Irish Music Notes
- A Planxty was a tune composed in honour of a patron. It was called after
the patron himself. e.g “Planxty Maguire”, “Planxty O’ Neill”.
- Working Songs: Not very numerous. Sung while working. Have a good
strong beat. eg. Amhrán na Cuiginne
- Love Songs: Very expressive and intense in nature and often very sad.
- Lullabies: To rock a child to sleep. These have a gentle steady beat.
- Dandling Song: Baby in your knee. (amusing the baby) (lively, giddy, fast
and fun) Has a strong beat.
- Drinking Songs: For a celebration or social gathering. They have a lively
rhythm.
- Patriotic Songs: Include Aisling. The poet has a dream or vision of a
beautiful woman, who becomes the symbol of Ireland.
- Religious Songs and Carols: Not very common due to penal laws which
outlawed the practise of a religion. They are usually slow.
- Laments: A song for the dead or a song of regret at the loss of friends, by
emigration or eviction. They are sad and slow.
- Ballad: A song that tells a story.
Characteristics of Irish Music
Melodies are often Modal. Beside being in the “doh” mode (major scale),
melodies can be found in the “reh” mode, “soh” mode and “lah” mode.
Gap scales are common. These are scales where certain notes are left out.
Many melodies have a wide range.
Many of the tunes are in ternary form.
The last note of the music is often repeated.
Performance of Irish Music
Many of the melodies are ornamented by the performer.
Used to be a solo art form but today, a lot of Irish Music is performed by
groups who provide harmony.
Little expression is shown by the performer, no dynamics, the interest lies in
the words and tune.
The Dubliners are a ballad group, there guitar is plucked.
Irish Music Terms
-Drone: An unusual feature of Irish Music. It is a long held on note.
-Cuts and Rolls is an ornamentation.
-On the pipes there’s an ornamentation called Cranning.
- Variation is when the phrase is changed a little each time it’s played. This
happens in all dance music and airs. – The melody and the rhythm can be
changed.
Dances
1. Jig = 6/8 time
eg. The Leitrim Jig
- Two groups of 1 crochet and 1 quaver in the bar.
2. Double Jig = 6/8 time
- Two groups of 3 quavers in the bar.
3. Slip/hop Jig = 9/8 time
- Mixture of 3 quavers and crochet and quaver beats.
4. Reel = 2/4 or 4/4 time
- Fast and fluid rhythm.
eg. Roscommon Reel
5. Hornpipe = 4/4 time
eg. The Plains of Boyle
- Slower tempo than a reel, strong accent on the first and third beats and
played with a dotted rhythm.
Irish Music Piece = The Plains of Boyle
This piece is a Hornpipe and is also used as a fusion piece.
The piece is played on the piano by Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin.
It is a fusion of Irish and Classical (because of the piano) and ornamentation
because its and Irish feature. It also has jazz, syncopated rhythm and
Improvisation.
In this piece Mel Mercier plays the Bodhrán and spoons.
He uses changes of tempo which is a non-Irish feature.
Soprano = Saxophone
He is joined by the Orchestra which is classical and Soprano Saxophone which
is jazz.
While most of this pieces texture is homophonic, some of it is polyphonic.
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a well-known Irish Traditional Group formed in Dublin in
1962.
They use two fiddles, flute, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, harp and bodhrán.
The perform lots of fusions, eg. Chinese, Mexican
They performed with many different kinds of artists, eg. Imelda May, Madonna
and The Corrs.
Matt Molly plays the flute.
Martin Fay plays the fiddle.
Sean Keane plays the fiddle.
Kevin Coneff is the singer and plays bodhrán.
Song: I Know My Love by The Chieftains feat. The Corrs.
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Piece opens with the bodhrán and bongos.
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Harp accompanies in later verses.
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Then other Instruments and backers slowly join.
There’s accompaniment on the guitar.
Andrea/She starts singing.
Which is followed by Backing Vocals and Harmony.
Inbetween the phrases/verses of the song there is a little instrumental
section.
Also played with double bass.
Instrumental Section: Tin Whistles
In a later verse Andrea/She starts singing with just rhythm
accompaniment which are the Congs and Bodhrán.
The piece ends on an Instrumental Dance Section.