Secret GardenSecret Garden

“Nocturne”

Secret Garden es un grupo de música irlandés-noruego. Se caracteriza por hacer música instrumental, o como algunos le han llamado neo-clásica, con sonidos new age. Está formado por la violinista Irlandesa Fionnuala Sherry y Rolf Løvland, tecladista y compositor Noruego. En 1995 ganaron el Festival de Eurovisión por Noruega con el tema “Nocturno” en Dublín.

Ha sido la primera y la última vez que una pieza principalmente instrumental ha ganado el Festival de Eurovisión. "Nocturno" incluía una parte cantada en noruego, para asegurar la adecuación de la canción a las normas.

Además Rolf Løvland también fue coautor de la canción "La det swinge" que diez años antes había conseguido la victoria de Noruega en el Festival de la Canción de Eurovisión 1985.

Secret Garden is an award-winning Irish - Norwegian duo playing new instrumental music, also sometimes erroneously known as neo-classical music. Secret Garden features the Irish violinist Fionnuala Sherry and the Norwegian composer/pianist Rolf Løvland. The duo has sold over 3 million albums and won the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway's second time in 1995, with the composition “Nocturne”.

It was the first and only time to date that a predominantly instrumental piece has won the Eurovision Song Contest, although a few Norwegian lyrics, written by screenwriter Petter Skavlan, were included to ensure that the entry adhered to the contest's rules.

Ten years earlier, Rolf Løvland also co-wrote the song “La det swinge” (Let it swing) that secured Norway its first Eurovision Song Contest victory in 1985.

Ser los ganadores en Eurovisión, ayudó al éxito de su primer álbum, “Songs from a Secret Garden”.

Vendió un millón de copias en todo el mundo, fue disco de platino en Noruega, doble platino en Hong Kong y Corea, oro en Irlanda y Nueva Zelanda y permaneció 101 semanas en el Billboard New Age Charts de Estados Unidos.

Desde entonces tienen numerosos álbumes en el mercado y han actuado por todo el mundo.

Han estado dos veces nominados para los World Music Awards de Mónaco. Han actuado en los Premios Nobel de la Paz, han sido portada de la revista Rolling Stone, han vendido varios millones de discos y han ocupado los puestos más importantes de las listas de ventas New-Age y Billboard en Estados Unidos, Australia y Nueva Zelanda.

Their success at Eurovision spearheaded the success of their first album “Songs from a Secret Garden”.

It sold a million copies around the world going platinum in Norway and Korea, gold in Ireland, Hong Kong and New Zealand and spending two years in the Billboard New Age charts in 1996 and 1997.

Barbra Streisand adapted "Heartstrings" from this album as the song “I've Dreamed of You” on her A Love Like Ours album. She also used “Heartstrings” in her wedding to James Brolin.

They have been nominated twice for the World Music Awards of Monaco. They were called to perform at the Nobel Prize Ceremony in 1996 and appeared in the cover page of the Rolling Stone Magazine

“Dawn of a New Century”

Rolf Løvland, nació el 19 de abril de 1955, en Kristiansand, es un compositor noruego. Junto con Fionnuala Sherry, formó el grupo new-age “Secret Garden”, del que es compositor, productor y tecladista. Comenzó a componer a una temprana edad formó una banda a la edad de nueve años. Creció estudiando en el Conservatorio de Música de Kristiansand, después de graduarse en el Instituto Superior de Música de Oslo.

Løvland fue un estudiante extranjero de intercambio durante un año de la escuela secundaria. en Shawnee, Oklahoma, EE.UU.

Tal vez es más reconocido por componer la canción "You Raise Me Up" que, de acuerdo con una entrevista efectuada en Radio Norge en Febrero de 2010, se ha versionado más de 500 veces por artistas como Westlife, Josh Groban e il Divo, entre otros.

Rolf Løvland, was born 19 April 1955, in Kristiansand, is a Norwegian composer. Together with Fionnuala Sherry, he formed the celtic group Secret Garden, where he played as the composer, producer and keyboardist.

