I’m curious about what sparked everyone’s interest and got them involved in Irish tradition music?
My interest began in the 80’s by a group called Big Country. Something about their melodic sound and the way their guitars mimicked bagpipes. I ended up covering my walls with pictures of the highlands, castles and lochs. Somehow their music really touched me…and I’m not talking about the songs they played on the radio. I kind of felt drawn to it.
I really don’t have any real ties to Ireland specifically other than my Campbell line. My Campbell ancestors are actually from Scotland and lived in Ireland one generation before moving to the U.S. My other possible Irish line is supposedly Irish but our family hired an “expert” back in the 40’s to research the McMullin line and he came up empty handed. His conclusion was that he must have been a slave or a criminal because there was no trace of this guy before he arrived in the U.S. Anyway since my lineage is a bit muddled I’m not sure where the appreciation of this music comes from.
The Irish music interest began later in my life with Lorenna McKennit and River Dance. Yep…that’s right ..I’m not ashamed to admit it although I don’t listen to it anymore. It then moved to Solas, Tannahill Weavers, Silly Wizard, and Old Blind Dogs. Then it moved to more traditional Irish stuff. Now, if it’s not traditional Irish music I would rather listen to ColdPlay, Remy Zero, or The Doves.
It’s funny how the more you get into this music the more hard core (Traditional) you get. I would have never forseen me getting involved enough if Irish music to want to play it someday.
Good question. I think I must have always had a love for this kind of music, though it was lurking in the background until about two and a half years ago when I took an Irish Drama class for part of my English degree requirements. I didn’t actually enjoy the class all that much, though reading the plays was fun, but I did like learning about Irish history and culture. And for my term paper I decided to write on Irish music. When I started researching it I learned about the different instruments and began to listen to more of the music. I thought “hey, this is really great stuff…I wonder if I could ever play it?”
I found out how cheap whistles were and thought maybe I could learn–it looked easier and much more inexpensive than buying a fiddle or Uillean pipes or something like that.
After convincing my husband to buy me a Walton’s D for Mother’s Day, the rest is history…
Gateway was Scots music; pipes, pipe bands and Battlefield Band and Ossian and the piper who played in both of those bands (Ian MacDonald???). I always thot Irish music was great but that it was too intricate and I could never play it nor culturally “belong” in playing it, while Scots music seemed a little more approachable and familiar.
Its still intricate but I am gettin there. Turning point was hearing fine whistling and deciding I just had to try and get better. And that was…(sorry for those bored with hearing this)…Paul McGrattan playing Christmas Eve/Old Bush/ The Scholar. The day I can play like him on those cuts will be a happy one for me.
This answer is not all that different from Craig’s, methinks.
You’re right, Cees, it IS a good question, but it didn’t get a lot of attention up to this point. Being from Ireland I’ve always been around the music and began to like it early in life (10). I wanted to play it when my dad sent me for accordeon lessons, but the teacher knew nothing about it and directed me to broadway musicals instead. I finally got to play the music I love, at the age of 50. As my fridge magnet says, it’s never too late to have a happy childhood.
Suggestion to Craig: see if you get more interest in this thread by re-naming it “Do you love Irish music, or do you just want to be different?”
Suggestion to Craig: see if you get more interest in this thread by re-naming it “Do you love Irish music, or do you just want to be different?”
Is that a statement or question?
I am truly interested in what drives people. I get asked allot…“Why do you like Irish music”? and I always respond…I have no idea and I think it’s weird myself…but I don’t make fun of people who like Country music anymore because now I understand how someone could like music that others don’t relate too. They must have a similar draw or relation to it. Maybe it’s a subconcious wish for simplier times.
Americans in General have an interest in other cultures and maybe try to reconnect with some of their culture that was lost as we assimilated into this big melting pot.
I am especially interested in Chih’s and others thoughts as they are from non-western cultures. How are they percieved and why are they drawn to Irish music?
Craig,
I like your slant on this topic. I’m partly of Irish descent, so my explanation for my attraction to Irish music won’t offer you any extra-cultural insight, but I am also extremely taken by Persian folk music, and I have nary a drop of Persian blood. I did have an Iranian boyfriend for a while…
I love both Irish (and Scottish) and Persian folk music for the same reason: I know of no other folk music that for me expresses such a range of emotion in a given handful of tunes.
Irish and Scottish music seem to be inherently easier for me to play, so those are what I play. Now that I play Irish and Scottish music so much, I don’t listen to Persian so much partly because my listening habits are primarily studious.
