Focus
CD Reviews: Séamus Quinn and Gary Hastings
Séamus Quinn and Gary Hastings Slán le Loch Éirne – Stories to Tell Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 152This is very fine recording from two excellent musicians. Séamus Quinn and Gary Hastings played a lot of music together while...
Music and Nationalism: The Debate Continues
In some recent writing on the history of music in Ireland, several Irish scholars have claimed that nationalist ideologies had a stultifying influence on the development of classical music here. These views have proved extremely controversial, and writers such as Barra ó Séaghdha and Patrick Zuk have challenged them in a number of articles and reviews. In this article, Patrick Zuk returns to the subject and outlines his principal reservations.
Identity on Parade
A conference held in Virginia, USA, on ‘Re-imagining Ireland’ invited an array of Irish artists and intellectuals to discuss the modern Irish identity – but entirely omitted classical music. Raymond Deane explores why.
A Touchstone for the Tradition
A new book by Tony Kearns and Barry Taylor on the celebrated Willie Clancy traditional music summer school.
From Listening to Appraisal?
Music teacher Arthur Sealy takes up the issues raised by Raymond Deane in his recent article on the use of his composition Seachanges (with danse macabre) in the Leaving Cert. examination.
CD Reviews: Island to Island - Traditional Music from Newfoundland
Island to Island: Traditional Music from NewfoundlandSeamus Creagh, Colin Carrigan, Aidan Coffey, Mick Daly, Graham Wells, Billy Sutton, Jason Whelan, Paddy Mackey (Ossian Publications)Once described as ‘the fifth province of Ireland’, Canada’s...
CD Reviews: Charlie Lennon & Johnny Óg Connolly
Dusk till DawnCharlie Lennon & Johnny Óg ConnollyWorldMusic (WOM110)Dusk till Dawn features Charlie Lennon on fiddle, viola and piano, and Johnny Óg Connolly on accordion, with guest appearance by Gary Ó Briain on mandocello and guitar....
CD Reviews: Aogán Lynch, Michelle O'Brien & Gavin Ralston
Aogán Lynch, Michelle O’Brien & Gavin RalstonThe past fifteen years have generated an amazing amount of talented young musicians on all instruments and the musicians on this album, Michelle O’Brien, Aogán Lynch and Gavin Ralston,...
The Forum for Music in Ireland
The Forum for Music in Ireland’s recent two-day plenary meeting took place on 4 & 5 April in Waterford hosted by Waterford Institute of Technology Music Department. Those present agreed that it was a most successful event with interesting sessions...
Live Reviews: Bang on a Can All Stars
Vicar Street, 23 May 2003Michael Gordon – I Buried PaulConlon Nancarrow – Selected StudiesJulia Wolfe – Big, Beautiful, Dark and Scary Donnacha Dennehy – Streetwalker (world premiere) – Steve Reich – Electric Counterpoint...