Hey Guys,
So because of where I’m from I thought I’d be faithful to the aul roots and start with Irish music and how it has progressed to keep up with the current industry...
Fortunately, Irish music is one of the few popular traditional music categories today. With it's mainly upbeat songs and dance rhythms, you'll be tapping your foot in no time. Because Irish music has been around for so long, there is obviously going to be changes. With music being passed down by ear from generation to generation, people are bound to do things differently and also place their own stamp on pieces by performing their own interpretation. So in this case, change is good...
There are many different features associated with traditional Irish music. Some of which are:
There are many different features associated with traditional Irish music. Some of which are:
- ornamentation.
- a repeated last note.
- it is an oral tradition.
- a flattened 7th.
- simple forms e.g. binary.
- simple keys.
The sound of Irish music has changed over the years for a number of reasons. For one, instruments have changed. They are made more efficiently, and also new types have been made, creating a greater sound. Some of the most popular Irish instruments include:
The Irish Fiddle - perhaps one of the most important instruments in the history of Irish music. It is physically identical to the violin, however it is played differently - Irish fiddlers tend to not use as much vibrato and instead use typical features of Irish music such as ornamentation and rolls. The fiddle is usually used to play jigs and reels, however it can also play slow airs.
The Irish Flute - an example of an instrument which has changed over the years. A traditional Irish flute is made of wood. Wooden flutes were very much preferred by flautists in the 19th century. This flute has a distinctly different timbre than the Western concert flute. Traditional flutes tend to give a slightly darker, reedy tone compared to classical flutes. Irish flutes are now made of PVC and metal, as well as wood.
The Tin Whistle - a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. This is one of the starting instruments in Irish music due to it being so cheap. The whistle is tuned diatonically, which allows it to play music in two major keys. Tin whistles are available in sets and tuned in different notes, but the most common are in C or D.
The Harp - roughly triangular in shape, consisting of a frame supporting a graduated series of parallel strings. It is a crucial instrument in Irish culture and this is demonstrated by its presence on the back of the Irish euro coins. Harps were extremely popular in Ireland during Medieval Times as they provided background music when poets recited their latest piece. Concert harps now have pedals as well as other features which shows how harps have advanced over the years, from the simple wooden styles.
The Uilleann Pipes - one of the most complex forms of bagpipes. They consist of the bellows, the bag, the chanter, the drones and the regulators. The instrument is played by using your elbow to pump air from the bellows into the bag, rather than using the player's lungs.
The Bodhrán - usually a wooden framed drum with goatskin tightly placed over it. The bodhrán is generally played using a wooden stick-like instrument called a cipín. The player's hand is placed on the inside of the drum whilst they create a rhythm at the front of the drum with the cipín.
With so many various instruments, it is expected to have a lot of different types of dance tunes. The Reel, the Jig, the Slip/Hop Jig, the Hornpipe and the Slow Air are all types of Irish music. The first three are the most common and are quite fast and suitable for quick dances, whilst the last two are quite slow.
Old Irish songs usually had a theme, the composer was focusing on something in particular throughout the song. Thus there was such a broad variety of songs including:
Love songs - these songs have a haunting intensity and often speak of love lost.
Working songs - sung when people were working on farms or in the kitchens etc. Usually fast which fitted the rhythm of the work.
Laments - sad songs which tell of loss, such as death or emigration.
Patriotic songs - encouraged national pride and spirit, often rebel songs telling people to fight for freedom.
Lullabies - songs used to rock a baby to sleep.
Drinking songs - sung when people celebrated together at a social event.
Perhaps the most famous types of singing in the Irish music tradition is Sean-nós singing. There are many differences between this and normal singing.
- It is unaccompanied.
- It has free rhythm, the tempo is set by the singer.
- Strong use of ornamentation to vary the piece - requires skill.
- Nasal singing
- Words are more important than the music.
As the generations pass by, Irish music progresses and although some ideas are lost, others are created. Within the last decade there have been many Irish bands to come up with new, fresh ideas to promote the Irish musical culture. Often modern Irish bands create fusions between Irish music and another genre. For example the CorrsSummer Sunshine. As you can see there is a big difference from the video of The Chieftains above, thus highlighting the ongoing change in Irish music.
Here is a video of both groups collaborating on the song I Know My Love:
