Oz Scoops World with Singing Priests' Latest Album
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
20 Nov 2009
"Harmony," the third album from Ireland's clerical chart-stoppers, The Priests hits Australian record stores on Friday, November 20 - three days ahead of the rest of the world!
"Amazing Grace," which you can hear here, is just one of the inspiring tracks on the new album.
Advance orders for this album, which is the long-awaited follow-up to the three Irishmen's self-titled first-album of 2008 and the subsequently-released Armagh Cathedral concert album, have rocketted "Harmony" into the number one spot on classical charts across the world.
But Australia and New Zealand will be the first two nations where fans can actually buy a copy of the coveted new album which won't hit record stores in Europe or America until Monday, November 23.
As with their first self-titled album, The Priests' much anticipated follow up contains tracks of classical and religious favourites as well as beloved Irish songs learned in childhood.
To promote the new album, The Priests performed a special concert recently at London's Gladstone Hall Library where they sang "Amazing Grace" and wowed the crowd. Other songs from the album which they performed live include "How Great Thou Art," "Ave Verum," the "Gaelic Blessing," and from the hit musical, "Carousel," Roger and Hammerstein's all time classic, "You'll Never Walk Alone."
Not only is "Harmony" expected to follow in the footsteps of The Priests' other two albums, breaking sales records worldwide, but the three Irish clerics have made their own special history by recording their second studio album at the EMI Abbey Road Studios which the Beatles made famous back in 1969. Now exactly 40 years later, the three Irish priests, Fr Eugene O'Hagan, his brother Fr Martin O'Hagan and Fr David Delargy, their friend since childhood, have recreated John, Paul, George and Ringo's "march past" on the Abbey Road pedestrian crossing. But unlike the iconic shot of the Beatles which featured a barefoot Paul McCartney, the three priests kept their shoes on!
The three clerics have been Beatles' fans since they were youngsters with Fr Eugene saying he has most of the Beatles' albums including his own personal favourite, Yellow Submarine.
"The Beatles were all the rage when we were wee fellas," his brother Fr Martin says laughing.
The photograph of the three Irishmen on Abbey Road's zebra crossing will now be given pride of place in each of their parishes.
With Fr Eugene and Fr Martin as tenors and Fr David as the trio's baritone, the three have been harmonising and singing together since they were schoolboys at Belfast's St MacNissi's College in County Antrim.
"In those early days we were all boy sopranos," Fr David says with a smile, explaining that when their voices broke, his friends became tenors but he went "straight to a baritone with no in-between."
Singing together both at worship as well as performers in school operas, musicals and the choir, their talent was quickly recognised and when they attended the Pontifical Irish College in Rome as seminarians, they were invited to sing for Pope John Paul II in sacred liturgy. Later, their fellow seminarians would affectionately dub the singing trio "Holy, Holy, Holy."
With Fr Eugene having recently celebrated his 50th birthday and Fr David and Fr Martin in their mid 40s, the trio have now been singing together for almost 40 years. But it is only in the past 12 months their music has made its way from their quiet country parishes in the Diocese of Down and Connor in Northern Ireland to the airwaves and concert halls of the world.
Signed by Sony for $A3 million in April 2008, The Priests have gone on to become the sensation of the music industry. Their self-titled first album not only became the fastest selling classical album of all time and made the Guinness Book of Records, but the trio made further history when their album outsold even perennial favourites such as Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.
But along with having what Time magazine calls "the voices of angels," what has endeared The Priests to people everywhere is their humility, gentle Irish humour and refusal to act like stars or to give up what they consider to be their most important role and their vocation - their lives as parish priests.
Any contracts they sign for live performances or promotional tours must be fitted in around their parishes and with the exception of their trip to Australia in April this year, they refuse to be away from their parishioners or churches for more than a few days each week.
"Australia was so far away we had to make an exception," Fr Martin says with a smile.
As for the money the three priests have earned from their original contract as well as from the royalties for their best selling albums, this has been carefully put into a special charity fund to be distributed amongst the poor, homeless and needy and specific charities of their choice. Some of these funds have also gone to help elderly priests in their retirement.
Fame and fortune do not impress these three Irishmen, although in the past 12 months they have earned more than their share of both. But while music is one of their passions, they regard their own talents as a gift from God. Through music they believe they can build on their work as parish priests and use music to evangelise their faith and praise the Lord.
"Through music we hope to reach people, whatever their faith, and inspire them and bring them closer to God," Fr Eugene says with a smile. But he is quick to add that although the three of them never dreamed of the success they have had over the past 12 months, their work as parish priests will always take priority.
"Marriages, weddings, funerals go on and our first duty is with our parishes." he says.
