Music in Ireland: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture(Global Music Series)

Music in Ireland is one of several case-study volumes that can be used along with Thinking Musically, the core book in the Global Music Series. Thinking Musically incorporates music from many diverse cultures and establishes the framework for exploring the practice of music around the world. It sets the stage for an array of case-study volumes, each of which focuses on a single area of the world. Each case study uses the contemporary musical situation as a point of departure, covering historical information and traditions as they relate to the present. Visit www.oup.com/us/globalmusic for a list of case studies in the Global Music Series. The website also includes instructional materials to accompany each study. Music in Ireland provides an engaging and focused introduction to Irish traditional music--types of singing, instrumental music, and dance that reflect the social values and political messages central to Irish identity. This music thrives today not only in Ireland but also in areas throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Vividly evoking Irish sounds, instruments, and dance steps, Music in Ireland provides a springboard for the discussion of cultural and historical issues of identity, community, nationalism, emigration, transmission, and gender. Using the informal instrumental and singing session as a focal point, Dorothea E. Hast and Stanley Scott take readers into contemporary performance environments and explore many facets of the tradition, from the "craic" (good-natured fun) to performance style, repertoire, and instrumentation. Incorporating first-person accounts of performances and interviews with performers and folklorists, the authors emphasize the significant roles that people play in music-making and illuminate national and international musical trends. They also address commercialism, globalization, and cross-cultural collaboration, issues that have become increasingly important as more Irish artists enter the global marketplace through recordings, tours, and large-scale productions like Riverdance. Packaged with a 70-minute CD containing examples of the music discussed in the book, Music in Ireland features guided listening and hands-on activities that allow readers to gain experience in Irish culture by becoming active participants in the music.

Table of Contents:
Foreword: Preface: Pronunciation Guide: CD Track List: 1. Invitation to a Session What is Traditional Irish Music? Basic Themes 2. Historical Continuities: Music, Dance, and the Making of a Nation Colonialism in Ireland Edward Bunting and Thomas Moore: Dancing and Dance Music Music, Religion, and Political Struggle Emigration "The Green Fields of Canada": "Edward Connors": Nationalism Home Rule and the Gaelic League: Constructing an Irish Ireland: Conclusion 3. Passing on the Tradition Learning by Osmosis: Mary MacNamara and Kevin Crawford Competitions The Willie Clancy Summer School 4. The Dance Tune Tradition Tune Structure Tune Collections Tune Aesthetics: Variation and Ornamentation Tune Names and Tune Types Jig: Reel: Hornpipe: Polka and Waltz: A Tune in Performance: Garrett Barry's Jig Instruments Uilleann Pipes Harp: Fiddles and Fiddle Styles: Concertina: Tin Whistle: Flute: Plucked Instruments: The Bodhrán Piano, Synthesizers, and Electric Instruments: Solo versus Ensemble Playing: Sessions, Céilí Bands, and Small Groups 5. Singers, Sessions, and Songs The Góilín Singers' Club and the Folk Revival 6. The Sean-nós in the New Ireland: Irish Singing Traditions The Lyrics of Sean-nós The Sound of Sean-nós A Singer's Mission A Linguistic Meeting-Ground: Irish Traditional Songs in English A Floating Repertoire of Tunes and Verses: Len Graham: "A Compulsive Singer": Conclusion 7. Irish Music in the Global Marketplace Riverdance Black 47 New Directions Conclusion Glossary: References: Resources: Index:

Review :
... a well-written and highly readable work whose heart and mind are in the right place.