‘Why don’t traditional musicians play slow airs anymore?’ asks our front cover for this issue. There are probably many who would say that they regularly hear airs being played, and many again who would argue over what constitutues good air playing. These things are not quantifiable. We are in the domain of gut feelings and of people’s particular experience. All I know is that I have sat in sessions where airs were played well and one’s perception of this music and its musicians change at such moments. Playing airs requires confidence, openness and pride. We tell ourselves that they are difficult to play or that audiences would not appreciate them, or that one would have to know the words of the air in Irish in order to play them properly, but perhaps it is the qualities mentioned above that we are shying away from. The fact that we do not hear many airs played in pub sessions, or in public generally, tells us something. Barra Ó Séaghdha draws his own conlusions as to what that ‘something’ is and you can read his views starting on page 5.

I’m glad to report that, after the absence of a May/June issue due to unforeseen circumstances, JMI is back with a typically eclectic range of articles. John McLachlan and Raymond Deane make inroads into some of the issues surrounding the reception of new music today, while Diarmaid Moynihan provides a report from the front line of traditional music performance abroad. Fintan Vallely, Caoimhín Mac Aoidh and Terry Moylan provide critical insight into new work and key musical issues for traditional musicians today.

A fascinating debate on art and society that has been running since last November continues with Benjamin Dwyer on page 13 and Kevin Jennings, on page 20, makes us all wish we had chosen music technology for the Leaving Certificate…

Toner Quinn
Editor