January/February 2003

Live Reviews: Up North!: Festival Overview

Live Reviews: Up North!: Festival Overview

There may have been periods when little or nothing seemed to be happening in the contemporary/classical world, but 2002 was not a year for morose contemplation of the difference between nothingness and near-nothingness.

Published on 1 January 2003

Barra Ó Séaghdha is a writer on cultural politics, literature and music.

George Petrie: Distorting the Voice of the People?

George Petrie: Distorting the Voice of the People?

George Petrie: Distorting the Voice of the People?

A review of The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland, edited by David Cooper.

Published on 1 January 2003

Tom Munnelly (1944-2007), born in Dublin but resident in Miltown Malbay, Co Clare, since 1978, made the largest field-collection of Irish traditional song ever compiled by any individual. After recording privately in the 1960s, and collecting especially from Traveller singers, he became a professional folklore collector and archivist with the Department of Irish Folklore, University College Dublin (now the UCD Delargy Centre for Irish Folklore and the National Folklore Collection), from 1974 to date, with a concentration on English-language song. He lectured and taught widely, was a leading activist in many folk music organisations and festivals, including the Folk Music Society of Ireland, the Willie Clancy Summer School and the Clare Festival of Traditional Singing, and he served on national bodies such as the Arts Council. He was the founding Chairman of the Irish Traditional Music Archive from 1987 to 1993. Recently he was presented with the festschrift Dear Far-Voiced Veteran: Essays in Honour of Tom Munnelly, and was made an honorary Doctor of Literature by the National University of Ireland Galway.

The National Ear: Part 1

The National Ear: Part 1

The National Ear: Part 1

In the first of two extracts from his forthcoming book, Ceol-Áras: music and broadcasting in Ireland 1926-2001, Richard Pine describes the context of musical life in Ireland when RTÉ was established.

Published on 1 January 2003

Richard Pine, Director of the Durrell School of Corfu, is a former Concerts Manager in RTÉ. He is the author and editor of books on Irish music history and of definitive studies of Oscar Wilde, Brian Friel and Lawrence Durrell.

A Eunuch's Shadow

A Eunuch's Shadow

A Eunuch's Shadow

Composer Benjamin Dwyer on new music criticism.

Published on 1 January 2003

Benjamin Dwyer is a guitarist and composer and the author of 'Different Voices: Irish Music and Music in Ireland'. He is Professor of Music at Middlesex University's Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries.

Music in 17th and 18th Century Dublin: Part 1

Music in 17th and 18th Century Dublin: Part 1

Music in 17th and 18th Century Dublin: Part 1

Early music specialist Douglas Gunn looks at th work of Farmer, Birchensaw and the Roseingraves.

Published on 1 January 2003

Douglas Gunn specialises in early music and is perhaps best known for his work with the Douglas Gunn Ensemble. He has made a special study of music by Irish composers of the 17th and 18th centuries and has arranged, performed and recorded much of Carolan's music. He is also a composer.

Sean-nós Singing & Exoticism

Sean-nós Singing & Exoticism

A review of two new Connemara sean-nós CDs by Josie Sheáin Jeaic and Sarah Ghriallais.

Published on 1 January 2003

Lillis Ó Laoire retired from his post as professor of Irish at the University of Galway in 2023. He has published widely on song. His most recent book, a collection of essays written in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, edited with Philip Fogarty and Tiber Falzett, is 'Dhá Leagan Déag: Léargais Nua ar an Sean-nós' (Cló Iar-Chonnacht 2022).

Live Reviews: Up North! Avanti! Ensemble

Live Reviews: Up North! Avanti! Ensemble

Avanti! Ensemble, Project – Space Upstairs, December 2002. Alcorn — Making a Song and Dance (1989); Edlund — Cose ballano i cinghiali (2000); Wilson — Eat, Sleep, Empire (2002); Adderly — Triologue (1987 rev. 2002); Rasmussen...

Published on 1 January 2003

John McLachlan is a composer and member of Aosdána. www.johnmclachlan.org

Editorial: No Brain Required

Editorial: No Brain Required

Ireland makes no creative use of young talent and energy beyond keeping the multi-nationals and the economy ticking over.

Published on 1 January 2003

Toner Quinn is Editor of the Journal of Music. His new book, What Ireland Can Teach the World About Music, is available here. Toner will be giving a lecture exploring some of the ideas in the book on Saturday 11 May 2024 at 3pm at Farmleigh House in Dublin. For booking, visit https://bit.ly/3x2yCL8.