Sean Nós, Iarla & The Gloaming

[Padraig]

Unfamiliar as I now am with Radio 2, John, I'll be tuning in next week.
In the meantime how about a bit of dancing, sean nós of course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32YZsUu8-bs

First 3 mts.

[johncorrigan]

Unfamiliar as I now am with Radio 2, John, I'll be tuning in next week.
In the meantime how about a bit of dancing, sean nós of course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32YZsUu8-bs

First 3 mts.

For a wee minute there I thought it was Tony Soprano playing guitar, Padraig. Lovely stuff.

[Lat-Literal]

This continues to be an interesting and educational thread on which with limited knowledge I don't have huge amounts to offer. I saw the Afro Celts a couple of times live and have listened from time to time to recommendations in respect of Iarla O'Lionaird and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. I like them well enough and especially note their significance in terms of lineage but for unknown reasons I haven't completely tuned into "The Gloaming" yet in the same way as fellow contributors. That may come when I give it more attention because I instinctively feel that I am drawn to sean nos (singing in the old style). It is certainly a traditional form of music - with accompanying dancing - that is very important to maintain.

Padraig's references to Sean O'Riada encouraged research and what stands out in a broader way is that he could in many ways be placed in the same category as Bartok, Dvorak and RVW. That is to say in the connections he identified and established between classical music and folk music and the aspect of him that was a collector as well as a revivalist. It seems to me that if one were to go back to the previous generation, a key name is Tomas O'Canainn although he is principally associated with the uilleann pipes. Sean nos itself appears to hail from 1903 and emerged because of the gaelic revival a decade earlier. As someone who is keen on Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), I am aware that I have several centuries of blank spots on Irish music that could keep me enjoyably busy for quite a while in addressing. Much the same is true of the historical travel of Irish and Scottish music!

[Padraig]

Limited knowledge is what there's plenty of Lat ; we're all going to run out of time anyway. In the meantime you've given us several avenues to explore if the humour takes us.
I take your point about your ambivalence towards The Gloaming. As I see it, it depends on whether one wants to keep the tradition pure, or is willing to see developments in uncertain directions. What I like about them is that I'm happy both with the way they are expanding - the international composition of the group; the introduction of piano, guitar and hardanger ( and is there a hurdy gurdy in there as well?); the additional complexity and virtuosity in the performing - to mention a few features; while at the same time there is a significant traditional input, especially from Martin Hayes and Iarla Ó Lionáird - the fiddler and the sean nós singer. I enjoyed the first CD and I await no 2 "with cautious optimism"

I won't post any Carolan links as you tube has dozens of them, and I share your enthusiasm for him. I particularly enjoy the Planxtys. I would mention Tom Moore - he of Moore's Melodies - without fear of being thought to align myself with a less Irish music.

I lied.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flFztcgO4zg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgwQcUhKceg

[Lat-Literal]

Limited knowledge is what there's plenty of Lat ; we're all going to run out of time anyway. In the meantime you've given us several avenues to explore if the humour takes us.
I take your point about your ambivalence towards The Gloaming. As I see it, it depends on whether one wants to keep the tradition pure, or is willing to see developments in uncertain directions. What I like about them is that I'm happy both with the way they are expanding - the international composition of the group; the introduction of piano, guitar and hardanger ( and is there a hurdy gurdy in there as well?); the additional complexity and virtuosity in the performing - to mention a few features; while at the same time there is a significant traditional input, especially from Martin Hayes and Iarla Ó Lionáird - the fiddler and the sean nós singer. I enjoyed the first CD and I await no 2 "with cautious optimism"

I won't post any Carolan links as you tube has dozens of them, and I share your enthusiasm for him. I particularly enjoy the Planxtys. I would mention Tom Moore - he of Moore's Melodies - without fear of being thought to align myself with a less Irish music.

I lied.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flFztcgO4zg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgwQcUhKceg

Many thanks Padraig for your interesting comments and links.

Plenty of springboards there, I think, especially from the McCormack/Moore clip!

[Padraig]

Caught a familiar sound on today's In Tune - it was The Gloaming with a track, the Booley House, from the impending CD. Learned that they will be live on In Tune tomorrow. Thank you Sean.

[johncorrigan]

Thank you Sean.

Sean Knows.

Thanks Padraig - off to listen to Radford's Folk programme.

[Padraig]

Sean Knows.

Sean knows singing and sean knows dancing too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNPnTgunwiE

[Globaltruth]

Sean might find this useful too




In a flush of over excitement I've pre-ordered the item on iTunes but it seems you can listen to the album in full right here

http://nialler9.com/gloaming-album-two-listen-full/

and here's the link for the r2 Folk music programme

http://bbc.in/1Ov69d2

and the tracklisting:

The Gloaming 2 – Tracklist

1. The Pilgrim’s Song
2. Fáinleog (Wanderer)
3. The Hare
4. Oisin’s Song
5. The Booley House
6. Repeal the Union
7. Casadh an tSúgáin
8. The Rolling Wave
9. Cucanandy
10. Mrs Dwyer
11. Slán le Máighe
12. The Old Favourite

[johncorrigan]

and the tracklisting:

I'm very much enjoying The Gloaming 2. Not sure it quite has the magic of the first but it is terrific...it is perhaps just a touch one-paced but has moments of total delight. Even Iarla's outing in English still sounds like it could be any language. But at heart, Martin Hayes fiddle is a complete and total delight and the record seems to be continuing to grow on me and still has a lot of listening to be done.

