Irish Music

Irish Music
Traditional Groups: The Chieftains

Travelled all over the world playing excellent traditional Irish music. Their leader is Paddy Moloney who plays the uilleann pipes and the tin whistle. Since the 1960`s they have continued to develop and diversify while still retaining their traditional roots. Besides the pipes and whistle, there are two fiddles, a harp, a flute and bodhrn in the group.
Irish Rock Groups: The Pogues

The Pogues use traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, banjo, mandolin, and accordion Their leader is Shane McGowan. Other members include Joe summer and Spider Stacy.
They broke up in 1996 but reformed in 2001. Their first album was called Red Roses for You.
Irish Folk Songs

Working Songs These are not very numerous. These are sung while working in the field or kitchen etc. They have a strong beat. Eg. Ding Dong Dedero Love Songs They are very expressive and intense in nature and often very sad. Eg. na Bhn Laments A song for the dead or loss of friends. These are sad and slow. Eg. An Mhaighdean Mhara. Religious songs or Carols Not very common due to Penal Laws. Eg. The Lord is my Shepard Lullabies To rock a baby to sleep. These have a gentle steady beat.
Eg. Lullaby - Brahms Drinking Songs For a celebration on social gatherings. They have a lively rhythm. Eg. Preab san l Patriotic Songs These include the aisling; the poet has a dream about a beautiful woman who becomes the symbol for Ireland. Eg. Roisn Dubh
Characteristics of Traditional Irish Music

Melodies are often modal. Besides being in the doh mode (or major scale), melodies can be found in re mode, soh mode and lah mode. Gap scales are common. Many melodies have a wide range. Many tunes are in ternary form. The last note of the music is often repeated.
Performance of traditional Irish Music

Highly ornamented melodies Little expression No dynamics Interest lies primarily in the words and tunes. Originally solo performance, but today a lot of Irish music is performed by groups who provide some harmony.
Sean-ns Singing
Origins unknown Sean-ns means old style Singers may ornament the tune differently each time he or she sings the song.
Sean-ns singer does not use dynamics, as words themselves tell the story. Types of ornamentation in Sean-ns Embellishment Adds grace notes Or Filling intervals with extra notes. Melodic Variation Changing a note in a group of notes. Or Changing whole groups of notes, keeping only the outline of the phrase. Rhythmic variation Shortening length of some notes and making them staccato. Or Varying rhythm of a triplet.
Irish Dances
The three folk dances are the jig, the reel and the hornpipe.
Dancing was a very popular pastime in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many dances were held at the crossroads. The jig. Oldest form of dance music in Ireland. It is a lively dance. Three types of jig; - Single jig - Double jig - Slip/hop jig Single jig time Mainly two groups of 1 crotchet and 1 quaver in a bar.
Double jig time mainly groups of 3 quavers in a bar.
Slip/hop jig time Mixture of 3 quavers, and crotchet and quaver beats.
The reel time Came from Scotland Fast fluid rhythm
The Hornpipe time Energetic dance English origin Accent on the first and third beats.
The slide: really fast single jig in The polka: fast dance in time.
time.
Irish Instruments
The Uilleann Pipes Emerged in the eighteenth Century. Consists of bag, bellows, chanter, regulators, and drones. Are NOT the same as Scottish bag pipes. - Bellows are pressed by left elbow to fill bag with air. - Air comes through chanter (pipe on which melody is played). - 3 regulators (stopped pipes fitted with keys) provide simple chords to accompany chanter. Played by pressing down wrist. - 3 drones sound a continuous unchanging accompaniment. Today uilleann pipes are regarded as outstanding among the pipes of the world. Liam Floinn has popularised the uilleann pipes. The Fiddle Used for dance music. Same instrument as the violin.
Held under the chin, against the chest, shoulder or arm. Played with bow - originally made of horse hair.
Held in right hand. Most popular and widely used amongst Irish traditional players. The flute Emerged in the eighteenth century. Many types; single keyed, fully keyed. Traditional flute made from wood, gives it a warm soft tone. Suited for played traditional music with all its ornamentation. The tin whistle References to the whistle or feadn go back to ancient times of Fionn Mac Cumhail. 2 types are most common; one in C and one in D.
For group playing, the D whistle is used, as much traditional music is played in keys of one or two sharps. The bodhrn Types of drum, made of calfs skin stretched over wood. Played with a two headed stuck or knuckles. Bones and Spoons Played as percussion instruments.
Free Reed Instruments Appeared in Ireland in the first half of the nineteenth century. Consist of melodeon, accordion and concertina. All have a reed which consists of a strip of metal, which is fastened over an opening in a metal frame. When air is applied it vibrates producing sound. Concertina Hexagonal shape Keyboard extended over both ends of the instrument, so both hands play the melody.
No bass. Melodeon Became popular at the end of the nineteenth century. Used for sets, half sets and many other dances. Accordion Development of the melodeon. Became popular in the 1920s. Piano accordion; used mainly for ceil music and band music. Button accordion; also known as the box. It has two sets of keys which makes it fully chromatic.
The Belfast Harp Festival 1792

