Lotus Blossoms 2016 Seán Cleland & Jackie Moran...Irish-American determined to play traditional...
Transcript of Lotus Blossoms 2016 Seán Cleland & Jackie Moran...Irish-American determined to play traditional...
SeánCleland&JackieMoranLotusBlossoms2016
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TableofContents
MusicBackground;FromIrelandtotheUnitedStates……………………………………………………………2
FunFactsabouttheIrishFiddleandBodhrán…………………………………………………………………………3
LearningtoSpeakGaelic…………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
IrishMusicSessions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…4
CéiliDance…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…4
IrishMusicSchoolofChicago:SeánCleland&JackieMoran…………………………………………………..5
In-ClassActivitiesandLessonPlans…………………………………………………………………………………………6
HelpfulLinks……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….6
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………7-9
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MusicBackground;FromIrelandtotheUnitedStates1848-FrancisO'NeillborninTralibane,Co.Cork,Ireland. 1850-1900-Firstmajorattemptsattunecollection.
1890s-SecondCelticrevival.GaelicLeague.PrecursorstoComhaltas.Attempttoreviveratherthanpromote.
1930-DeclineinIrishtraditionalmusicdespiteeffortstopreserve,promote,andnationalizeit
1930s-1940s-IrishtraditionalmusicthrivesanddevelopsinIrishdiasporacommunities(U.S.andelsewhere)
1956:FirstFleadhCheoil.Attempttogivelegitimacytotraditionalmusicandprovideagatheringpointformusicians.
1960s-FirstdecadeofIrishmusicrevival;shifttowardneo-traditionalmusicalstyles,includingensembleratherthansoloperformance.Folkrevival
1980s-Altanandothernewgroupsestablished,preservingtraditionalstyleswhilecontinuingtopushIrishtraditionalmusicinnewdirectionsaswell
1990s-Riverdancebecomesaninternationalsensation
Irishfiddleplayingtodayhasneverbeenmorevigorous,whetherataprofessionaloramateurlevel,withanextremelyhighstandardofplayingandastrongdemandforthemusicbothinIrelandandelsewhere.AsearlyasthemiddleagesIrelandhadaninternationalreputationforthequalityofitsmusicians.
FrancisO'NeillwasanIrish-bornChicagopolicechiefwhocollectedthesinglelargestcollectionofIrishtraditionalmusiceverpublished.Hewasaflautist,fiddlerandpiperwhowaspartofavibrantIrishcommunityinChicagoatthebeginningofthe20thcentury,onethatincludedsomefortythousandpeople,includingmusiciansfromallthirty-twocountiesofIreland,accordingtoNicholasCarolan,whoreferredtoO'Neillas"thegreatestindividualinfluenceontheevolutionofIrishtraditionaldancemusicinthetwentiethcentury.”
FormoreinformationregardingthehistoryandtypesofIrishMusic,pleasereferenceAppendixA
FrancisO’Neill’sManuscripts
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FunFactsabouttheIrishFiddleandBodhránIrishFiddle
• AviolininIrishmusicthatisplayedinanuniquestyleandsoundthatmakesitdifferentfromclassicalviolinplaying
• Theplayingstyleispredominantlyinfirstposition
• ItisplayedwithabowandisthoughttohavebeenplayedinIrelandsincethe17thcentury
Bodhrán
• Thisisalargeframeddrumrangingfrom25cmto65cmindiameterandcoveredwithstretchedanimalskin,typicallygoatskin.
• Itisstruckwithastickwhichistraditionallymadefromdouble-endedknucklebonetoprovidetraditionalmusicwithapulsatingbeat
• Theothersideisopenendedforonehandtobeplacedagainsttheinsideofthedrumheadtocontrolthepitchandtimbre
LearningtoSpeakGaelic
HereisacollectionofphrasestohelpintroduceaclasstotheGaeliclanguage.Consideredacomplexlanguagetolearn,theseshortphrasesincludeaphoneticpronunciationtoassist.Phrase:HelloIrish:DiadhuitPronunciation:Djee-ahgwitch
Phrase:Whatisyourname?Irish:Cadisainmduit?Pronunciation:Codhisanamgwitch
Phrase:ThankyouIrish:GoraibhmaithagatPronunciation:Guhrowmahaguth(rowasincow)
Phrase:You'rewelcomeIrish:TáfáilteromhatPronunciation:Thawfoil-chehroath
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IrishMusicSessions
SessionsaremostlyinformalgatheringsatwhichpeopleplayIrishtraditionalmusic.TheyarethecornerstonesofthesocialnatureofplayingtraditionalIrishmusic.TheIrishlanguagewordforsessionisseisún.
