Irish-Norwegian musical group
Secret Garden
is an
Irish
-
Norwegian
band specialised in
new instrumental music
, led by the
duo
consisting of Irish violinist and singer
Fionnuala Sherry
and Norwegian composer, arranger and pianist
Rolf Løvland
.
[1]
The group came to fame when they won the
1995 Eurovision Song Contest
, representing Norway with the composition "
Nocturne
". In the course of a partnership lasting over 25 years, they have sold millions of albums worldwide, many of which went platinum in numerous countries.
History
[
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]
Eurovision Song Contest
[
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]
The group won the
Eurovision Song Contest
for Norway's second time in 1995 with the composition "
Nocturne
". It was the only time 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. Norwegian singer Gunnhild Tvinnereim sang the song in the Eurovision Song Contest, with Hans Fredrik Jacobsen on penny whistle and Swedish
nyckelharpist
Asa Jinder
guesting on the occasion, although none of them are regular members of the group. Ten years earlier, Rolf Løvland wrote the song "
La det swinge
" (Let it swing) that secured
Norway
its first Eurovision Song Contest victory in 1985.
[1]
[2]
Debut album
[
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]
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
.
Further albums
[
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]
Their sophomore album
White Stones
followed in 1997, and also made the top ten on Billboard New Age charts.
Dawn of a New Century
was released in 1999 as their third studio album, and again featured lyrics by Norway's Petter Skavlan. Their 2001 studio album
Once in a Red Moon
also enjoyed success around the world, including reaching Billboard's
new-age
top ten.
A compilation album,
Dreamcatcher
, was released in 2000. Secret Garden released a
Dreamcatcher: Best Of
album for its tour through Australia and
New Zealand
in 2004, and this reached the top of the Australian New Age charts and the ARIA top 50 album charts.
After several other albums, they released their tenth album,
Storyteller
, in 2019.
[3]
Notable songs
[
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]
Secret Garden's most famous song "
You Raise Me Up
", originally performed by
Johnny Logan
and
Brian Kennedy
, has been recorded by more than a hundred other artists including
Josh Groban
,
Russell Watson
,
Westlife
,
Sissel Kyrkjebø
,
Becky Taylor
,
Celtic Woman
,
Lena Park
, Robert Tremlett,
Il Divo
,
Rhydian
, and
Sergio Dalma
.
"
Nocturne
" won the 1995
Eurovision Song Contest
. Their piece "Adagio", with a
cor anglais
solo, was used in the
Wong Kar-wai
film
2046
which was released in 2004.
[4]
Autobiographical book
[
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]
In 2015, Secret Garden published a book titled
You Raise Me Up: The Story of Secret Garden
co-written by Rolf Løvland with Fionnuala Sherry. The book tells their story of their triumphs as well as the trials and tribulations they endured along two decades.
Discography
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]
Studio albums
[
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]
Collaboration albums
[
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]
With Cathrine Iversen
[
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]
Live albums
[
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]
Year
|
Album
|
Peak Positions
|
NOR
[5]
|
2016
|
Live at Kilden
|
18
[9]
|
Compilation albums
[
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]
Year
|
Album
|
Peak Positions
|
NOR
[5]
|
AUS
[6]
|
1998
|
Fairytales
|
18
|
?
|
1999
|
Highlights
|
30
|
?
|
2000
|
Dreamcatcher: Best of Secret Garden
|
?
|
40
|
2004
|
The Ultimate Secret Garden
(Asia)
|
?
|
?
|
2018
|
You Raise Me Up ? The Collection
|
?
|
?
|
2020
|
Nocturne: The 25th Anniversary Collection
(Norway)
|
?
|
?
|
External links
[
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]
References
[
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]
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Participation
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Songs
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- Note: Entries scored out signify where Norway did not compete
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Songs
|
- "Amen"
- "
Baunilha e chocolate
"
- "Dreamin
'
"
- "
Dvadeset prvi vijek
"
- "
Fra Mols til Skagen
"
- "
Il me donne rendez-vous
"
- "Keep Me in Mind"
- "
Kolybelnaya dlya vulkana
"
- "
Love City Groove
"
- "
Nocturne
"
- "
Nostalgija
"
- "
Nuna
"
- "
Pia prosefhi
"
- "
Prisluhni mi
"
- "
Sama
"
- "
Se pa mig
"
- "
Sev!
"
- "
Sti fotia
"
- "
Uj nev egy regi haz falan
"
- "
Verliebt in Dich
"
- "
La Voix est libre
"
- "
Vuelve conmigo
"
- "
Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt
"
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National
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Artists
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