The first Belfast Harp Festival took place in 1792. It was organised by a group of Belfast people who wished to promote the Irish harp.
Despite excellent prizes and top fees being offered only 11 people came, and 6 of them were over 70. The harpers played for 3 days, showing off their skills and talents. A young musician, Edward Bunting was hired to note down all of the tunes.
Turlough Carolan
Born in Nobber, Co. Meath in 1670. Blinded by smallpox at the age of 14. Mrs McDermott Roe, a family friend, saw that he was talented musically and arranged harp lessons for him. Became a travelling harper at thePlanxty: age of a 21. planxty is a
tune composed He wrote many tunes for his hosts, called in
planxties, named in honour of their patron. Carolan was influenced by Corelli and Vivaldi. His last composition, composed on his death bed, is called Carolan`s Farewell to Music.
Collector of Irish Music; Edward Bunting

Born in Armagh in 1773. He studied music and became a professional organist. When he was 19 he got a job at the Belfast Harp Festival noting down all the tunes that the harpers played that otherwise would have been lost. He travelled all over Ireland collecting the airs, songs and dances of the people. He published these under the title; General Collection of the Ancient Irish Music.
Thomas Moore
Born in Dublin 1779. Attended Whytes Academy and later Trinity College, Dublin. There he met Robert Emmet who was to influence is life greatly.
Moore got the idea of writing poetry to match the music that Edward Bunting the collector had published. Introduced this music to an appreciative audience in England. Examples of his music are The Meeting of the Waters, and The Last Rose of Summer.
Composer of Irish Music; Sen Riada

Born in Limerick 1931. Studied music in UCC. He became famous in 1959 for writing the music for Mise ire. In 1961 he formed the group Ceoltir Cualann. They gave Irish music a new image. They played dance music, slow airs and many of the tunes of Turlough Carolan the harper. Ceoltir Cualann had many instruments including flute, tin whistle, fiddles, uilleann pipes, bodhrn and harpsichord. He died in 1971, at the age of 41.
Riverdance
New image to Irish dance and music. Exciting piece of music inspired by the River Liffey. Instruments include fiddle, uilleann pipes, saxophone, bodhrn, accordion and keyboards. Original show performed by the group Anna, who mixed traditional Sean-ns style with a medieval sound.
Dances were innovative, energetic and colourful. First movement was an exciting mixture of traditional Irish, Eastern European, Classical, Folk and Jazz elements that all came together for a brilliant ending.

Irish Music

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Irish Music

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Irish Music

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Irish Music

Traditional Groups: The Chieftains

Irish Rock Groups: The Pogues

Irish Folk Songs

Characteristics of Traditional Irish Music

Performance of traditional Irish Music

Double jig time mainly groups of 3 quavers in a bar.

The reel time Came from Scotland Fast fluid rhythm

The Belfast Harp Festival 1792

Collector of Irish Music; Edward Bunting

Composer of Irish Music; Sen Riada

You might also like