Sessionsareakeyaspectoftraditionalmusic;somesayitisthemainsphereinwhichthemusicisformulatedandinnovated.Further,thesessionsenablelessadvancedmusicianstopracticeinagroup.InmanyruralcommunitiesinIreland,sessionsareanintegralpartofcommunitylife.Sessionsaremostoftenheldinpubsbutalsoareheldinhomesoratvariouspublicplaces.
Thegeneralsessionschemeisthatsomeonestartsatune,andthosewhoknowitjoinin.Goodsessionetiquetterequiresnotplayingifonedoesnotknowthetune,andwaitinguntilatuneoneknowscomesalong.Inan"open"session,anyonewhoisabletoplayIrishmusiciswelcome.A"closed"sessionisbyinvitationonly.
FormoreinformationregardingIrishMusicSessions,pleasereferenceAppendixB
CéiliDance
Acéili(kay-lee)danceisapopularformoffolkdancinginIreland.Traditionalcéilidanceswereenjoyedathousepartiesandcornerroadgatheringsintheruralcountryside.Decadeslater,theyarestilldancedinIrelandandthediaspora.
Céilimusicmaybeprovidedbyanassortmentoffiddle,flute,tinwhistle,accordion,bodhránandinmorerecenttimesalsodrums,guitar,mandolin,andbouzouki.Themusicischeerfulandlively,consistinginIrelandmainlyofjigs,reels,hornpipes,polkas,slip-jigsandwaltzes.DancingatacéiliisusuallyintheformofCèilidhdances,setdancesorcoupledances.A"Set"consistsoffourtoeightcouples,witheachpairofcouplesfacinganotherinasquareorrectangularformation.Eachcoupleexchangespositionwiththefacingcouple,andalsofacingcouplesexchangepartners,whileallthetimekeepinginstepwiththebeatofthemusic.
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CéiliDanceattheCrossroadsinIreland
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IrishMusicSchoolofChicago;SeánCleland&JackieMoran
Theschool’sgoalistoprovidequalityeducationandfunexperiencesinthetraditionalIrishartstoeveryone.Thatincludeslearningfromgreathometownteachersyear-roundaswellastheopportunityforChicagoanstolearnfromandlistentothebesttraditionalIrishmusicdirectfromIreland.
TheSchoolwasfoundedin2003byChicago-bredandinternationallyacclaimedIrishfiddlerSeanCleland.AsayoungIrish-AmericandeterminedtoplaytraditionalIrishmusic,SeanmaderepeatedtripstoIreland.Backathome,heimmersedhimselfinthevibrantChicagoIrishMusiccommunity,literallysittingatthefeetofthemostlyimmigrantIrishmusicians.
SeánCleland-IrishFiddle
SeánisanIrishfiddleplayer,Irishmusicteacher,adjudicator,collaborator,producerandexecutivedirectoroftheIrishMusicSchoolofChicago.SeángrewupontheNorthsideofChicagoinanIrish-Americanhousehold.Hestartedclassicalviolinlessonsatage7,andatage9hisparentstookhimtooneofthefirstNorthAmericanconcerttoursofComhaltasCeoltóiríÉireann,Ireland'snationalmusicorganization.TherehebecameenthralledwithIrishFiddleandbeganplaying.Hehassincegoneontoformamultitudeofgroupsandperformwithsomeofthefinestmusiciansworldwide.
JackieMoran-Bodhrán
BorninTipperary,ten-year-oldJackieandhisfamilyimmigratedtoChicagowherehequicklybegandrummingwiththebestplayersintheIrishmusicscene.HeswiftlygrewintooneofthepreeminentfiguresintheChicagoIrishmusicscene.Jackie’stalentshavealsoledhimtoappearonstagewith“Riverdance,”andtohelpformandperformwiththeTrinityIrishDanceCompany
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In-ClassActivitiesandLessonPlans1) ExploretheworldofIrishculturethroughplaying,singinganddancing.Studentswill
learntodifferentiatestylesofIrishmusicandstartdiscussingtheculturalcontextof
songanddance.FollowthelinktotheSmithsonianlessonplanthatintroduces
traditionaldancingandmusicalactivities: http://www.folkways.si.edu/irish-experiences-
dance-singing-instrument-playing/jigs-polka/music/tools-for-teaching/smithsonian
2) Playthebodhránaccuratelyandwithasteadybeat.Learnlistening,singinganddancing
skillthroughthetraditionalsong“Cunla.”Anydrumwouldserveasasuitablesubstitute
toatraditionalbodhrán.Lessonplanavailableinlink: http://www.folkways.si.edu/irish-
bodhran-celtic-classics-singing-dancing-playing/music/tools-for-teaching/smithsonian
3) TraditionalIrishMusicLearningResourceCenter.Includesamultitudeoflinksto
materials,songsandlearningtools.
