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Note these are rough notes for student use....
 

Lesson 2 The Collections the Harp-Alan Stivell and Derek Bell and Relatively Irish

A glimpse at the state of Irish Music- The collections
Improvisation ensures that Irish music will continue to evolve. Collections
Give us stop action images of the state of the tradition. They are good records but
Should not be models. The tradition processes songs adding a large degree of individuality to each performance. Sometimes this change or perhaps even an error
Is immortalized forever as it is picked up by the tradition.  Therefore….take a tune from a collection and make it your own by utilizing the force of the tradition to mold it.

First known tune  The Croppy Boy – found in William Ballet’s Lute Book and in Fitzwilliam Virginal Book(Callino Casturame Cailin o chos tSuire me (I am a  girl from the banks of the Suir River.
17th Century:
Playford’s The Dancing Master
Durfeys Pills to Purge Melancholy
Irish:
Neales- A collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes Dublin 1726
    Taimse mo chodladh (I am Asleep)
Coffery’s the Beggars Wedding Dublin 1728.
Wright’s Aria di Camera 1730 (many tunes from Neale)
Two volumes of airs 1750 Burke Tbumoth Collection
Lee Collection 1774 – Piping rector from Limerick Rev. Jackson, 1780 O Carolan
Walker Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards
Thompson- Hibernian Muse 1786

Bryson 1790- A Curious Selection of Favorite Tunes with Variations, Fifty Favorite Irish Aris.
Cooke’s Selections of Twenty one Favorite Original Irish Airs arranged for Pianoforte 1793
Bunting Ancient Irish Music 1796
Petrie  Ancient Music of Ireland 1855
Joyce Ancient Irish Music 1875
Francis O’Neill  The music of Irelnad 1903 (Chicago) Dance Music
Sam Henry Songs of the People

1. Alan Stivell- perhaps the closest to a bardic harp Stivell is from Brittany and is a strong force behind an independent Breton Culture. He composes and plays in the ancient tradition.
Alan Stivell in Concert
Ramblin 806 1991
Video
 
 

2. Bunting- In the late 18th century Bunting produced books recording the great harpers of his day and the last of their kind. He assembled them at one last gathering of harpers at the Belfast harpers convention of 1798.
The Celtic Harp A Tribute to Edward Bunting
The Chieftains and The Belfast Harp Orchestra
Musical Heritage Society
514488L
2.Tribute to Bunting
3.The Parting of Friends/Kerry Fling
4. Planxty Bunting
5. Madame Cole
6. The Blackbird
7.T/amise ‘im Chodladh
 

3. Derek Bell- Perhaps one of the greatest harpers now living and performing is Derek Bell.  He is noted for his amazing playing as well as his amazing personality. Here we feature the harp music of O’Carolan. O’Carolan was a harper exposed to the Baroque music of Europe and it mixes well with his traditional tunes. We must always remember that from the earliest of  times Irish music has been mixed with and linked with that of Europe.
A Celtic Evening With Derek Bell
Clarity 9849950122  1997
2. Brigid Cruis- O’ Carolan
3.Introduction
4.Carolan’s Quarrel with the Landlady
5.Lady Dillon- O’Carolan
6. Dark Rosie- Traditional

4.    Relatively Irish. While I have no recordings of theirs I have included a few tunes representative of their style. They are regulars at J. Patrick’s on André St. in Baltimore.
Stop by and see them.
From Galway To Dublin
Rounder 1166110872
The Boston Burglar #7
Let Mr. Maguire Sit Down #20
The Widow Malone #24