Traditional Music
Traditional Irish music dates back to as early as the 18th century, with its roots firmly placed in 12th century bardic traditions. The rhythms of traditional Irish music are closely linked with the rhythms of traditional Irish poetry, with this music falling into two categories: songs and dance.
Traditional Singing
The traditional songs for the voice can be broken into five styles: love songs (the most common), vision poems or ‘aisling’ (where the singer personifies Ireland), laments, drinking songs and work songs. Through all five of these styles the words are of paramount importance to tell the story.
The singing style of these songs was traditionally unaccompanied and highly ornamented to compensate for the lack of musical instruments, due to their expense. The singer may choose to embellish a song by stretch[ing] certain syllables or slightly varying the notes or stopping and prolonging them. These songs can also be sung in either English or Irish (Gaelic).
The singing style of these songs was traditionally unaccompanied and highly ornamented to compensate for the lack of musical instruments, due to their expense. The singer may choose to embellish a song by stretch[ing] certain syllables or slightly varying the notes or stopping and prolonging them. These songs can also be sung in either English or Irish (Gaelic).
Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel O’Donnell is a Irish singer well known for his traditional smooth, ‘crooning’ vocals. Born in 1961 in Dungloe, County Donegal, Ireland - a poor country at the time, where things were being slowly modernised - Daniel began his musical career singing in the church choir.
Daniel joined his sister’s band in the early 1980’s as a guitarist, but found that all he wanted to do was sing. By 1983 Daniel recorded his first album and formed the band, Country Fever and a year later, The Grassroots. At a solo performance at the London Irish Festival in 1985 Daniel met Mick Clerkin who offered him a recording contract with Rosette Records.
Being community taught (beginning his singing at social events in his parish hall), Daniel’s repertoire is made up of many traditional Irish songs and his originals works contain traditional Irish music elements. His interpretations of these 18th and 19th century old pieces, such as the lament ‘Danny Boy’, are beautifully executed.
Daniel’s success has led to numerous sold out world tours where he has had the opportunity to perform at esteemed venues, from the Royal Albert Hall in London, to the Sydney Opera House.
In 2002 Daniel was awarded an Honorary MBE for his services to the music industry due to his immense chart history with both record and video sales.
Earlier this year (2012) Daniel used his success to release a charity single. Co – written with Marc Roberts (singer/songwriter from Ireland who represented Ireland in 1997 Eurovision Song Contest) the single ‘I’ll See This Journey Through’ was specially written for the Irish Cancer Society and Relay for Life. With all the proceeds from the single going to cancer research in Ireland, ‘I’ll See This Journey Through’ has helped to raise more than 150, 000 Euros towards the cause.
The single, ‘I’ll See This Journey Through’, is available in our online store.
Daniel joined his sister’s band in the early 1980’s as a guitarist, but found that all he wanted to do was sing. By 1983 Daniel recorded his first album and formed the band, Country Fever and a year later, The Grassroots. At a solo performance at the London Irish Festival in 1985 Daniel met Mick Clerkin who offered him a recording contract with Rosette Records.
Being community taught (beginning his singing at social events in his parish hall), Daniel’s repertoire is made up of many traditional Irish songs and his originals works contain traditional Irish music elements. His interpretations of these 18th and 19th century old pieces, such as the lament ‘Danny Boy’, are beautifully executed.
Daniel’s success has led to numerous sold out world tours where he has had the opportunity to perform at esteemed venues, from the Royal Albert Hall in London, to the Sydney Opera House.
In 2002 Daniel was awarded an Honorary MBE for his services to the music industry due to his immense chart history with both record and video sales.
Earlier this year (2012) Daniel used his success to release a charity single. Co – written with Marc Roberts (singer/songwriter from Ireland who represented Ireland in 1997 Eurovision Song Contest) the single ‘I’ll See This Journey Through’ was specially written for the Irish Cancer Society and Relay for Life. With all the proceeds from the single going to cancer research in Ireland, ‘I’ll See This Journey Through’ has helped to raise more than 150, 000 Euros towards the cause.
The single, ‘I’ll See This Journey Through’, is available in our online store.
Lilting
Lilting or ‘diddling’ is another traditional Irish singing style developed during the English occupation of Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries. During this time Queen Elizabeth I wanted to assimilate the Irish to the Anglo-Saxons and banned the playing and owning of Irish instruments and singing or playing of Irish songs. Thus because of this the vocal techniques of lilting, the fast light and rhythmic singing of meaningless syllables to create an instrumental effect, was born.
Traditional Dance Music
Traditional Irish dance music is mostly of an instrumental nature, dominated by strings, winds and reeds, including: fiddle, tin whistle, flute and uilleann/ union pipes.
This dance music has six common variations with corresponding dances:
The jig (12/8 time), double jig (6/8 time), reel (4/4 time), hornpipe (swung 4/4 time), slip jig (9/8 time), and occasional versions of polkas (2/4 time).
