Seán Ó Riada essay Flashcards
Opening quote and place of birth
Seán Ó Riada, “the single most influential figure in the revival of Irish music”, was born John Reidy in Cork, 1931.
Background in music
Background in music with his parents Seán Reidy and Julia Creedon. Took violin lessons aged seven and studied piano. He later studied music in Cork with Aloys Fleischmann. As a student, Ó Riada played piano with jazz/dance bands which later influenced his music.
First three jobs( part of introduction)
He had many short stints of employment including a job with Radio éireann and work in Paris. His third job as musical director of Dublin’s Abbey theatre put him at the centre of artistic endeavour in Ireland.
Mise Éire influence and invitation
Film director George Morrison invited Ó Riada to produce the score for film ‘Mise Éire’. The Irish public immediately realised Irish music had never sounded as good before. The film made Seán Ó Riada a household name.
Describe Mise Éire music
He fused patriotic tunes like “Róisín Dubh” with classical ideas by using brass instruments to play the sweeping themes.
In one section his music captures the desolation of Dublin with a broken theme punctuated with timpani.
Television work
His extensive music studies led him to broadcast series “Our musical heritage” in which he demonstrated the diversity of Irish music.
Example of his fusion of irish and classical music
He presented Irish music in a new way with classical influences. This ‘classical’ training is evident in “Hercules dux Ferrarie: Nomos 1” written for strings in which I heard string techniques such as dissonant harmony.
Who were ceoltóirí chualann
Ó Riada was also introduced to the musicians of Ceotoirí Chualann. This included Paddy Moloney, Martin Fay, Seán Keane and others, many of whom later formed the Chieftains
Ceoltóirí chuallan music
The group composed the soundtrack of J.M Synge’s Playboy of the Western World. Songs they played were often well known but presented by Ó Riada in an exciting way.
He described céilí band music “like the buzzing of a bluebottle in an upturned jam jar”. I listened Ceoltóirí Chualann Reel and heard features including bodhrán accompaniment in the first part of the tune and the use of the harpsichord.
I felt a lilting quality to the music with the vocals.
Why did Seán Ó Riada use the harpsichord
Ó Riada preferred the harpsichord sound as it was similar to that of a wire strung harp.
Final occupation
In 1962 Ó Riada resigned from the Abbey theatre and became a lecturer in Irish music at University College Cork.
While working in his final profession he moved. Talk of move and musical activity
He moved to Cúil Aodha, not far from where his mother was born and established the famous Coolea Male Voice Choir, writing gorgeous liturgical music including the Ó Riada Mass. The choir was continued by his brother Peadar after his passing.
Death
His health was bad and with an addiction to alcohol he died aged 40.
Final concluding quote
He was undoubtedly a musical genius and he “shattered the chains that had confined Irish music and released a shimmering cascade of sound”
