There is not one single definition for traditional Irish music. Traditional Irish music is made up of different types of music and song, played by Irish people both in and outside of Ireland. It is a living tradition, today heard at “social gatherings, pub sessions, dances, concerts, and festivals in various urban settings”. Much of Irish music is rooted in dance, ranging sean nos, meaning old style, ceili, or set dancingThe most common dance tunes include reels, jigs, hornpipes, polkas, mazourkas, and highlands, played on wind, string, and free-reed instruments. Traditional Irish music was indeed established in the past, the generic forms and structural characteristics developed in the mid and late 18th century. While Irish music always maintains a set structure, as Irish culture itself changes, so does the way that traditional Irish songs are adapted and performed. In addition to the structure, another constant is the type of instruments that musicians use to make up the distinct sound of Irish music. Among these instruments are the accordion, fiddle, and uilleann pipes, which though their construction, sound and style, have contributed to the distinct sound that is traditional Irish music.
Before looking at what role the accordion, fiddle, and uilleann pipes play in traditional Irish music, it is first important to understand each instrument’s construction and how it is played. Accordions, described as being “conceived for a mass market of amateur musicians,” can be defined as “bellows-operated, free-reed, diatonic instruments.” The player uses his or her right hand to operate buttons or keys, which creates the melody, and his or her left hand to operate the bass notes. When the player opens and closes the bellows, the pressu...
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...e all contribute to the musical identity of Ireland. There are numerous opportunites to hear traditional Irish music being played. Every summer, Clare has the Doolin Folk Festival, and in Dublin, the Frank Harte Festival. Today, there is an increase in the imagination, innocvation, and collaboration of musicians. For example, The Gloaming is an Irish music group founded by fiddler Martin Hays and singer and musician Iarla O Lionaird. While The Gloaming play traditional Irish music, keeping in tune with the sound and structure of it, the band brings in a fresh sound and makes music out of poems. The connected world has led to an increase opportunities for traidititional Irish music, and it is the continuous playing of the accordion, uilleann pipes, fiddler, the collaboration of musicians, and the heart of the players that allows traditional Irish music to stay alive.
It is believed that the Irish brought to the region the fiddle and the pipes. It is believed that the first stringed instrument, the dulcimer was brought by the Germans, Norwegians, Swedish and French. The dulcimer became known as the 1“Hog Fiddle” or “Music Box”.
The Irish song “The Dingle Set” features a fiddle, a flute, and many other instruments, including stringed instruments, clapping and human voices. This piece is set to a very quick tempo that only changes when it abruptly stops at the very end of the piece and it is in a duple meter with a very distinct melody played by a fiddle with harmonies underneath it. All of the instrumental parts are either homophonic with the melody or the piece can be considered polyphonic with other parts playing underneath such as a stringed part outlining the downbeats. It has two sections, the first of which has the pattern AABB twice with the whole ensemble playing full. After that, the ensemble drops out the the fiddle plays both parts solo, then variations
The clarinet is a woodwind instrament consisting of a cylindrical wood, metal, or ebonite pipe with a bell-shaped opening at one end and a mouthpiece at the other end, to which a thin reed is attached. The clarinet has five different sections, the mouthpiece, the barrel, the upper section, the lower section, and the bell. The length of the entire instrument is 60 cm long. The mouthpiece section consists of a slotted cylinder, to which a reed is attached by a metal clamp called a ligature. The mouthpiece plugs into the next section which is a barrel. The barrel is simply a connecting cylinder to which the mouthpiece and the upper section plugs into. The upper section is a cylindrical pipe consisting of 4 holes and 9 keys placed in different locations along the pipe. On the back of the pipe there is a hole and a key that is used by the thumb. The lower section plugs into the upper section and is also connected via a special bridge key. This piece consists of 3 holes and 8 keys. On the inward facing side of the pipe, there is a protruding piece of metal called a thumb rest, which supports the entire clarinet. The bell plugs into the lower section. It consists of a cylinder that flares out into a bell shape and ends the clarinet.
