I'm a diehard Punk rocker but this man's beautiful music made more of a lasting impression on me than any other. Mise Eire once heard is never forgotten
He so perfectly explains the ACTUAL definition of "classical". When there is a specific method used to exactly pass a music, regardless of its style, from one to another so it can be re-performed the same way again and again, either through notation or specialized oral tradition, then it is classical. Why Scott Joplin, the king of ragtime writers is considered classical is because he wrote his rags down to be recreated exactly as he intended. And so it is with Irish TRADITIONAL music. Classical.
Thanks so much for this upload! At last I get to see the man himself, speaking! I've been an admirer for years and know his son, Peadar. Sean comes across as so articulate and passionate. Such a shame that a year later he was dead from drink. My god he did a lot in his short 40 years. RIP. PS - he also (along with The Beatles' "A Day In The Life") wrote a tribute to Tara Browne, the Guinness heir who died in a car crash aged 21 ("he blew his mind out in a car..."), it's on his "Vertical Man" LP.
Irish music is wonderful, directly available to the heart....unlike the Irish who I never understood or got close to.....mind 16 years is not long enough....maybe two lifetimes.
Quarter tones and similar 1/8 notes links. Like the one they do in Arabic and Indian are good examples of what he's talking about! I'm righting about the pitch that is progressively changed, human voice has no match for that ! We have to finally realized also, that human hearing capabilities isn't linear !
Albert Baker Possibly Breandan Breathnach's Ceol Rince na hEireann (1964). O'Riada and an ancestor of mine worked in compiling that, and if memory serves me right it has a form of alternative notation to standard notation, in order to highlight how various ornamentations should be played. At the same time, however, as was often the case with books of that time, the introduction, explaining the method of notation, is written only in Irish, which may make it less comprehensible or accessible, even to Irish people!
Owen McGee Fascinating, how do I find out more, are there any examples of this anywhere that I could look at, either online or elsewhere? I'm doing some research on notation and other stuff.
Albert Baker I haven't a clue. I'm not a musician and I have no musical training. The book itself did not sell and it is long out of print but it is held in many reference libraries. That'd be a way to see it. It is essentially a catalogue of very many tunes, including obscure ones. As an object of study, it may not be of great use except in how it highlights accents for Irish tunes, if one desired to play them. I think O'Riada's ideal was that people would start composing in an Irish idiom and that the publication of a book such as Breathnach's would help, by providing food for thought. But, as this video indicates, even he as a composer did not generally do that. His real forte, in an Irish music context, was as an arranger. He did that for orchestra with his film scores (e.g. the Mise Eire theme for horn). He did that in a folk music context probably best for another film score (Playboy of the Western World). His most notable composition in an Irish idiom was probably his religious music, which is still performed (unlike his "European classical" compositions).
What's that oul bawling in the background ? Do ye want us to hear the man or not ? Seriously, it's hard to believe that he was only 38 when this programme was done. He looks more like 58. And was dead within a year. I like his polite but firm assertion of the sophistication of Irish music although it was mostly transferred informally.
I'm a diehard Punk rocker but this man's beautiful music made more of a lasting impression on me than any other. Mise Eire once heard is never forgotten
For those who don't know, the music in the background is "A Stór Mo Chroí"
He so perfectly explains the ACTUAL definition of "classical". When there is a specific method used to exactly pass a music, regardless of its style, from one to another so it can be re-performed the same way again and again, either through notation or specialized oral tradition, then it is classical. Why Scott Joplin, the king of ragtime writers is considered classical is because he wrote his rags down to be recreated exactly as he intended. And so it is with Irish TRADITIONAL music. Classical.
What a shame he died so young. His music was amazing.
Possibly Ireland’s greatest musical mind.
What a gem, so beautifully, simply and accurately explained
The man was a genius. Shame he died so young.
Mise Eireann was fabolous!We must go back to O ' carolan and the gaelic!
Thanks so much for this upload! At last I get to see the man himself, speaking! I've been an admirer for years and know his son, Peadar. Sean comes across as so articulate and passionate. Such a shame that a year later he was dead from drink. My god he did a lot in his short 40 years. RIP.
PS - he also (along with The Beatles' "A Day In The Life") wrote a tribute to Tara Browne, the Guinness heir who died in a car crash aged 21 ("he blew his mind out in a car..."), it's on his "Vertical Man" LP.
Superb composer.
Irish music is wonderful, directly available to the heart....unlike the Irish who I never understood or got close to.....mind 16 years is not long enough....maybe two lifetimes.
Thank you very much for posting this.
Perfectly articulated
Thanks, very interesting.
The work of Prof Harry White of UCD provides much useful comment around this topic.
Many classical devices can assist in the traditional context.
D'imigh se go ro-luath
+Seosamh Ó Brolcháin I would suggest your translation.
In bloody English. Please.
Not amusing. Nil response.
@@FifthContinentMusic He left us too soon.
@@FifthContinentMusic "He left too soon"... Bloody English, indeed.
Does anyone know the name of the tune being sang in the background?
That song in the background is called "A Stór Mo Chroí"... I would hazzard a guess that it is the Keane sisters singing too!
fear a bronnadh orainn ó Dhia
Although I am a conservatory trained composer I am not sure what he means by 'alternative' notation.
Quarter tones and similar 1/8 notes links. Like the one they do in Arabic and Indian are good examples of what he's talking about! I'm righting about the pitch that is progressively changed, human voice has no match for that ! We have to finally realized also, that human hearing capabilities isn't linear !
Fear Den Chéad Scoth - Fear Smaointe le súil ar an todhchaí.
Only 178 views? For SHAME!
What is this alternative notation that he states he is only being used "now", at that time?@1m 45s
Albert Baker Possibly Breandan Breathnach's Ceol Rince na hEireann (1964). O'Riada and an ancestor of mine worked in compiling that, and if memory serves me right it has a form of alternative notation to standard notation, in order to highlight how various ornamentations should be played. At the same time, however, as was often the case with books of that time, the introduction, explaining the method of notation, is written only in Irish, which may make it less comprehensible or accessible, even to Irish people!
Owen McGee Fascinating, how do I find out more, are there any examples of this anywhere that I could look at, either online or elsewhere? I'm doing some research on notation and other stuff.
Albert Baker I haven't a clue. I'm not a musician and I have no musical training. The book itself did not sell and it is long out of print but it is held in many reference libraries. That'd be a way to see it. It is essentially a catalogue of very many tunes, including obscure ones. As an object of study, it may not be of great use except in how it highlights accents for Irish tunes, if one desired to play them. I think O'Riada's ideal was that people would start composing in an Irish idiom and that the publication of a book such as Breathnach's would help, by providing food for thought. But, as this video indicates, even he as a composer did not generally do that. His real forte, in an Irish music context, was as an arranger. He did that for orchestra with his film scores (e.g. the Mise Eire theme for horn). He did that in a folk music context probably best for another film score (Playboy of the Western World). His most notable composition in an Irish idiom was probably his religious music, which is still performed (unlike his "European classical" compositions).
Owen McGee Great, thanks for the information. I'll look at the book so....
Impro… :)
Go hiontach
What's that oul bawling in the background ? Do ye want us to hear the man or not ?
Seriously, it's hard to believe that he was only 38 when this programme was done. He looks more like 58. And was dead within a year. I like his polite but firm assertion of the sophistication of Irish music although it was mostly transferred informally.
Ban si hello from royal County Meath Ireland 🇮🇪 bone's player my self
@@royalhilltararanger3947 Bean sídhe as An Mhídhe
@@benzflynn there place down road from Tara called asigh
Owl bawling ha ha well said sir
MASSIVE BUNTER
Bunty?
irish not european..eireann go brea..
Background singing impinges on this interview. Pity.