The Poet & The Piper

For those who somehow missed the opportunity to hear Seamus Heaney and Liam O’Flynn’s duo act live at the Gate Theatre or the National Concert Hall – or who were there and want to be reminded of the experience – Claddagh Records have brought out this generous hour-long CD. Not surprisingly, something is lost in the translation from live performance to disc. A fair part of the magic of those landmark shows was due to the magnificently authoritative stage presence of both artists; also missing is the unspoken interplay between the two, the pleasure to be had in watching the infinitesimal gestures and fleeting facial expressions of the one listening to the other. Nonetheless, it’s a wondrous thing to hear the counterpoint of words and music spun by two masters of their craft.