The Mask and Mirror

{{Infobox album | name = The Mask and Mirror | type = Album | artist = Loreena McKennitt | cover = Album_Cover-The_Mask_and_Mirror.jpg | alt = | released = March 15, 1994<ref>{{cite news|title=McKennitt to perform in Stratford|work=Waterloo Region Record (Ontario, Canada) (Published as Record, The (Kitchner, Ontario, Canada))|date=1994-02-08|page=D6|quote=supporting her CD The Mask and the Mirror scheduled for a March 15 release}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Blackwell|first1=Tom|authorlink1=Blackwell, Tom|title=An oasis: McKennitt's new release has Spanish, African flavors|work=Waterloo Region Record (Ontario, Canada) (Published as Record, The (Kitchner, Ontario, Canada))|date=1994-03-15|page=D5|language=English|quote=McKennitt's guitarist played it on The Mask and Mirror, and the lilting sounds of Spain and North Africa are woven throughout the record, which is to be released today.}}</ref> | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = * New-age<ref name = "Knopper 1998">{{cite book|first= Steve |last= Knopper|editor1-first= Gary|editor1-last= Graff |editor2-first= Daniel |editor2-last= Durchholz |year= 1998 |title= MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |chapter= Loreena McKennitt |publisher= Visible Ink Press |location= Detroit |pages= 734–735}}</ref> * folk * world | length = 52:46 | label = Quinlan Road, Warner Bros. | producer = Loreena McKennitt | prev_title = The Visit | prev_year = 1991 | next_title = Live in San Francisco at the Palace of Fine Arts | next_year = 1995 }} {{Music ratings |rev1 = Allmusic |rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r198757|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]</ref>

}}

'''''The Mask and Mirror''''' is the fifth studio album by Loreena McKennitt. Released in 1994, the album has been certified Gold in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=loreena%20&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=Recording Industry Association of America |publisher=RIAA |date= |accessdate=2012-03-01}}</ref>

== Overview == Like most of Loreena McKennitt's albums, ''The Mask and Mirror'' is heavily influenced by her travels. Her experiences in Spain and Morocco, specifically, serve as the inspiration for this album.

In the liner notes to the album, McKennitt wrote: <blockquote>I looked back and forth through the window of 15th century Spain, through the hues of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, and was drawn into a fascinating world: history, religion, cross-cultural fertilization....For some medieval minds the mirror was the door through which the soul frees itself by passing.... for others the pursuit of personal refinement was likened to polishing the mirror of the soul. From the more familiar turf of the west coast of Ireland, through the troubadours of France, crossing over the Pyrenees, and then to the west through Galicia, down through Andalusia and past Gibraltar to Morocco....the Crusades, the pilgrimage to Santiago, Cathars, the Knights Templar, the Sufis from Egypt, ''One Thousand and One Nights'' in Arabia, the Celtic imagery of trees, the Gnostic Gospels...who was God? and what is religion, what spirituality? What was revealed and what was concealed...and what was the mask and what the mirror?</blockquote>

Accompanying all the selections, as the liner remarks, are some of the entries in a traveler's log that McKennitt kept all throughout her journey.

The album's cover uses a collage made from the medieval ''The Hunt of the Unicorn'' tapestries.

== Tracks == Loreena McKennitt wrote the lyrics and composed the music for all the songs except as noted.

# "The Mystic's Dream" – 7:40 # "The Bonny Swans" (lyrics: traditional, arr. McKennitt, music by McKennitt) – 7:18 # "The Dark Night of the Soul" (lyrics by St. John of the Cross, OCD; arr. McKennitt; music by McKennitt) – 6:44 # "Marrakesh Night Market" – 6:30 # "Full Circle" – 5:57 # "Santiago" (traditional, arr. McKennitt) – 5:58 # "Cé Hé Mise le Ulaingt?/The Two Trees" (lyrics by W. B. Yeats, music by McKennitt) – 9:06 # "Prospero's Speech" (lyrics by William Shakespeare, arr. McKennitt, music by McKennitt) – 3:23

== Song details == * "The Mystic's Dream" was featured in the 2001 miniseries ''The Mists of Avalon'', the 1995 film ''Jade'' and in the 2021 film ''Zeros and Ones''. * "The Bonny Swans" was made into a video. * "The Dark Night of the Soul" is based on the poem "Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross. * "Santiago" is named after the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela, and the melody is based on a spirited arrangement of the early 13th-century song "Non é gran cousa se sabe," number 26 of the Cantigas de Santa Maria. * "Full Circle" was utilized in the Canadian TV series ''Due South'' in the season 2 episode "Juliet Is Bleeding". * The opening of the song "Cé Hé Mise Le Ulaingt?/The Two Trees" is "Cé Hé Mise Le Ulaingt" ("Who am I to Bear It" in Irish), It was written and performed by Patrick Hutchinson on Uilleann pipes. The second part of the song is Loreena's version of "The Two Trees". Hence the two titles. * "The Two Trees" derives its lyrics from a poem of William Butler Yeats. * "Prospero's Speech" is the final soliloquy and epilogue by Prospero in William Shakespeare's play ''The Tempest''. It was featured in ''Due South'' season 1 episode "Chinatown". * "Cé Hé Mise le Ulaingt?" and "The Two Trees" were both featured in the soundtrack of ''Highlander III: The Sorcerer'' as well as "Bonny Portmore" from the album ''The Visit'')

