Core Elements of Irish Traditional Music
oral tradition
the music is transmitted aurally
Monophonic music (just melody)
Structure: 8-bars with regular metres
Small number of dance forms
Small-scale melodic and rhythmic variation and ornamentation
Importance of rhythm: lift and drive
Slide
metre: 12/8
dance tune
fast
Flute
origin
well-known player
similar to the wooden concert flute —> can have keys
Origin: marching bands of political and temperance movements in the 19th century
Musician: Matt Molloy
The Harp
History
how to play
National Instrument of ireland
origin: 8/9th century —> lyre/cithara
difference to classical harp: no pedals
Well-known player: Michael Roony, Laoise Kelly
Regional Styles
= sense of place, identity, tradition
different styles developed in different regions
distinguished throug remoteness/natural barriers —> eg. rural isolation
nowadays styles are not limited to a specific area (technology, infrastructure)
Uillean Pipes
Origin
well known player
origin: evolved from the pastoral bagpipe in the early 1700s
can be found in a variety of pitches
Musicians: Liam O´Flynn, Louise Mulcahy
Accordion / Concertina
Differences
Origin: anglo-german
—> became very popular in the early 19th century
—> worldwide mass production and distribution
Differnces: accoridon is bigger, has keys
Musicians:
concertina: Noel Hill, Edel Fox
Accordion: Sharon Shannon
Cut/Tap
=Vorschlag
Cut= higher than principle note
Tap= lower than principle note
core instruments of irish traditional music
harp
fiddle
tin whistle
flute
Mandolin / Mandola / Bouzouki / (Tenor)Banjo
Bodhrán
Bones
Conertina
(Button)Accordion
Types of Tunes
Reel
Jigs
Slip Jig
Polka
Hornpipe
Slow Air
March
Set Dance
Mazurka
Flings
Highlands
Waltz
part
= section of a tune
consists of 8 bar
—> each containing two groups of four quavers
usually repeated
B-Part is referred to as “turn”
Jig and Slip-Jig
Jig:
metre: 6/8
RA-SHERS-AND-SAU-SA-GES
Slip-Jig
metre: 9/8
RA-SHERS-AND-SAU-SA-GES-SAU-SA-GES
origin: popular in ireland since the 19th century
—> advanced in the last 20 years through manufacturing
Musicians: Eamon Murray
Prelude Polkas
Instruments: bodhrán, accordion, piano and modern instruments, fiddle, uillean pipes
Harp
An Caoineadh
Heathery Breeze_Long Strand
hornpipe
metre: 4/4
slower than reel
syncopated
—> defined accent on first and thrid beat of each bar
Round
= 16/32 bar-structure which underpins dance music performance
Fiddle
origin / developement
modern fiddle developed in Europe around 1550
big developements in the 17th century (Europe) and 20th century (USA)
Musician: Martin Hayes, Liz Doherty
Mandolin / Mandola
differences
origin: earliest reference dates back to the 16th century
pear-backed lute , 4 strings
Mandola: “octave Mandolin”
—> 4 sets of double strings
—> played an octave lower than Mandolin
Musicians: Mick Moloney, Andy Irvine
(Long) Roll - short/half roll
Vorschlag
played quickly
five notes in rapid succession
Cran
mostly for Uillean Pipes, flutes and whistles
played by playing a note then repeating the note two or three times, each time with a cut just before it
Bouzouki
Origin: Turkey (saz, baghlama), 3000
—> Borught to ireland by Johnny Moynihan (Planxty, Dan Danann)
Musicians: Andy Irvine
set
= number of tunes played one after the other
name the ornamentaitions
long and short roll
—> long: on punktierter halbe
—> short: on halbe note
McAlindens, Brian Conways
Instruments: fiddle, accordion/concertina,
(Tenor) Banjo
Origin: african-american istrument
—> popular in Ireland since the 19th century
Musicians: Cathal Hayden, Mary Shannon
Most common Ornamentations
cuts/taps
rolls
crans
triplets
variation
phrasing
articulation
01 The Curlew - McDermotts - Three
Tune:
Instruments: fiddle, harmonia, mandola, bodhrán
bones
origin: have been used in various music-culture all around the world
Musician: Johnny (Ringo) McDonagh
Metre: 2/4
lively and fast
how is a tune structured?
structured into parts
parts and then the whole tune are usually repeated
Usual form: AABB (repeat)
Tune
basis for traditional irish music (popular since 18/19th cent.)
repetitive —> mostly repeated 2-4 times in a performance
most for the purpose of dancing
modal tonality
limited number of keys
Reels
Danny OMahony
The Maids of Mount Cisco
The Pigeon on the Gate
John Dwyers
Instruments:
Easter Snow
slow air
instruments: Uilleann Pipes
fast and lively
BLACK-AND-DEC-KER
Example : Danny OMahony - The Maids of Mount Cisco, The Pigeon on the Gate, John Dwyers
Triplet
an extra note is added between two principle notes of a tune
three note are played in the same time as the two principle notes
rise or fall
Variation in Irish Traditional Music
phrase or bar of a tune is taken and changed slightly
depend on the contrast that they make with the basic tune
—> Important: basic tune must be well-know to the listener
Tin whistle
origin/ developement
whistle only a trad.-instrument since 19th century
one of the most popular instruments (cheap, easily accessible)
Musicians: Mary Bergin, Micho Russell
derived from sean nós songs
free rhythm
Gort na Mona, Tir Rafaraigh
Flute and Harp
instruments: fiddle
Patrick DArcy - The Harvest Home
Instruments: Uilleann Pipes
The Moving Clouds, Devannys Goat
tune:
instruments: concertina
Slides
Instruments: tin-whistle, fiddle, some kind of guitar-instrument, accordion, flute
Last changed2 years ago