and Rona Lightfoot would certainly make for a good concert.
Bidh an clàr a tòiseachadh mar a h-uile deagh chèilidh le sreath phuirt air a’ phìob mhòir. ’S e The Flagon an t-ainm a th’ air an t-sreath, agus ’s e sreath beothail de ruidhlichean traidiseanta a th’ ann a chuireadh gach cas gu dannsa.	The recording starts like every good cèilidh with a set of tunes on the Highland pipes. The Flagon is a lively set of traditional reels which should set every foot dancing.
’S e guth binn dha-rìribh a th’ aig Mairead Stiùbhart, agus tha i a’ sealltainn cho iol-chomasach ’s a tha i le taghadh òrain bho leithid Seann Duine Cha Ghabh Mi Idir, òran aotrom, spòrsail, gu Òran Fir Ghlinne Cuaich, seann òran a tha a’ moladh fear de Chloinn MhicRath à Gleann Cuaich.	Margaret Stewart possess an exceptionally clear voice, and she demonstrates her versatility with a selection of songs which range from the likes of Seann Duine Cha Ghabh Mi Idir, a light, fun song, to Òran Fir Ghlinne Cuaich, an old song in praise of a Macrae from Glen Cuaich.
Tha tòrr fuinn ùra a rinn an Dòmhnallach fhèin air a’ chlàr, agus is cinnteach gum bi luchd èisteachd eòlach air cuid dhiubh a chaidh a sgrìobhadh airson prògraman Gàidhlig mar Aig Baile agus Na h-Eilthirich	The album contains many new tunes composed by Macdonald, and listeners will recognise quite a few from Gaelic television programmes such as Aig Baile and Na h-Eilthirich.
Ann an Tha Sìor Chòineadh am Beinn Dòbhrain, far am bi an Dòmhnallach a’ cumail taic ris an t-seinn aige fhèin leis a’ phìob bhig, tha fìor sheann òran air ’ath-nuadhachadh ann an dòigh cho-mhothachail gun ach fidheall, a tha toirt faireachdainn an àite gu math dlùth dhan luchd èisteachd.	In Tha Sìor Chòineadh am Beinn Dòbhrain, where Macdonald accompanies himself on the small pipes, an exceptionally old song is sympathetically renewed, with only a fiddle to bring the feeling of the place to the audience.
Nam bheachd-sa ’s e Colla Mo Rùn, far am bi Stiùbhart a’ seinn leis a’ cheòl mhòr The Piper’s Warning to his Master, am pìos as fheàrr air a’ chlàr. Tha e doirbh a chreidsinn nach do thòisich seinneadairean is pìobairean ag obair còmhla mar seo o chionn fhada.	In my opinion Colla Mo Rùn, where Stewart sings alongside the pìobaireachd The Pipers Warning to his Master, is the best track on the album. It is difficult to believe that pipers and singers did not begin to collaborate like this long ago.
Tha na notaichean a tha còmhla ri gach sreath phuirt no òran ag innseadh dhuinn beagan mu eachdraidh gach pìos, sean no ùr, agus tha e math faicinn gu bheil na notaichean Gàidhlig a’ seasamh nan aonar, is gu bheil barrachd annta na th’ anns na notaichean Beurla!	The notes which accompany each set of tunes or song tell us about the background to each track, old or new, and it is good to see that the Gaelic notes stand alone and contain more information than the English notes!
Tha an clàr seo a’ sealltainn nach fheum seinneadairean agus luchd ciùil siubhal fada bhon dùthchas aca gus clàraichean taitneach, tarraingeach a dhèanamh. Tha tòrr rudan ùra air a’ chlàr seo, ach chan eil iad idir a’ toirt air falbh bho bhuaidh nan òran agus nam fonn traidiseanta. Tha an CD seo a’ dearbhadh carson a tha ceòl na Gaidhealtachd cho math ri ceòl sam bi eile san t-saoghal.	This album illustrates that singers and musicians need not travel far from their heritage to make pleasing, appealing recordings. There are many new aspects to this album, but they do not detract from the impact of the traditional songs and tunes. The album is proof of why Highland music is as good as any music in the world.

You can find more articles in the archive under Gaelic Column and information on the organization at C.L.I.