The history of the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble will be reflected through a timeline of events, including an analysis of significant events, groups, composers, and advancements. When society envisions a Wind Ensemble, talented musicians, grand music halls, and difficult arrangements typically come to mind. However, a modern-day Wind Ensemble includes a variety of musicians, each with positive and negative aspects. In society today, music is greatly appreciated and accepted. It is considered an honor and a privilege to expose our ears to the music.
The book America’s Musical Landscape starts by looking back to early North American Music from the American Indians, to the religious and non religious music of the European and African settlers. According to the book “Native American music was and is song, sometimes supported by instruments.”1 The Native American used different types of instruments to accompany their songs or chants such as the drums, flute and rattles. Like music for us today the Native Americans used music in all different aspects of their lives. The early European settlers br...
The Western concert flute has a range that extends three full octaves and a fourth up to the F two octaves above the treble clef staff. The flute has several capabilities for advanced techniques, including flutter-tongue, in which the tone rapidly flutters to create a vibrating sound. Flutists can also clack the keys and blow to create a crackling sound. Some flute players have mastered the art of multi-phonics, in which two notes play at the same time. One note sounds by the flutist humming while the other note sounds through actually playing the
The melody of Irish Tune itself is notably recognized by many. Percy Grainger used a simple folk song and created one of the most musically challenging works for band. A rubato style with no rhythmic difficulties or key changes, the piece can be deceptive to those that have never played or conducted it. Irish Tune from County Derry will always be one of the most loved works for wind band.
Wolfe, Joe. "How Do Woodwind Instruments Work?." Music Acoustics. 1994. 2014. Web. April 13, 2014. .
To start with, Irish people are known for their sense of humor, their hardworking, loyal, love tall tales, and especially the love of their family. There are also many stereotypical characteristics that we are given such as: all Irish people are drunks (now I can not totally argue with that because most Irish people do enjoy their alcohol), we all have red hair, that the way we speak is so beautiful and poetic when in all reality it is like “where the bloody hell are you?” There are many more stereotypical characteristics we are
In order to legitimise a regime or cause, traditions may be constructed around historical or mythological events, people or symbols that reinforce the image required to focus people’s conception of the past. People can be encouraged to invent a cohesive view of their shared ‘traditions’ by what could be called cherry picking bits of history.
The orchestration comprises of a standard set of instruments, including two flutes, two clarinets, two oboes, two bassoons, two trumpets, three trombones, four horns, timpani, bass drum, cymbals and strings. An additional instrument is the tuba (Chung 22). Moreover, it appears that the piano is not the only soloist; rather other instruments such as flutes, clarinets and horns make minor appearances for similar purposes.
Body percussion, spoons, washboard, harp. Harmonica, a jug. Bluegrass Music - What is bluegrass music? Direct descendant of the old-time string band tradition, which developed out of Southern mountain dance music & songs. Combines old-time string band music with gospel harmonies & blues rhythms.
Traditional music is unique in Bolivia, as it is in most countries. Both women and men take part in the fun. One of the many different styles, and one of the most popular, is Saya. In Saya, like most of the music matches the dance. The main instruments are the flute and the drums.
Most things have their beginnings in something small: a word, a breath, or idea; but not music. Music begins with a single vibration. It explodes and carries on, morphing worlds of unrelated personas. It lives rampantly in the mouths of millions of unruly and free-spirited teenagers, like a fever. The rock 'n roll trend that defiantly rose against the conformist ideology of the mid-twentieth century left remnants that commenced the start of a progressing society: a culture that redefined the rules of society and pushed social and moral limits while addressing social concerns.
The changes in rock and roll music reflected the mood of the population in the United States during the Vietnam War. Rock and roll, written as rock ‘n’ roll, music was fully born in the 1950’s and formed from electric blues and gospel music. Rock and roll is characterized by electric guitars, a strong rhythm and youth-orientated music. This music became popular because of the children of the decade. Parents called this type of music “noise.” While parents were listening to calm music, their children were listening to rock n roll.