Sean-nós Essay

Question 1

Sean-nós is a type of?

Answer 1

singing

Question 2

Sean-nós is in what language?

Answer 2

irish

Question 3

Is sean-nós solo or group singing?

Answer 3

solo singing

Question 4

Sean-nós is consideres more of a ___ rather than a ___.

Answer 4

style rather than a genre

Question 5

How was sean-nós developed?

Answer 5

over centuries, irish speaking Ireland and gaelic speaking Scotland

Question 6

Is sean-nós homophonic, monohphonic or polyphonic? Explain.

Answer 6

monophonic, has no accompaniment

Question 7

Sean-nós was passed down by? Explain.

Answer 7

aural tradition, people play for others and people learn from listening

Question 8

Sean-nós has what kind of rhythm? Elaborate.

Answer 8

free rhythm, its not stuck to a certain rhythm (can change), singers can speed up and slow down to suit the words (may sometimes sound distorted)

Question 9

Comment on sean-nós dynamics.

Answer 9

no dynamics in sean-nós

Question 10

Sean-nós sometimes has what kind of tone? Describe.

Answer 10

nasal tone, singing coming from the nose

Question 11

Does sean-nós have glissando? Explain.

Answer 11

yes, means sliding from note to note/between notes

Question 12

What are of equal importance in sean-nós?

Answer 12

words and music

Question 13

What technique is used in sean-nós to decorate melodies? What does it do?

Answer 13

ornamentation, conveys emotion

Question 14

What is melismas?

Answer 14

when the notes are equalling each syllable of a word its not melismatic, but when there are more than one note per syllable, it is melismatic

Question 15

What technique involved the addition of notes used to fill intervals betweeen notes in the tune?

Answer 15

intervallic

Question 16

What is intervallic?

Answer 16

the addition of notes used to fill intervals betweeen notes in the tune?

Question 17

Glottal stopping definition?

Answer 17

used where it interupts the flow of air through the windpipe

Question 18

Comment on the end of a Sean-nós piece.

Answer 18

some slow down at the end, some speak the final line

Question 19

What are the 3 regions? Why these 3 places?

Answer 19

Connemara Donegal Munster, gaeltacht areas

Question 20

Discuss the region of Donegal.

Answer 20

• of scottish influence
• has a regular rhythm
• least amount of ornamentation of the regions
• sparsed and restrained
  Eg performer: Salí Gallagher

Question 21

Discuss the region of Connemara.

Answer 21

• lots of ornamentation
• very melismatic
• narrow range, less than an octave
• nasal tone is noticeable
  Eg performer: Seosamh Ó hÉanaí

Question 22

Discuss the region of Munster.

Answer 22

• wider range, more than an octave
• has vibrato, notes changing subtly and quickly
• lots of rhythmic variation so its not repetitive
  Eg performer: Seamus Begley

Question 23

Donegal region is of what influence?

Answer 23

scottish

Question 24

Comment on the rhythm of Donegal sean-nós.

Answer 24

regular

Question 25

Of the three regions does Donegal have the most or least ornamentation?

Answer 25

least

Question 26

Donegal is ___ and ____.

Answer 26

sparsed and restrained

Question 27

Eg performer from Donegal?

Answer 27

Salí Galagher

Question 28

Does Connemara have lots or little ornamentation?

Answer 28

lots

Question 29

Connemara is very ___.

Answer 29

melismatic

Question 30

Does Connemara have a narrow or wide range?

Answer 30

narrow range, less than an octave

Question 31

What is more noticeable about Connemara?

Answer 31

nasal tone

Question 32

Eg performer from Connemara?

Answer 32

Seosamh Ó hÉanaí

Question 33

Does Munster have a wide or narrow range?

Answer 33

wide range, more than an octave

Question 34

Munster has lots of ___ preventing repetition.

Answer 34

rhythmic variation

Question 35

Munster has ___ where notes change subtly and quickly.

Answer 35

vibrato

Question 36

Munster has vibrato which is?

Answer 36

where notes change subtly and quickly

Question 37

Eg performer from Munster?

Answer 37

Seamus Begley