World Music EU 10 Celtic Music and Music of Ireland

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Ireland – brief history Republic of Ireland  Capital – Dublin  Majority are Catholic  Official languages are English and Irish Gaelic  26 different counties that have produced different styles of music Northern Ireland  Capital – Belfast  Still a province of the UK (along with England, Scotland, Wales….)  Struggle between Irish Protestant majority and Irish Catholic minority  History includes persecution of Catholics, terrorism, British rule…..

Ireland – brief history  1840’s potato famine – death of 1.5 million people  Tension with Britain  Massive emigration which created Irish diaspora – international network of communities linked together with a common ancestral homeland and culture  1921 – Irish Free State led to nationalism  Periods of economic devastation, political unrest, religious persecution  However, music became a powerful symbol of national identity and nationalism

Ireland – brief history  Traditional music survived well for many reasons  Ireland was not involved in WW1 or WW2  Agricultural economy where oral tradition thrives  Music was a big party of Irish nationalism and identity  Irish Folklore Commission – government created organization that travelled through Ireland, transcribing, recording, and distributing local/traditional songs, airs, and dance music.  Music of different counties were studied, spread, and blended  Irish traditional music is Europe’s most commercially successful traditional music of present day

5 main categories of Irish music  Sean Nos (shawn-nohs) – “old ways”- songs that are sung in Irish Gaelic  Airs – slow instrumental melodies which are often performed in free rhythm  Songs sung in English  Music of the Irish Harp  Instrumental dances & melodies

Sean Nos:  Heart of Irish Traditional Music  Elaborate or subtle form of melodic ornamentation  Distinctive rhythmic phrasing  Deeply felt emotional expression  Theme often of nature, poetry, love song, or religious songs

Sean Nos continued  In the belief that the term 'sean-nos' referred to a readily definable style, it has been reduced convincingly by academics and afficionados to a series of characteristics which have been well documented, most notably by Sean O Riada in 1962 and Seoirse Bodley in The following is an amalgam:  1. A bare voice (not 'sweet', with a certain 'natural fierceness').  2. No vibrato.  3. No dynamic. (loud/soft)  4. Emotion is expressed through the use of vocal ornamentation, which varies from singer to singer.  5. Free, non-metronomic rhythm used by the singer.  6. The meaning of the words dictates singing from the heart, with 'soul'. (Without dynamic - see above).  7. Often there is an emphasis on the consonants l, m, n, r to facilitate the free rhythmic pulse and to create a drone effect.  8. Occasional nasalisation.

Sean Nos continued  9. Music takes precedent over the lyric.  10. Often extra meaningless syllables are introduced, e.g., "Thug (a) me".  11. The use of the glottal stop/dramatic pause.  12. It's unaccompanied.  13. The melody varies from one verse to the next, and from one performance to the next. This is often referred to as the 'variation principle'.  14. And last but not least, the singing is in the Irish language.  Additional info about sean nos Additional info about sean nos

Irish airs  The proper musicological definition of ‘air’, I think, is ‘a song melody’ - so it could be anything from Jingle Bells to Summertime.  In the context of Irish Traditional Music, however, it means, in its broadest sense ‘any instrumental tune other than a dance tune’ - so it could include song melodies or, for example, the compositions of O’Carolan.  Very often, however, ‘air’ is a by-word for ‘slow air’; this is an instrumental tune, generally coming from the sean-nós (old-style) singing repertoire, played in non-metric rhythm, often richly ornamented, with phrasing based heavily on the natural rhythm of the Irish words (although these are not actually sung).  The term ‘slow air’ can be misleading, since, although the tune progresses at a slow pace, it may sometimes be embellished with fast runs of notes. 

Irish Dance Music  Music is usually for an ensemble  2 types of performance venues:  Ceili (kay-lee) – informal social gathering at a pub or dance hall – involves dancing  Irish music session – musicians come together to perform, but not in a dance setting  In earlier history, social dancing to music was the norm  Music and dancing were fundamental to Irish social life  Music, food, drinking, and dancing  Camaraderie, communal bonds, joyful environment  Over time, Irish traditional music performance has become more “professional”

Many types of Irish dances  Dance type describe the type of rhythm/meter used  Jig – fast 6/8…..traditional English jig is 2/4  Slip jig – 9/8  Hornpipe – slow reel in 4/4; accents on beats 1 & 3; can be duple/simple or compound feel  Reel – duple 2/2 or fast 4/4  Dorain, mixolydian, and major scales used  Much ornamentation  Form is often AABB; more ornamentation the second time  Check out these different types of Irish Dances - website Check out these different types of Irish Dances - website

