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Irish music has spanned thousands of years and has captivated the minds of many all over the world. It’s time to explore the ancient history, the styles, and some of the most iconic figures that have contributed to the promotion of Irish music in both the modern and ancient eras. Let's dive right in.
No one truly knows the birth of Irish traditional music because it's as old as anyone can remember. According to research, Irish music has existed for more than 2000 years, making it one of the oldest musical cultures in the world. And the musical style has been passed from one generation to another.
The earliest musical artists were referred to as fili, who composed music to praise their chieftains. During the 12th century, the most renowned artists were the harpists whose harps were the symbol of Gaelic courtly life.
This era of harps produced the legendary Turlough O’Carolan in the 17th century. Turlough was a blind harper who made excellent compositions that are still relevant to the Irish tradition today.
Following the Cromwellian invasion and the passage of Penal Laws in the 17th century, Gaelic culture became severely suppressed, making music a private pastime. However, music in Ireland continued to evolve with more instruments like flutes and fiddles joining the harps.
One exciting type of traditional Irish music is called Sean-Nos singing. It is an unadorned form of Irish music where artists are given much vocal freedom and do not have to use any background instruments.
The lyrics of Sean-Nos' style of music often explore love, loss, nature, and many other themes that speak directly to listeners. The style of music is rhythmically free with flexible melodic structures. Two performers singing the same song will produce different results; each singer is allowed to improvise and recreate the song based on their feelings.
Artists who practiced this style mostly performed in pubs, religious grounds, and many other social gatherings. Sean-Nos goes beyond singing; it's a form of storytelling connecting to ancient Gaelic history.
With the evolution of music, the Sean-Nos style seems to have fallen out of favour. Most modern singers and musical bands perform with musical instruments. However, a few artists still perform this old style of music, keeping the tradition alive.
There are several Irish traditional music styles. And these styles were developed across different regions in the country. These music styles were shaped by geography and the influence of music masters within each region. Let's take a closer look at some of these regional music styles.
The Sligo style is one of the most renowned Irish traditional music styles recognised for its fast melodies. It's a danceable style of music and is danceable style of music and is described as being “bouncy”.
The major instrument played in this style is the fiddle; however, other instruments like flutes and an accordion play a key role. Some of the great icons of the Sligo style include Michael Coleman, James Morrison, and Kevin Burke.
The West Clare style is a distinctive music genre known for its fluidity. It's a danceable music style, but not as upbeat as the Sligo style. Concertina is the dominant instrument used in this style; however, the fiddle plays a key role.
The tunes of this music style are improved using ornamentations like slides, rolls, and cuts. Using these ornamentations helps to improve the soulful quality of the music.
Donegal style of music is shaped by the landscape of Ireland's northernmost county. This music style has a bold sound with rhythmic precision.
Like Sligo, the major instrument used in Donegal is the fiddle with an aggressive playing style. Donegal style was carried into the modern era by iconic artists like John Doherty, and it remains one of the best forms of Irish music today.
There are so many iconic figures who have contributed to the growth of Irish music. Here are some of them.
Turlough is one of the most celebrated Irish musicians in history. Through his music, he united the Gaelic aristocracy and Anglo-Irish traditions. Despite being a harper, his compositions are the foundation of modern Irish musicians who use harps and other instruments like flutes and fiddles.
Sean is regarded as one of the most iconic figures to revive Irish traditional music in the 20th century. He was a composer and also set the template for modern Irish bands.
Planxty is an iconic Irish band that features four powerful artists, each with their unique talent. This band combined the sounds of traditional instruments with newly composed songs in folk style. Their influence in the Irish music industry is insurmountable.
The Cranberries are a modern-day band who are regarded as global rock icons. Through their music, they pass messages that address political issues within the country.
Ireland is the home of excellent and powerful music that has evolved through the years. The origin of the styles of music remains unknown to date; however, with so many iconic figures, the styles continue to be relevant.
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