http://www.tradirishmusic.org/index_files/ExtHome3.html
HelpfulLinks
1) AinformativebackgroundonFrancisO’Neill,whoservedasaninstrumentalfigurein
spreadingIrishartsandcultureheritagethroughChicagointheearly20thcentury.
http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=1,7,1,1,34
2) ListenandlearnsomeclassicsongsinGaelic!Sheetmusicandaudiorecordingsavailable
atthislink:http://www.gaelic4parents.com/maoilios/listen-and-sing
3) Colorthesesignsthatdenotethevariousroomsofthehousefromthekitchentothe
bedroom.http://www.gaelic4parents.com/maoilios/make-and-print/door-signs
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AppendixA:AdditionalHistory
Incommonwithmanyotherkindsoftraditionalmusic,Irishmusictookabigdownturninthe40’sand50’sasswing,rockandroll,andgeneralpostwaroptimismsawanewgenerationturningtheirbacksonwhatwasseenasatiredandoutdatedgenre.Concernedbythedeclineandpotentialdemiseoftraditionalplaying,agroupofmusiciansgottogetherinDublinin1951andformedComhaltasCeoltóiríÉireann(“gatheringofmusiciansofIreland”),commonlyreferredtoasjustComhaltas(key-ol-tas).TheiraimwastopromoteIrishtraditionalmusic,dancing,languageandculture,andtoestablishanannualnationalfestivalandcompetitionorFleadh.Classesteachinginstrumentsanddancetoyoungchildrenbecamewidespread,andthecompetitionshaveconsistentlydrivenuptheoverallstandardofplaying.
IrishimmigrantscreatedalargenumberofemigrantballadsonceintheUnitedStates.Thesewereusuallysadlaments,steepedinnostalgia,andself-pity,andsingingthepraisesoftheirnativesoilwhilebitterlycondemningthelandofthestranger.Thesesongsincludefamoussongslike"ThousandsAreSailingtoAmerica"and"BytheHush",though"ShamrockShore"maybethemostwellknowninthefield.
AppendixB:AdditionalHistory&TypesofIrishMusicbyStyle
Mostoftentherearemore-or-lessrecognizedsessionleaders;sometimestherearenoleaders.Attimesasongwillbesungoraslowairplayedbyasinglemusicianbetweensets.
Typically,thefirsttuneisfollowedbyanothertwoorthreetunesinaset.Theartofputtingtogetherasetishardtoputintowords,butthetunesmustflowfromonetoanotherintermsofkeyandmelodicstructure,withoutbeingsosimilarastoallsoundthesame.Thetunesofasetwillusuallyallbeofthesamesort,i.e.alljigsorallreels,althoughonrareoccasionsandamongstamoreskilledgroupofplayersacomplementarytuneofadifferentsortwillbeincluded,suchasaslipjigamongstthejigs.
Somesetsarespecifictoalocale,oreventoasinglesession,whilstothers,likethe"Colemanset"ofreels("TheTarbolton"/"TheLongfordCollector"/TheSailor'sBonnet"),representlongstandingcombinationsthathavebeenplayedtogetherfordecades.
AppendixC:TypesofIrishMusicbyStyle
Reelsarefasttunesin4/4time(ormoreaccurately,incuttime).ReelsarethestapleofIrishtraditionalsessionstheworldover,usuallyoutnumberingallothertunetypesbyalargemargin.TheywereimportedfromScotlandinthelate18thC,buthavenowdevelopedtheirownstyleinIreland,andmakeupalargepartoftherepertoire.Theyaremadeupmostlyofeighthnotes(quavers),whichmaybeplayedstraight,orgivenaswingabitlikehornpipes.Thepulseofareelcaneitherbeonthefirstofeachfourquavers(theonbeat),oronthethird(theoffbeator
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backbeat).KevinBurkefrequentlyusesthelatterapproach,similartotheAmericanGeorgiashuffle.Patternsinwhichthebowrocksacrosstwostringsarecommoninreels.Mostreelshaverepeatedeight-barsections;making32bars(eg.theStarofMunster,theMerryBlacksmith,)Lesscommonare3-part(48bar)reelssuchastheFloggingReelortheMovingCloud.Singlereelsarethoseinwhichthe8-barsectionsarenotrepeated.Examplesoftwo-partsinglereelsincludeTheWindthatShakestheBarley,theMonaghanTwig,andDrowsyMaggie.Singlereelscanalsobethree-part(TheFloggingReel,theLongfordSpinster,BoysofMalin);fourpart;(LordMacDonald’s),orfive-part(BucksofOranmore).
Reelsareusuallyfastandflashy,showingthefiddler'stechniquetogoodeffect,thoughMartinHayesisknownforplayingreelsinaveryslowandexpressivefashion.