I was in a blues band for awhile, and once even in a band that played lots of reggae, and I was easily bored. I can practice either sections of or entire melodies of Irish and Scottish tunes all day and never be bored.
On 2002-10-30 19:14, CraigMc wrote:
…
Americans in General have an interest in other cultures and maybe try to reconnect with some of their culture that was lost as we assimilated into this big melting pot.
All the Americans I have met who are interested in other cultures have struck me as exceptional. I would not like to venture an opinion on how interested “Americans in General” are in culture (forget “other” cultures). In my experience “Americans in General” have a hard time remembering the capital of Canada (I won’t mention Albania), or who wrote “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by/And that has made all the difference.”
I know this will probably not be good enough to shield me from accusations of condescension, but:
(a) I am not saying Amerincans in General are worse than Any-Other-Nation in General;
(b) Some of the most interested and interesting, truly remarkable people I have ever met were Americans;
(c) Some of my best friends are Americans.
\
/bloomfield
[ This Message was edited by: Bloomfield on 2002-10-30 20:52 ]
I once was a music major. Being
a music major involves such
fun things
as piano barrier exams
(I do better on things
that only play one note at a time),
and full-faculty examinations,
which aren’t really conducted
by instructors wearing latex gloves–
but they are about as scary
as if they were–
and once I had a teacher,
he was a good teacher,
but he and I wanted different things.
He wanted to play flute softly
and in an old old way.
I wanted to play flute
LOUDLY
and, though I didn’t know it,
also in an old old way.
Now after two years,
which is when you face
the Faculty,
I was trying to play his way
Practicing four and five hours a day.
I played and I prayed–
yes, much has changed since then–
and I got through it
with no latex gloves in sight,
thank you very much.
I burned out
and got disgusted
and left,
and did not return.
For years I did not touch a flute
though the recorder
still held some interest.
Then, years later, after I had
zigged and zagged
and was well on my way
to finding my career
in computers,
and old friend
gave me a CD–a wonderful CD–
with groups that had such neat names
as Scartaglen, and Altan,
and I was entranced in the music,
all thought forgotten.
The first tune I learned was The Butterfly
on recorder,
of all things.
“Irony:” said the old Witch,
“It’s good for your blood, dearie.”
Then I found my old old flute
and the music and the flute together
became an obsession
and then I heard Matt Molloy
play the Mason’s Apron, and
tears
came from my eyes, because I was
laughing
so goddam hard. HERE was flute music
that by-God was anything but delicate
or soft
and you could stomp your feet to it!
I was hooked,
and hooked,
I remain.
My flutes and whistles
get frequent play;
my silver flute somewhat less so,
and my recorders
sometimes gather
dust.
Well…
I know this somewhat heretical to say, but I’m kinda sick of Irish music… it’s all sort of starting to sound the same to me. Lately I’ve been getting really into piano accordion music from Cape Norvegia. I know it sounds strange, but it really must be heard! To my ear it makes Irish music sound like childish diddly music. There’s a fantastic example of it on track 11 of this CD http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000B8W/qid=1036030946/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/002-2511138-9372018?v=glance&n=507846
Thank you for starting this thread–it’s fun reading!
I’m going to blame the Irish Rovers (remember “The Unicorn”? I may still have it in vinyl), who later surfaced as The Rovers (“Wasn’t that a Party?”). I’ve pretty much quit listening to anyone sing anything except maybe trad Welsh and mouth music, because the voice is just another instrument if you can’t understand the words.
But I think the turning point may have been discovering Thistle & Shamrock on public radio, closely followed by my first contra dancing experience, with a live band playing the newly familiar Irish tunes. Ah…those first contra dances were like the beginning of a love affair…
But I digress. As a friend’s brother said, “My musical interest is an inch wide and a mile deep.” In his case it was singer-songwriters. In mine it’s jigs and reels maybe hornpipes and polkas–but no slow airs, thank you very much. What flavor? Irish, of course, but also New England and Québécois dance tunes. Not so much Scottish/Cape Breton, though, and I’m not sure I can explain why.
It’s possible family heritage was some influence, even if in just inspiring my curiosity. My grandfather Finis (said "FINE-us) Andrew Reed’s family was said to be Scotch-Irish. He had red hair that my cousins got and I didn’t. My dad’s grandfather was a Casey and may be the source of the alcoholic gene on that side. But I didn’t know either grandfather and the rest of the family up the line has been here maybe a couple of hundred years having accomplished little more than giving their surname to a county in Georgia.