He began composing at an early age (he formed a band at the age of nine) and grew up studying at the Kristiansand Music Conservatory, later receiving his Masters degree from the Norwegian Institute of Music in Oslo.

He is maybe most recognized for composing the song “You Raise Me Up”, which, according to Rolf Løvland in an interview with Radio Norge in February 2010, has been covered more than 500 times thus far. In 2006 he composed the music for The Mermaid Chair a television movie.

Fionnuala Sherry es una violinista irlandesa, nacida el 20 de Septiembre de 1962. Creció y fue a la escuela en Naas, en el condado de Kildare, Irlanda, habitando en el seno de una familia con tradición musical que encendió su pasión por la música a temprana edad.

Empezó por tocar el violín a los ocho años y a los quince se mudó a estudiar música a Dublín.

Se graduó con honores del Trinity College y del Colegio de Música de esta ciudad y fue contratada por la orquesta de RTE, donde permaneció durante diez años. Ha grabado también junto con la Irish Film Orchestra la banda sonora de varias películas de Hollywood.

Es este mismo interés el que la llevó a escribir y presentar sus propias series musicales para niños en la televisión nacional de Irlanda, y después, a conocer a Rolf Lovland y fundar Secret Garden en 1994.

Fionnuala Sherry is an Irish violinist and vocalist (born September 20, 1962). She makes up the female part of the New Instrumental duo Secret Garden, which won the Eurovision Song Contest 1995 with the predominantly instrumental piece "Nocturne".

Sherry's violin playing started at the age of eight. She graduated with honors from the College of Music of Trinity College, Dublin having moved to Dublin at the age of fifteen in order to continue her musical education. Her professional career started with a ten-year stint as a member of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

Sherry has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, including The Chieftains, Sinéad O'Connor, Van Morrison, Chris de Burgh, Bono and Wet Wet Wet. She has also recorded several Hollywood film scores with the Irish Film Orchestra, including A Room with a View, and The Mask.

“Sometimes when it rains”

Discography

Songs from a Secret Garden

(1996)

White stones (1997)

Dawn of a New Century (1999)

Dream catcher (2001)

Once in a Red Moon (2002)

Earth songs (2005)

Inside I'm Singing (2007)

Winter Poem (2011)

Milestones & Awards

Quadruple Platinum TrophySecret Garden was recently awarded a Quadruple Platinum Trophy for their latest Norwegian release titled, “Inside I'm Singing”, with 120,000 CDs sold.

ASCAP AwardOn the 29th of November 2005, Rolf received an ASCAP award (American Copyright organization) recognizing the success of “You Raise Me Up”. The hit song, co-written by Brendan Graham, was performed on American radio 660,000 times in 2004.

Grammy 2004 NominationJosh Groban was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance of Rolf Lovland's melody and Brendan Graham's words for the song "You Raise Me Up".

Secret Garden's Albums Have been released in more than 80 countries and have sold four million copies.

Twice nominated World Music Awards, Monaco.

Voted Best International Production, Shanghai.

Performed several Live and TV concerts such as The Nobel Peace Prize Concert (1999) with Sting, Tina Turner, Brian Ferry, and The Corrs.

Somewhere within us all there is a secret garden. A garden in which we can seek refuge when times are rough, or retire to in joy or contemplation. For years I have visited my own secret garden in search of organic harmony and melody. The songs on this CD are some of what I've found. In 1994, I met an artist who through the soulful simplicity of her instrument gave my songs a voice. She is the famed Irish violinist Fionnuala Sherry. Together we have tended the secret garden - and the crop is here for your picking. It is my sincere wish that by uncovering some of our secrets, you will pay a visit to your own garden.(Rolf Lovland)

Songs from a Secret Garden

(1996)

“Song from a Secret Garden”

Once upon a time, two children overheard their parents plan to abandon them in a forest, as they could not afford to feed them. But the children cleverly gathered small white stones, and on their journey into the forest, they secretly dropped them onto the ground.

At nightfall, left alone, the moon illuminated the white stones, and the reflection became their guiding light. So the fairytale about Hansel and Gretel goes. Maybe each song on this album can be compared to a white stone? Listen and let them lead you into your own secret garden.