Traditional Irish Instruments  Fiddle – violin – just called the fiddle when referring to traditional music  Flute – usually wooden  Tin whistle/penny whistle – metal tube with 6 holes, played like the recorder  Bagpipes – originated from Scotland – inflatable bag, then finger  Uilleann pipes – softer and smaller bagpipes than Scotish  Bombarde – oboe-like shawm  Accordion

Traditional Irish Instruments  Concertina – small, hexagonal accordion  Hammered dulcimer – zither played with hammers; timbre is similar to harp  Bodhran – goat skin drum  Fretted, guitar-like instruments:  Banjo (4 strings), mandolin, bouzouki, cittern

Traditional Irish Instruments

Irish Music Revival  Seamus Ennis – important figure in the preservation, cultivation, and dissemination of Irish traditional music. His parents were famous uilleann pipers. He became the government’s Irish Folklore Commission and traveled throughout Ireland to transcribe and record songs, airs, and dances.  s – Ireland experienced industrialization and urbanization which led to prosperity but also fear of “culture loss.”  Revival – recordings of traditional music were distributed nationally and internationally. Youth were encouraged to learn traditional instruments, and traditional instrument musicians became more “professional.”

Irish Music Revival  In the 60’s and 70’s, Sean O’Riada invented a fresh, neo-traditional idiom of music  Ensemble usually consisted of uillean pipes, 2 fiddles, tin whistle, accordion, and bodhran  The Chieftains

“Celtic” Music  What's the difference between Irish and Celtic music? Is there one?  Well, traditional music created in Ireland is considered Irish music, but since many people who live in modern-day Ireland are born of Celtic origins (see the map on this page, top right), it is sometimes referred to as Celtic music. So, Irish music may be Celtic, but Celtic music isn't always Irish.  Celtic music:  Fanciful term which expresses a world-view or record-shelf category rather than actual links between music genres.  1. Indicates 'Irish' or 'Scottish' musics, but is increasingly used in Britain and the US to denote 'Irish', this suggesting discomfort with 'Irishness'. In Europe it may denote Breton or Galician music in addition to Irish, Scottish and Welsh. The music of Brittany is different to Irish music, but is within the playing and listening experience of many Irish traditional musicians. Isle of Man, England and Wales are connected cultures, but Scotland has particularly strong linguistic and music links with Ireland, as has the Scots-Irish diaspora in Canada (Cape Breton, Newfoundland, etc.)

“Celtic” Music  2. More superficially the term 'Celtic' has come to apply to an easy- listening, 'mood' music with dreamy, non-specific but Irish/Scots flavour, marketed as 'relaxing', 'evocative', etc. Such albums are legion, and enjoy a large sale in the US where the Narada company produces many compilation and re-licensed collections—including the playing of such as Máire Ní Chathasaigh, John Whelan and Joanie Madden—while the Mercury label's 'Secret Garden' features Davy Spillane. Traditional players sometimes use the term also, probably to appeal to the pre-formed audience. (Seán O'Driscoll's solo album is titled Celtic Music, Shanachie's 90 per cent Irish song collection is Celtic Love Songs, Green Linnet's, with similar composition, is Celtic Women in Music and Song), but few players would describe themselves as playing anything other than 'traditional' or 'Irish' music.  Source:  Fintan Vallely, ed. The Companion to Irish Traditional Music New York University Press, 1999 pp

Music from Scotland  What are the similarities and differences between music from Ireland and Scotland?  s&category=01-- Featured_Stories&archives=show&display=14 s&category=01-- Featured_Stories&archives=show&display=14  Compare the different listenings:  Irish Lunasa: mPo&list=PLDRrTjpfAERn_zERyUJLozLkk4CaR_sp7 &index=1 mPo&list=PLDRrTjpfAERn_zERyUJLozLkk4CaR_sp7 &index=1  Scottish Old Blind Dogs: qQ qQ  6I&index=2&list=PLE08A225B7F89D I&index=2&list=PLE08A225B7F89D754

Exploration Assignment  Find any 5 “modern day” (1960s-present) bands/artists from Ireland, Scotland, and the Celtic Region  Pick 2 songs for each of the bands/artist that is a good representation of their music.  Share those 10 links via to your 3 classmates and myself by…………………. Example: 1. Joe Shamrock2. Connor O’Reilly 1. Link to song 1and the leprechauns 2. Link to song 21. link to song 1 2. link to song 2