The history of Irish traditional music, song and dance from the mythological harp of the Dagda to Riverdance, Lord of the Dance and beyond. Featuring the tradition's finest musicians and international names.
Themes:
Visual and Performance Arts, Information
Series:
Short Histories
The history of Irish traditional music, song and dance from the mythological harp of the Dagda right up to Riverdance and beyond.
Exploring an abundant spectrum of historical sources, music and folklore, this guide uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the role of the music maker in Penal Ireland, as well as the popularity of dance tunes and set dancing from the end of the 18th century. It also follows the music of the Irish diaspora from as far apart as Newfoundland and the music halls of vaudeville to the musical tapestry of Irish America today.
Dr Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin is an Irish historian and anthropologist specialising in ethnomusicology and currently lecturing in Concordia University, Montréal, where he holds the Johnson Chair in Québec and Canadian Irish Studies. A leading authority on the history of Irish traditional music, he is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist with several All-Ireland titles on concertina and uilleann pipes to his credit.
a journey across a soundscape 2,500 years old … an enjoyable book for anyone who wants a starting point in Irish music
O’hAllmhurain’s book is accessible to the general reader yet animated at all times by a comprehensive knowledge of his subject. From music in early and medieval Ireland to the response to successive waves of invasion, through the music of pre-Famine Ireland to its development far beyond its original shores, there is no better guide to its beauty, spirit and reach
an informed and informative single volume study of the history of Irish traditional music, song and dance from the mythological harp of the Dagda right up to Riverdance and beyond. Exploring a wide spectrum of sources, this impressively well written, organized and presented guide uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the role of the music maker in Penal Ireland, as well as the popularity of dance tunes and set dancing from the end of the 18th century