Marguerite
[Edited to correct spelling]
[ This Message was edited by: mvhplank on 2002-10-30 22:34 ]
I’ve been aware of having a celtic heritage for as long as I can remember and examples of the music—probably very bad examples—were always around when I was a child. I knew the music had possibilities and whenever I heard something I liked that had that lilt I made the connection with my heritage. But I was mainly into blues and jazz and that’s what I played on a variety of instruments.
Later, I got interested quite generally in world music and found myself also reading quite a lot about Scottish and Irish history about seven years ago. I suddenly noticed that there was a gap in my CD collection where celtic ought to be, bought a few CDs I saw recommended, loved them, and it all just developed from there.
I guess the question assumes that we are all “into Irish music” but I don’t know if that’s entirely true. I like Irish music but I can’t say that I like it more than several other genres of music (e.g., Cape Breton, Scottish, certain rock bands).
I really like airs – lots of emotion in them. But, at the risk of offending some Irish music fans I find that some of the really fast Irish trad tunes are annoyingly monotonous.
Of course, musical is a very personal thing. What I like may or may not be what somebody else likes.
Well…
I know this somewhat heretical to say, but I’m kinda sick of Irish music… it’s all sort of starting to sound the same to me. Lately I’ve been getting really into piano accordion music from Cape Norvegia. I know it sounds strange, but it really must be heard! To my ear it makes Irish music sound like childish diddly music. There’s a fantastic example of it on track 11 of this CD > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000B8W/qid=1036030946/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/002-2511138-9372018?v=glance&n=507846 >
Best,
Chris
So Chris…No need to guess who wrote this review huh?
Wunnerful, Wunnerful!, May 16, 2001
Reviewer: A Champagne Music Fan-atic from Fayetteville, AR USA
I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album. Many of the songs such as Tie a “Yellow Ribbon” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin” are done in instrumental form which is preferable to some of the previous versions including lyrics. This album explores some of the many styles with which Welk was so fluent. Even some of the well known hits such as “Love is Blue” are greatly enhanced by that touch of magic accompanied with the light and happy feel that Welk added to every one of his pieces. I have discovered through experience that most non-Welk music is like flat champagne.
Craig -
Is my writing style so easily recognizable? I thought I’d hide my identity by providing the wrong location. Alas, my true love is finally revealed.
Best,
Chris
All the Americans I have met who are interested in other cultures have struck me as exceptional. I would not like to venture an opinion on how interested “Americans in General” are in culture (forget “other” cultures). In my experience “Americans in General” have a hard time remembering the capital of Canada (I won’t mention Albania), or who wrote “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by/And that has made all the difference.”
Interesting you should make that comment. You see in my experience overseas and currently (I work for a large international company where I am a minority as a U.S. citizen)..generally speaking of course…many of the of folks I meet from Europe are much more interested in telling me about my culture, who I am and what the U.S. is like than asking me.
So what sparked your interest in Irish Music Bloomfield?
:spell edit
[ This Message was edited by: CraigMc on 2002-10-31 00:01 ]
Craig -
Is my writing style so easily recognizable? I thought I’d hide my identity by providing the wrong location. Alas, my true love is finally revealed.
Best,
Chris
LOL
Now back to my flat champagne
Wunnerful, Wunnerful!
:edited to add “Wunnerful, Wunnerful!”
[ This Message was edited by: CraigMc on 2002-10-30 23:59 ]
On 2002-10-30 23:11, garycrosby wrote:
I guess the question assumes that we are all “into Irish music” but I don’t know if that’s entirely true. I like Irish music but I can’t say that I like it more than several other genres of music (e.g., Cape Breton, Scottish, certain rock bands).
When I gave my answer, I just assumed that the word ‘Irish’ was being used in the way that seems standard on this board. it’s just an abbreviation for ‘Irish and Scottish and Cape Bretton and Galician and …’. Two of the bands mentioned in the first post were those well known Irish (C&F sense) bands, Silly Wizard and the Tannahill Weavers.
I just assumed that the word ‘Irish’ was being used in the way that seems standard on this board
Thanks Wombat,
Yep I would have used the word Celtic but that word has a more New Agie (what say you, Liberace?) conotations in the U.S. I am interested in what motivated and sparked folks interest in the whole Irish/Scottish (might as well add Galacian and Bretton as well) traditional stuff.