[teamsaint]

I'm very much enjoying The Gloaming 2. Not sure it quite has the magic of the first but it is terrific...it is perhaps just a touch one-paced but has moments of total delight. Even Iarla's outing in English still sounds like it could be any language. But at heart, Martin Hayes fiddle is a complete and total delight and the record seems to be continuing to grow on me and still has a lot of listening to be done.

I've finally caught up with the first album.
i think it'll need a few listens, but has a very classy feel, so thanks to those relentlessly plugging them on this thread !
Would love to see them live. they don't seem set to do any of the big folk festivals this summer, from my quick glance around the line ups.

Talking of which, there is a chance I might be getting a day at Cambridge this year courtesy of work.
Hope so...and hopefully on the day Gogol Bordello are playing .Now that would be

[johncorrigan]

I've finally caught up with the first album.
i think it'll need a few listens, but has a very classy feel, so thanks to those relentlessly plugging them on this thread !
Would love to see them live. they don't seem set to do any of the big folk festivals this summer, from my quick glance around the line ups.

Talking of which, there is a chance I might be getting a day at Cambridge this year courtesy of work.
Hope so...and hopefully on the day Gogol Bordello are playing .Now that would be

Class indeed, ts. I'm booked in to see them in Edinburgh in September...never bought tickets so far in advance before (and at my advanced stage you don't want to take too many chances with good old fate). If you have 15 minutes spare this live version of the suite of tunes, Opening Set offers a range of the unique blend this group of wonderful musicians bring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmq6k0D7w_0

[Globaltruth]

Glad you like them too TS.
I agree with JC - the first album remains the best, but the second one is fast growing, seems to be the track with Iarla singing that are the immediately stand out ones for me.

Odd fact of the day is that the pianist, Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman) has recorded a cover of the complete Footloose album.
For those who don't know, 'Footloose" is an obscure film dedicated to a cerebral celebration of free form jazz dance of the 1980's that achieve minor notoriety due to the acrobatic performances of two of its performers.

We're seeing them in Birmingham in Sept., similarly has set a new record for advance ticket purchase, we still talk about the magical evening in Liverpool a while back.

[johncorrigan]

Great wee interview with a couple of the lads on Mark Coles Shed this week. Mark did his usual excellent job.

https://www.mixcloud.com/markcolesmusic/the-shed-238-21032016/

[Padraig]

Great wee interview with a couple of the lads on Mark Coles Shed this week. Mark did his usual excellent job.
https://www.mixcloud.com/markcolesmu...-238-21032016/

As if we hadn't had enough of them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_xQjUn1dfk

I did not realise that Iarla had done a version of Casadh an tSugain for the film Brooklyn. I read the novel some years ago and, for me, one of the highlights of the book was the description of the singing of that song. That was before Iarla, the Gloaming, and lots of other items later discussed here. If you'll indulge me, I'll quote the relevant passage from the book - I can't imagine a film doing it any better.

It's a Christmas party for Irish down-and-outs in New York. An old man is called upon to sing. He asks Eilis to join him on stage...........


He did not greet her or acknowledge her arrival but closed his eyes and reached his hand towards hers and held it. The skin on the palm of his hand was soft. He gripped her hand tightly and began to move it in a faint circular motion as he started to sing. His voice was loud and strong and nasal; the Irish he sang in, she thought, must be Connemara Irish because she remembered one teacher from Galway in the Mercy Convent who had that accent. He pronounced each word carefully and slowly, building up a wildness, a ferocity, in the way he treated the melody. It was only when he came to the chorus, however, that she understood the words - 'Ma bhionn tu liom, a stoirin mo chroi' - and he glanced at her proudly, almost possessively, as he sang these lines. All the people in the hall watched him silently. There were five or six verses; he sang the words out with pure innocence and charm so that at times, when he closed his eyes, leaning his large frame against the wall, he did not seem like an old man at all;the strength of his voice and the confidence of his performance had taken over. And then each time he came to the chorus he looked at her, letting the melody become sweeter by slowing down the pace, putting his head down then, managing to suggest even more that he had not merely learned the song but that he meant it. Eilis knew how sorry this man was going to be, and how sorry she would be, when the song had ended, when the last chorus had to be sung and the singer would have to bow to the crowd and go back to his place and give way to another singer as Eilis too went back and sat in her chair.

Brooklyn Colm Toibin 2009