Essays

Question 1

Belfast Harp Festival

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Harpers

Answer 2

Modern artists are Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Laoise Kelly. Denis Hempson was the oldest player at BHF

Question 3

Types of harps

Answer 3

1. Bardic: 29 to 31 wire strings. Played with nails. 70cm. More resonant.
2. Neo-Irish: 34 nylon strings. Played with pads of fingers. Around 20cm taller. Less resonant.

Question 4

History of Harp

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

Mícheál Ó Shuilleabháin

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Idir eatarthu

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Crispy

Answer 7

track. Features of modern art music. Changing time signatures. Two motifs repeated that are taken from irish tunes. Trad instruments with piano and strings

Question 8

Mícheál Ó Shuilleabháin other works

Answer 8

“Oilean/Island” features Irish Chamber Choir and traditional flute. Composed “Lumen” for 1995 Eurovision interval for voices orchestra and trad instruments.

Question 9

Irish song types

Answer 9

both in Irish and English. Sean-nós. Anglo Irish songs. Macaronic songs. Laments. Drinking songs. Working songs. Lullabies. Love songs. Patriotic songs. Humorous songs

Question 10

Irish songs in English

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Ballad songs and performers

Answer 11

“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.

Question 12

Patriotic songs

Answer 12

about national pride

Question 13

Aisling

Answer 13

about a beautiful woman representing Ireland in a dream such as “An Droimeann Donn Dílis”

Question 14

Famine Songs

Answer 14

describe abuse Irish suffered

Question 15

Rebel songs

Answer 15

encourage people to fight for Ireland such as “Four Green Fields”

Question 16

Sean-nós

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Three main regional styles of sean-nós

Answer 17

Donegal Connemara and Munster

Question 18

Sean-nòs singers

Answer 18

Lillis Ó Laoire.
Séamus Begley.
Rósín Elsafty.
iarla Ó Lionáird.

Question 19

Sean-nós songs

Answer 19

“Úna Bhán” “Anach Cuain” “An Raibh tú ar an gCarraig?”

Question 20

Drinking songs

Answer 20

lively celebratory songs sung at social events with lively rhythm. “Whiskey in the Jar” “Wild Rover”

Question 21

Céilí Band

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

Céilí band consists of

Answer 22

10 players could include accordion, concertina, harmonica, uilleann pipes, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, flute, tin whistle, drums and piano. Play in unison.

Question 23

Spread of céilí bands

Answer 23

as they spread throughout Ireland England and USA any melodic instruments were used in the bands.

Question 24

Positioning of céilí band

Answer 24

important for balance. Fiddles and flutes in front. Accordion and concertina further back. Drums and piano are always furthest from dancers

Question 25

First céilí

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

Ballinakill Céilí

Answer 26

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.

Question 27

Kileforna Céilí band

Answer 27

Formed in 1910 in Clare and still active today. Recorded “The Fabulous Kileforna Céilí Band” and “The Kileforna Céilí Band”. Won “All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil” three times in a from 1954 to 1956. In the 60s they played regularly to large crowds in England at halls in Manchester Birmingham and London.

Question 28

Seán Ó Riada and Céilí Bands

Answer 28

In 1960 he criticised them for their lack of individual expression. despite the critics and competition céilí bands are still busy today