# The best Celtic instrumental music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594 "2003-05-26T16:52:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/1 "2003-05-26T16:52:22Z")
Can anyone recommend a few good CDs of Celtic instrumental music? I’m thinking of the type with fiddles, that people would have danced to. Nothing with vocals, please, and nothing New Agey. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![johncole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f9b8f/32.png) [@johncole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johncole)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/2 "2003-05-26T21:27:59Z")
If you like Shetland Fiddlers, try this [link](http://users.argonet.co.uk/users/gatherer/perf/fiddlers/shetl.html) ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_On\_My\_Sleeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/77aa72/32.png) [@Heart\_On\_My\_Sleeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_On_My_Sleeve)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/3 "2003-05-27T00:57:04Z")
I don’t know if this is really Celtic, but The Cheiftans may give you what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/4 "2003-05-27T01:14:57Z")
I was always more partial to the Whistlebinkies than the Chietains ( a little more grit ), but you have to like bagpipes and their albums always include a few vocal pieces ( though usually the majority is instrumental ). - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/5 "2003-05-27T01:16:31Z")
That is the Whistlebinkies have a little more grit than the Chieftains, who are sometimes a little too smooth for my taste. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/6 "2003-05-27T01:44:16Z")
I love the Chieftains. There are always those CDs at Target and such which have all-instrumental stuff. But there are really good bands (such as the Chieftains) who do things like reels along with their vocal selections. Others: Patrick Street Silly Wizard Ashley McIsaac (from Nova Scotia, can really work that fiddle, can have a harder edge) Afro Celt Sound System Capercaillie Altan Milladoro (Celtic music from Spain) ---
**Author:** ![Aitara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aitara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aitara)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/7 "2003-05-27T04:26:37Z")
In addition to those already listens, I would add, in no particular order: Kevin Burke Johnny Cunningham Celtic Fiddle Festival- Comprised of Kevin Burke, Johnny Cunningham & Christian LeMaitre, 3 of the most renowned fiddlers today. Kornog- Celtic music from Brittany Tannahill Weavers Martin Hayes Cherish the Ladies Liz Carroll The Bothy Band Eileen Ivers Battlefield Band I have found some outstanding artists on [MP3.com](http://MP3.com), some of my favourite are: [Clandestine](http://www.mp3.com/clandestine) [Crannog](http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/159/crannog.html) [Lothlorien](http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/99/lothlorien.html) Finally, I would encourage you to check out [Green Linnet](http://www.greenlinnet.com/). They have a wide variety of celtic music. What is really nice is that you can listen to a number of their offerings, plus they are very good to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/8 "2003-05-27T06:14:11Z")
I second checking out _Green Linnet_, it is a wonderful source for music. I recommend Planxty (esp. _The Well Below the Valley_, and, if you can find them, The Boys of the Lough, (esp. _The Piper’s Little Finger_). Both are recordings of primarily traditional tunes–lots of jigs, lots of fiddles, harps and pipes, some singing–mostly in Gaelic. Both provide lots of music suitable for dancing. ---
**Author:** ![rmbnxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@rmbnxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rmbnxs)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/9 "2003-05-27T06:14:19Z")
The heavyweights from decades past are Bothy Band and Planxty. The current heavies are Altan and Solas. I also recommend Kevin Burke (an ex-Bothy)–perhaps the finest celtic fiddle-player ever. This is where one should start, IMHO. P. S. You’re just going to have to ignore the tracks with vocals (if you must). ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/10 "2003-05-27T11:47:42Z")
I don’t need to ignore the vocal tracks. If they sound authentically Celtic and aren’t New Agey, I could probably get into them. Thanks for all the tips; I will be checking some of them out ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/11 "2003-05-27T14:22:06Z")
I’m still a big fan of Silly Wizard. They have a fair number of vocal pieces, but if it’s Andy Stewart singing, that’s all right with me! Definitely not New Age-y. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/12 "2003-05-27T14:59:47Z")
Capercaille from Scotland are (were) very good. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-celtic-instrumental-music/177594/13 "2003-05-27T23:04:36Z")
Alan Stivell from Brittany, from the 1960s onwards. Modern, but I wouldn’t listen to him if I thought it was new age music.