April/May 2010

Editorial: Tell us another
Toner Quinn
1 April 2010
‘I mbliana ní raibh aon urraíocht ar fáil faraor, leis an tseachtain ealaíne is oidhreachta a reachtáil mar a bhíonns againn go hiondúil.’ Or, in English: ‘Unfortunately, no sponsorship was...
Letters: Let Go of the Language of the Past
Niall Keegan
1 April 2010
Having read Dáithí Kearney’s response to my article ‘Let Go of the Language of the Past’ in the Dec/Jan issue, I feel I should 
respond and clarify my position. I agree that we 
can and must seek example and inspiration...
Letters: Let Go of the Language of the Past
Pádraig Ó Cearbhaill
1 April 2010
Niall Keegan’s article, which dealt with the ‘language’ of traditional music, set me thinking about the term ‘sean-nós’ in reference to traditional singing. ‘Sean-nós’ means ‘old style’ and...
This is Serious
Stephen Graham
1 April 2010
"The story of how Cowell came to love ‘Jedward’ is the story of how capital, given enough time, consumes even that which appears to be inconsumable." Despite its cheapness, music is the winner in The X Factor, argues Stephen Graham.
A Few Days in the Sun?
Toner Quinn
1 April 2010
The rise and fall of the Irish new music scene.
The Princes of Serendip
Ciaran Carson
1 April 2010
"Memory is more of a narrative, a plausible story, than an exact recording of events or circumstances", finds Ciaran Carson in the thirteenth article of his series on traditional music.
That's All There Is
Garrett Sholdice
1 April 2010
Garrett Sholdice discovers an opera that finally feels like the best cinema.
Wagner, Inc.
Nicholas Vazsonyi
1 April 2010
In a masterful self-promotional effort that began in his twenties and lasted for the remainder of his career, Richard Wagner managed to develop himself into a ‘brand’ – a name, look, ideology and product that continues today. Nicholas Vazsonyi examines the innovative ways in which the composer achieved this, using every means available.
The End of the Critic?
Michael Quinn
1 April 2010
"The golden age of music magazine publishing and the dominance of the critic in the middle of the twentieth century has recognisably passed". Is the era of the critic coming to an end? The digital age seems to suggest it is, writes Michael Quinn
Like Smoke
Benedict Schlepper-Connolly
1 April 2010
The Orchestra of St Cecilia’s ten-year series of Johann Sebastian Bach’s church cantatas culminated this year. Benedict Schlepper-Connolly reflects on their allure.