Essays Flashcards
Belfast Harp Festival
1792-Prevent decline of harping. Eleven harpers from age 15 to 97. Edward Bunting was commissioned by the Belfast Harp Society to record their lifestyles and their music for future generations
Harpers
Modern artists are Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Laoise Kelly. Denis Hempson was the oldest player at BHF
Types of harps
- Bardic: 29 to 31 wire strings. Played with nails. 70cm. More resonant.
- Neo-Irish: 34 nylon strings. Played with pads of fingers. Around 20cm taller. Less resonant.
History of Harp
flourished from medieval times until the 17th century. Hired by wealthy patrons and would write solo pieces(planxties) in their honour. Passed on from father to son. Went into the decline after 1600 as great families went into decline. Harpers became nomadic travelling from county to county for food and money.
Mícheál Ó Shuilleabháin
born 1950.
Piano player and combines traditional with classical and jazz in his arrangements of dance tunes, airs and harp tunes.
Plays trad tunes on piano and improvises them in jazz style
Idir eatarthu
album. means between worlds. Classical orchestra with harp, fiddle, piano, flute harpsichord, bodhrán and saxophone. Piano plays chords and improvises which leads into a reel
Crispy
track. Features of modern art music. Changing time signatures. Two motifs repeated that are taken from irish tunes. Trad instruments with piano and strings
Mícheál Ó Shuilleabháin other works
“Oilean/Island” features Irish Chamber Choir and traditional flute. Composed “Lumen” for 1995 Eurovision interval for voices orchestra and trad instruments.
Irish song types
both in Irish and English. Sean-nós. Anglo Irish songs. Macaronic songs. Laments. Drinking songs. Working songs. Lullabies. Love songs. Patriotic songs. Humorous songs
Irish songs in English
Usually in a ballad style. Tells a story and written in verses of either 4 or 8 lines. Same music for each verse. Words come from political and social life.
Ballad songs and performers
“The Foggy Dew” “The Croppy Boy” “Finnegan’s Wake” “The Fields of Athenry” “The Sash My Father Wore” groups are The Wolfe Tones. The Clancey Brothers. Tommy Makem. Paddy Reilly. Christy Moore.
Patriotic songs
about national pride
Aisling
about a beautiful woman representing Ireland in a dream such as “An Droimeann Donn Dílis”
Famine Songs
describe abuse Irish suffered
Rebel songs
encourage people to fight for Ireland such as “Four Green Fields”
Sean-nós
passed down through generations. No dynamics. Atonal. Free rhythm. Traditionally in Irish language and solo unaccompanied performance with ornamentation in both rhythm and melody and glissando.
Three main regional styles of sean-nós
Donegal Connemara and Munster
Sean-nòs singers
Lillis Ó Laoire.
Séamus Begley.
Rósín Elsafty.
iarla Ó Lionáird.
Sean-nós songs
“Úna Bhán” “Anach Cuain” “An Raibh tú ar an gCarraig?”
Drinking songs
lively celebratory songs sung at social events with lively rhythm. “Whiskey in the Jar” “Wild Rover”
What is a Céilí Band
relatively new phenomenon. Gained popularity in the first half of the 20th century playing solely for Irish dancing. Must be loud enough to be heard by everyone in a large hall over noise from dancing.
Céilí band consists of
10 players could include accordion, concertina, harmonica, uilleann pipes, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, flute, tin whistle, drums and piano. Play in unison.
Spread of céilí bands
as they spread throughout Ireland England and USA any melodic instruments were used in the bands.
Positioning of céilí band
important for balance. Fiddles and flutes in front. Accordion and concertina further back. Drums and piano are always furthest from dancers
First céilí
means gathering of people. Organised in 1897 in London by the Gaelic League. Long row of dancers facing each other which continues today. Included music for jigs quadrile sets and waltzes.
Ballinakill Céilí Band
set up in 1927 by Fr Tom Larkin because the clergy wished to get rid of Jazz.
Had unexpected success with 1930 recording of The Pipe on the Hob, the Queen of the Rushes, The Old Bush Reel and The Copperplate Reel.
By 1942 were Very influential with international fame and active till the 60s.
Kilfenora Céilí band
Formed in 1909 in Clare and still active today. Recorded “The Fabulous Kilfenora Céilí Band” and “The Kilfenora Céilí Band”. Won “All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil” three times in a row from 1954 to 1956. In the 60s they played regularly to large crowds in England at halls in Manchester Birmingham and London.
Seán Ó Riada and Céilí Bands
In 1960 he criticised them for their lack of individual expression. despite the critics and competition céilí bands are still busy today
Céilí Band examples
Kilfenora Céilí Band
Ballinakill Céilí Band
