Secret Garden (duo)

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]

Secret Garden
Rolf Løvland & Fionnuala Sherry
Background information
OriginNorway and Ireland
GenresClassical, Celtic, Nordic folk, New age
Years active1995–present
Associated actsFionnuala Gill
Websitesecretgarden.no
MembersFionnuala Sherry
Rolf Løvland

The group has sold over 3 million albums since having won the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest, representing Norway with the composition "Nocturne".

History

Eurovision Song Contest

The group won the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway's second time in 1995 with the composition "Nocturne". It was the 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. Norwegian singer Gunnhild Tvinnereim sang the song in the Eurovision Song Contest, with Hans Fredrik Jacobsen on penny whistle and Swedish nyckelharpist Åsa 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]

Songs from a Secret Garden

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.

White Stones

The album White Stones followed in 1997 also making the top ten on Billboard New Age charts. Dawn of a New Century, again with lyrics by Norway's Petter Skavlan, in 1999, Dreamcatcher in 2001 and Once in a Red Moon also enjoyed success around the world including reaching top ten on the Billboard.

Their most famous song "You Raise Me Up", 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.

Secret Garden has released a Dreamcatcher: Best Of album for its tour through Australia and New Zealand in 2004. It reached the top of the Australian New Age charts and the ARIA top 50 album charts.

Their piece "Adagio", with a cor anglais solo, was used in the Wong Kar-wai film 2046 released in 2004.[3]

In 2010, Fionnuala Sherry released her solo debut titled Songs From Before.

Autobiographical book

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

Studio albums
Year Album Peak positions Certification
NOR
[4]		 USA New Age
[5]
1996 Songs from a Secret Garden 1 5
1997 White Stones 6 7
1999 Dawn of a New Century 10 4
2002 Once in a Red Moon 2 2
2005 Earthsongs 9 1
2007 Inside I'm Singing 1
2011 Winter Poem 5 5
2013 Just the Two of Us 6 7
2019 Storyteller 6 7

Live albums
Year Album Peak positions Certification
NOR
[4]
2016 Live at Kilden 18
[6]

Compilation albums
Year Album Peak positions Certification
NOR
[4]
1998 Fairytales 18
1999 Highlights 30
2000/
2004		 Dreamcatcher: Best of Secret Garden
UK version (2000)
US version (2001)
Australian tour edition (2004)		  –
2004 The Ultimate Secret Garden (Asia)  –
2018 You Raise Me up - The Collection
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References
  1. Thompson, Dave. "Secret Garden Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  2. Bergh, Johs. "Melodi Grand Prix". Store Norske Leksikon. Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  3. 2046 (Special Features: The Music of 2046). Wong Kar-wai. Culver City, CA: Sony Pictures Classics. 2006 [2004]. 11730LTR.CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. "Secret Garden discography". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  5. "Secret Garden Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  6. "GFK Chart-Track". www.chart-track.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan
with "Rock 'n' Roll Kids"		 Winner of the Eurovision Song Contest
1995		 Succeeded by
Eimear Quinn
with "The Voice"
Preceded by
Elisabeth Andreasson and Jan Werner Danielsen
with "Duett"		 Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest
1995		 Succeeded by
Elisabeth Andreassen
with "I evighet"
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