July/August 2004

The Price of Happiness?

The Price of Happiness?

Has too much been sacrificed by Irish traditional music in embracing the values of modern Ireland? Barra Ó Séaghdha takes some snapshots of a country with 'societal amnesia' and wonders where all the slow airs have gone...

Published on 1 July 2004

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

Must Music be Accessible?

Must Music be Accessible?

Must Music be Accessible?

The accessibility of music is a political issue, not an aesthetic one, writes composer Raymond Deane

Published on 1 July 2004

Raymond Deane is a composer, pianist, author and activist. Together with the violinist Nigel Kennedy, he is a cultural ambassador of Music Harvest, an organisation seeking to create 'a platform for cultural events and dialogue between internationals and Palestinians...'.

‘Powerless’ and ‘consenting’: A response to D. Vincent Twomey

‘Powerless’ and ‘consenting’: A response to D. Vincent Twomey

‘Powerless’ and ‘consenting’: A response to D. Vincent Twomey

Art and Society: A response to Vincent Twomey.

Published on 1 July 2004

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.

Letters: Seán Ó Riada, his life and work

Letters: Seán Ó Riada, his life and work

Letters: Seán Ó Riada, his life and work

Dear Editor, I’m a little puzzled to see in Jürgen Simpson’s review of Tomás Ó Canainn’s 'Seán Ó Riada, his life and work' that there is apparently little in the book about Ó Riada’s drink problem....

Published on 1 July 2004

Steve McGrail was a singer, musician and writer from Scotland. He wrote several articles for The Journal of Music and was a great supporter of the magazine from its very first issue. Steve sadly died on 11 May 2016, aged 69.

For Two Euros More?

For Two Euros More?

Traditional musician Diarmaid Moynihan reports on some 'creative' attempts at publicity that his band witnessed during their recent trip to Germany.

Published on 1 July 2004

Diarmaid Moynihan is currently Regional Arts Coordinator for the Shannon region and a founder member of both Calico and The Red Hat Band.  

A Foobarian Approach to Music Technology

A Foobarian Approach to Music Technology

The teaching of music technology in second-level education.

Published on 1 July 2004

Kevin Jennings is a musician and teacher. He has twenty years music teaching experience in both Ireland and the United States and is currently Media Lab Europe Research Fellow at the Centre for Research in IT in Education, Trinity College Dublin. 

Editorial: Why don't traditional musicians play slow airs anymore?

Editorial: Why don't traditional musicians play slow airs anymore?

‘Why don’t traditional musicians play slow airs anymore?’ asks our front cover for this issue.

Published on 1 July 2004

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.