The longevity of traditional Irish music can be attributed to its oral passing from one generation to the next, throughout the centuries, through what are known as ‘sessions’. These sessions are most commonly informal gathering[s] of amateur musicians in a local pub leading to a communal appreciation and celebration of traditional [Irish] music.
Now, in modern times, websites, such as ‘The Session’ (http://www.thesession.org/index.php), have been created to pass on jigs, reels and other dance tunes to keep traditional Irish music alive.
This dance music has six common variations with corresponding dances:
The jig (12/8 time), double jig (6/8 time), reel (4/4 time), hornpipe (swung 4/4 time), slip jig (9/8 time), and occasional versions of polkas (2/4 time).
The longevity of traditional Irish music can be attributed to its oral passing from one generation to the next, throughout the centuries, through what are known as ‘sessions’. These sessions are most commonly informal gathering[s] of amateur musicians in a local pub leading to a communal appreciation and celebration of traditional [Irish] music.
Now, in modern times, websites, such as ‘The Session’ (http://www.thesession.org/index.php), have been created to pass on jigs, reels and other dance tunes to keep traditional Irish music alive.
The Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are world renowned for their lilting traditional Irish song and dance music. Formed as a semi – professional group in Dublin in 1963, The Chieftains are made up of some of the best folk musicians in Ireland.
The Chieftains were founded by Paddy Moloney, from‘Ceoltoiri Chualann’ - an ensemble specialising in highly traditional instrumental music. Most importantly ‘Ceoltoiri Chualann’ played traditional dances with a natural lilt and abandon that came from deep within the music's origins, and… stripped [the airs] of their worst modern inflections, and this ideology is reflected in The Chieftains interpretations of traditional works.
After deciding to move from a part time ensemble to a professional group in the 1970’s, The Chieftains began to gain international recognition with the release of their first four records (initially only released under the Irish label, Claddah between 1968 and 1970) in the USA and England by Island Records.
The group’s big break though was in 1975 when they provided the music for American director, Stanley Kubrick’s film, Barry Lyndon. The film itself wasn't a hit, but the Chieftains were. The track ‘Women of Ireland’ was so popular it was played religiously on FM progressive rock stations and even made it onto some station’s Top 40 list. This popularity led to a tour of the U.S, multiple television performances and further album releases, which has guided The Chieftains to their current international acclaim.
Today, The Chieftains consist of four members; Paddy Moloney - uilleann pipes and tin whistle; Seán Keane - fiddle; Kevin Conneff – bodhrán and vocals and Matt Molloy - Irish flute. To date they have released 41 albums, played on numerous sound tracks and collaborated with the likes of Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger, Van Morrison and Sinead O’Connor.
In celebration of their 50th anniversary this year (2012) The Chieftains released ‘Voice of Ages’ featuring the talents of every living past or current member of the band and contributions from current popular artists including Bon Iver and the Civil Wars.
Voice of Ages’ is a joyful 50th anniversary celebration and a gift from The Chieftains to their fans and lovers of traditional Irish music around the world. The album is not purely traditional Irish music, but every song has some special quality to link it to the spirit of The Chieftains and what they've been about for the last fifty years. – Amazon.com
The Chieftains were founded by Paddy Moloney, from‘Ceoltoiri Chualann’ - an ensemble specialising in highly traditional instrumental music. Most importantly ‘Ceoltoiri Chualann’ played traditional dances with a natural lilt and abandon that came from deep within the music's origins, and… stripped [the airs] of their worst modern inflections, and this ideology is reflected in The Chieftains interpretations of traditional works.
After deciding to move from a part time ensemble to a professional group in the 1970’s, The Chieftains began to gain international recognition with the release of their first four records (initially only released under the Irish label, Claddah between 1968 and 1970) in the USA and England by Island Records.
The group’s big break though was in 1975 when they provided the music for American director, Stanley Kubrick’s film, Barry Lyndon. The film itself wasn't a hit, but the Chieftains were. The track ‘Women of Ireland’ was so popular it was played religiously on FM progressive rock stations and even made it onto some station’s Top 40 list. This popularity led to a tour of the U.S, multiple television performances and further album releases, which has guided The Chieftains to their current international acclaim.
Today, The Chieftains consist of four members; Paddy Moloney - uilleann pipes and tin whistle; Seán Keane - fiddle; Kevin Conneff – bodhrán and vocals and Matt Molloy - Irish flute. To date they have released 41 albums, played on numerous sound tracks and collaborated with the likes of Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger, Van Morrison and Sinead O’Connor.
In celebration of their 50th anniversary this year (2012) The Chieftains released ‘Voice of Ages’ featuring the talents of every living past or current member of the band and contributions from current popular artists including Bon Iver and the Civil Wars.
Voice of Ages’ is a joyful 50th anniversary celebration and a gift from The Chieftains to their fans and lovers of traditional Irish music around the world. The album is not purely traditional Irish music, but every song has some special quality to link it to the spirit of The Chieftains and what they've been about for the last fifty years. – Amazon.com