== Chart performance == {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1994) ! style="text-align:center;"|Peak position |- |align="left"|Australian Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web |url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Loreena+McKennitt&titel=The+Mask+And+Mirror&cat=a |title=australian-charts.com - Loreena McKennitt - The Mask And Mirror |publisher=australian-charts.com |accessdate=2010-05-15 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|21 |- |align="left"|Dutch Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Loreena+McKennitt&titel=The+Mask+And+Mirror&cat=a |title=dutchcharts.nl - Loreena McKennitt - The Mask And Mirror |publisher=dutchcharts.nl |accessdate=2010-05-15 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|54 |- |align="left"|Germany Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/title/MCKENNITT%2CLOREENA/THE+MASK+AND+MIRROR/longplay |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002173734/http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/title/MCKENNITT,LOREENA/THE+MASK+AND+MIRROR/longplay |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 2, 2012 |title=Musicline.de - Chartverfolgung - MCKENNITT, LOREENA - THE MASK AND MIRROR |publisher=www.musicline.de |accessdate=2010-05-15 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|18 |- |align="left"|New Zealand Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web |url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Loreena+McKennitt&titel=The+Mask+And+Mirror&cat=a |title=charts.nz - Loreena McKennitt - The Mask And Mirror |publisher=charts.nz |accessdate=2010-05-15 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|15 |- |Spanish Albums Chart<ref name="spain">{{cite magazine| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QggEAAAAMBAJ|title=Hits of the World: Spain|date=1994-05-16|accessdate=2010-10-26|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|volume=106|issue=16|page=55}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|6 |- |align="left"|Swedish Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web |url=http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Loreena+McKennitt&titel=The+Mask+And+Mirror&cat=a |title=swedishcharts.com - Loreena McKennitt - The Mask And Mirror |publisher=swedishcharts.com |accessdate=2010-05-15 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|25 |- |align="left"|US Billboard 200<ref>{{cite web |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=loreena mckennitt|chart=all}} |title=The Mask and Mirror - Loreena McKennitt |publisher=www.billboard.com |accessdate=2010-05-15 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|143 |- |align="left"|US World Albums<ref name="Billboard.com">[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=loreena mckennitt|chart=all}} Billboard.com]</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|1 |- |align="left"|US New Age Albums<ref name="Billboard.com"/> | style="text-align:center;"|7 |}

==Certifications and sales== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Argentina|type=album|title=The Mask And|artist=Loreena McKennitt|award=Gold|relyear=1994|certyear=1994|certref=<ref name=capif>{{cite web|url=http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=&album=&LanDesde_MM=1&LanDesde_AA=1980&LanHasta_MM=12&LanHasta_AA=2010&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20110706084844/http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=&album=&LanDesde_MM=1&LanDesde_AA=1980&LanHasta_MM=12&LanHasta_AA=2010&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP |archivedate= 6 July 2011 |title=Discos de oro y platino |access-date=3 December 2019 |publisher=Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas |language=Spanish |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|artist=Loreena McKennitt|title=The mask and mirror|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1994|certyear=2002|accessdate=28 December 2021}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Loreena McKennitt|title=The Mask And Mirror|type=album|award=Platinum|number=3|certyear=1997|relyear=1994 |accessdate=3 December 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=Loreena McKennitt|title=The mask and mirror|type=album|award=Gold|certyear=2001|relyear=1994|accessdate=3 December 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Loreena McKennitt|title=The Mask and Mirror|type=album|nocert=true|salesamount=85,000|relyear=1994|salesref=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XggEAAAAMBAJ&q=africa+loreena+mckennitt+billboard&pg=PA44|title=McKennitt Breaks In Germany|magazine=Billboard|page=44|date=9 July 1994|accessdate=3 December 2019}}</ref>}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Loreena McKennitt|title=The Mask And Mirror|type=album|award=Platinum|certyear=1997|relyear=1994|certref=<ref name="billboard"/>|accessdate=3 December 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=album|artist=Loreena McKennitt|title=THe Mask And The Mirror|relyear=1994|certyear=1994|award=Gold|certref=<ref name="Spanish certifications 1979-1990">{{cite book|url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8|title=Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990|year=2005|publisher=Iberautor Promociones Culturales|language=Spanish|isbn=8480486392}}</ref>|accessdate=3 December 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Loreena Mc Kennitt|title=The Mask And Mirror|type=album|award=Gold|salesamount=795,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1xIEAAAAMBAJ&q=the+mask+and+mirror+loreena+mckennitt+nielsen+soundscan&pg=PA28|title=World's greatest|publisher=Billboard|date=16 June 2007 |access-date=3 December 2019}}</ref>|relyear=1994|certyear=1996}} {{Certification Table Summary}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|nocert=true|salesamount=1,600,000|salesref=<ref name="billboard">{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3QkEAAAAMBAJ&q=loreena+mckennitt+billboard&pg=PA107|title=McKennnit to unleash 'Book of Secrets'|publisher=Billboard |date=23 August 1997}}</ref>|accessdate=3 December 2019}} {{Certification Table Bottom}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mask and Mirror}} Category:1994 albums Category:Loreena McKennitt albums Category:Warner Records albums Category:Juno Award–winning albums