HornpipeswereintroducedfromEngland.Theyaresimilartoreels,butwithabouncy,"humptydumpty"rhythmcreatedbylengtheningthefirstofeachpairofquavers,andshorteningthesecond.Theytendtobeplayedslowerthanreels,particularlywhenplayedfordancing.Ahornpipecanbereliablyidentifiedifthe8barlineendswiththreeevencrotchets,asforexampleinthesailor’shornpipe.Hornpipestendtobemoremelodicthanreels,andwithmoreharmonicinterest,andfrequenttripletsareacommonfeature.Arpeggiatedphrases,chromaticnotesandimpliednon-diatonicchordsareallcommoninhornpipes.ExamplesincludeHarvestHome,BoysofBluehill,StackofBarleyandOfftoCalifornia.ListentoFrankieGavin’stakeonTheWonderHornpipe,whichmorethanlivesuptoitsname.
Polkasareplayedfasterthanreels,butfeelsteadierastheyhavefarfewerrunsofquavers.Theyarein2/4time-ietwocrotchetstothebar.TheyoriginatedinPolandinthe1830's.ThepolkawassoonapopularthroughouttheballroomsofEurope,beforefilteringdowntothedancesofordinarypeople.Polkasareoftenverysimplemelodies,andaparticularlyprevalentintheSliabhLuachraregionofCork,KerryandLimerick.AmongtheleadingexponentswereJuliaCliffordandDenisMurphy,abrotherandsisterfromcountyKerry,andmorerecentlythefiddlerMattCranitchfromthebandSliabhNotes.
Examplesofwell-knownpolkasincludeMaggieintheWood,The£42cheque,FarewelltoWhiskey,andDenisMurphy'sPolka.BritchesfullofStitchesisaparticularlyeasytunetolearn,asitisbasedonapentatonic(fivenote)scale.
Jigs,amongtheoldestformofIrishdancetune,haveabouncy6/8rhythm,withastressatthebeginningofeachthreenotes(rashersandsausages)ExampleswouldbeHastetotheWeddingorLannigan'sBall.Youmaysometimeshearthetermdoublejig;thisisinfactthenormalform.Theterm“double”inreferencetojigsreferstothe“doublebattering”stepusedbydancers.
Jigsareoccasionallythree-part(suchasDingleRegatta)orfour-part(TheLark),butlikemostIrishtunesareusually2-part.Asinglejighasasimplerrhythm(boiltheeggsandcookthebacon),andissometimesnotatedin12/8time.ThebestknownexamplesincludeSmashtheWindows,HagattheChurnandOffSheGoes.
Slipjigs.Farlesscommonthanordinaryjigs,thesehaveasimilarfeelbutarein9/8(cookingmyrashersandsausages).Theslipjigisusedforagracefulsoftshoestepdance,usuallydancedby
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womenonly,andalsofortheceilidanceStriptheWillow.AmongthebestknownareTheButterfly(acompositionbyDublinfiddlerTommyPotts),RockyRoadtoDublin,DropsofBrandy,theKidontheMountainandtheFoxhunter’sJig.
Slides;similartojigsagain,butinabrisk12/8time;foundonlyinthesouthwestofIreland.Theycanbedistinguishedfromjigsbythelongmelodicphraseswhichwouldnotfitintoabarof6/8(cookingmytatersandrashersandsausages)ExamplesincludeStarabovetheGarter,HareintheCorn,andKilfenoraJig.
Mazurkas.LikePolkas,Mazurkasoriginatedascouple-dancesinPoland(aMazurbeinganinhabitantoftheprovinceofMazovia).Theyarein3/4time,butunlikethewaltz,theaccentisusuallyonthesecondbeatofthebar.ExamplesincludeJohnnyDoherty's,CharlieLennon's,andSonny'sMazurka.Theyareplayedsomewhatfasterthenawaltz.TheyhavebecomeparticularlyassociatedwithDonegalmusic.
Slowairs,derivedinpartfromthesean-nos(oldstyle)gaelicsinging,areonlyoccasionallyplayedatsessions,andmakemoredemandsontoneandintonationthandothedancetunes.Theyareplayedrubato,andwithagreatdealofexpression.Examplesofwell-knownslowairsincludeAnChúilfhionn(TheCoolin),BeanDubha’Gleanna(DarkwomenoftheGlen),SliabhGealGcua(Fareyouwell),andTheWoundedHussar.Slowairsareanimportantfeatureoffiddlecontestsatthefleadh;intheadultcategorytheplayingofoneiscompulsory.Itissaidthattoperformoneproperly,youneedtobefamiliarwiththegaeliclyrics,otherwisethephrasingwillmakenosense.
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Materials Prepared by Lotus Education Arts Foundation, January 2016
Written - Sean Benolken, Lotus Graduate Assistant
Contributor - Kathy Medic & the Irish Music School of Chicago
Photo Credit – Irish Music School of Chicago
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Please contact Loraine Martin, Outreach Director
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