White stones (1997)

For over one year we've been working on our third album. We started demoing new songs in November, 1997 in Kristiansand, Norway.

Gradually we have developed the production through several periods of recording. Since August we have more or less been working continuously in different studios. The final part of the production took place in Denmark at the end of January 1999.

Dawn of a New Century (1999)

If Secret Garden was intended to do an assembly of the “best of several songs” CD, this comes the closest. Originally intended for the UK, a territory where the first two CD's were not released, to bring them up to date.

It was eventually also released in the USA. The CD contains 18 tracks from Songs from a Secret Garden, White Stones and Dawn of a New Century.

Dream catcher (2001)

“The Rap”

Secret Garden's musical ideas are built on organic melodies telling their own stories, simplicity and straight from the heart performances.

With our new album "once in a red moon" we wanted to retain these basic elements, but also explore new areas in our musical universe, and challenge our own creative thoughts.

During this process we also discovered that this development was a circle - like an orbit in our creative universe taking us around to the intimacy and emotions of where Secret Garden once originated.

Once in a Red Moon (2002)

If we listen to our hearts, we can hear the earth silently singing.

It is the promise of the past, it is the yield of new life, it is the songs of the earth.

They were always there, awakened by our heartbeats and nourished by our tears, the eternal songs that can lift our spirits to reach for something higher than us.

Fionnuala Sherry & Rolf Lovland

Earth songs (2005)

Inside I’m singing is a project that started off as a 10 year anniversary idea. We wanted to reverse the process, take some of our own favorite melodies, have lyrics written to them, arrange them in our own style, and then invite some of the greatest singers to give their voice and performance to our music.

Finding the right artists to each song has been a special joy in this project. We are proud to present an amazing circle of artists who have all given their voice and heart and very generously have shred their utmost performance.

Inside I am Singing (2007)

“Song for a new Beginning”

Nocturne Anne TakleThank you Peter JöbackThe things you are to me Elaine PaigeIf came the hour Tommy KörbergSometimes a prayer will do Tracey CampbellSongs for a stormy night Steinar AlbrigtsenI’ve dreamed of you Barbra StreisandDid I not love you Peter CorrySimply you Niamb KavanaghMy Land Espen GrjotheimYou raise me up Brian Kennedy

Winter Poem features all new material by Rolf Løvland, with Fionnuala Sherry’s violin as the trademark sound of the group. The repertoire is dominated by instrumental pieces, but in addition, the group has also found room for 3 new songs.

Moya Brennan of the Celtic group “Clannad” is a guest vocalist on "The Dream". "We've wanted to work with Moya for a very long time", says Løvland. "She performs the song with a longing and dreamy expression that gives the song a very special dimension." Another new song, "Mary's Lament", has lyrics by Brendan Graham who also wrote the lyrics for "You Raise Me Up".

The song is performed by Irish singer Fionnuala Gill. "Powered By Nature", which was Norway's official Expo-song during last year's exhibition in China, is sung by Espen Grjotheim and Tracey Campbell. All music is symphonically scored, arranged and produced by Rolf and performed by Secret Garden with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

Winter Poem (2011)

If I held in my handEvery grain of sandSince time first began to meStill I could never countMeasure the amountOf all the things you are to me If I could paint the skyHang it up to dryI would want the sky to beOh, such a grand designAn everlasting signOf all the things you are to me Chorus:You are the sun that comes on summer windsYou are the falling year that autumn bringsYou are the wonder and the mysteryIn everything I see, the things you are to me Sometimes I wake at nightAnd suddenly takes frightYou’re my vaguest fantasyBut then you reach for meAnd once again I seeAll the things you are to me

Chorus:You are the sun that comes on summer winds ……

The things you are to me

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary; When troubles come and my heart burdened be; Then, I am still and wait here in the silence, Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up To more than I can be.

Chorus:You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up To more than I can be.

You raise me up To more than I can be.

You raise me up

E N D

AVM 30.03.2013Reference:http://www.secretgarden.no/