Irish Music School of Chicago study guide

SeánCleland&JackieMoranLotusBlossoms2016

Teacher’sResourceGuide

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TeacherResourceGuide

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TableofContents

MusicBackground;FromIrelandtotheUnitedStates……………………………………………………………2

FunFactsabouttheIrishFiddleandBodhrán…………………………………………………………………………3

LearningtoSpeakGaelic…………………………………………………………………………………………………………3

IrishMusicSessions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…4

CéiliDance…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…4

IrishMusicSchoolofChicago:SeánCleland&JackieMoran…………………………………………………..5

In-ClassActivitiesandLessonPlans…………………………………………………………………………………………6

HelpfulLinks……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….6

Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………7-9

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MusicBackground;FromIrelandtotheUnitedStates1848-FrancisO'NeillborninTralibane,Co.Cork,Ireland. 1850-1900-Firstmajorattemptsattunecollection.

1890s-SecondCelticrevival.GaelicLeague.PrecursorstoComhaltas.Attempttoreviveratherthanpromote.

1930-DeclineinIrishtraditionalmusicdespiteeffortstopreserve,promote,andnationalizeit

1930s-1940s-IrishtraditionalmusicthrivesanddevelopsinIrishdiasporacommunities(U.S.andelsewhere)

1956:FirstFleadhCheoil.Attempttogivelegitimacytotraditionalmusicandprovideagatheringpointformusicians.

1960s-FirstdecadeofIrishmusicrevival;shifttowardneo-traditionalmusicalstyles,includingensembleratherthansoloperformance.Folkrevival

1980s-Altanandothernewgroupsestablished,preservingtraditionalstyleswhilecontinuingtopushIrishtraditionalmusicinnewdirectionsaswell

1990s-Riverdancebecomesaninternationalsensation

Irishfiddleplayingtodayhasneverbeenmorevigorous,whetherataprofessionaloramateurlevel,withanextremelyhighstandardofplayingandastrongdemandforthemusicbothinIrelandandelsewhere.AsearlyasthemiddleagesIrelandhadaninternationalreputationforthequalityofitsmusicians.

FrancisO'NeillwasanIrish-bornChicagopolicechiefwhocollectedthesinglelargestcollectionofIrishtraditionalmusiceverpublished.Hewasaflautist,fiddlerandpiperwhowaspartofavibrantIrishcommunityinChicagoatthebeginningofthe20thcentury,onethatincludedsomefortythousandpeople,includingmusiciansfromallthirty-twocountiesofIreland,accordingtoNicholasCarolan,whoreferredtoO'Neillas"thegreatestindividualinfluenceontheevolutionofIrishtraditionaldancemusicinthetwentiethcentury.”

FormoreinformationregardingthehistoryandtypesofIrishMusic,pleasereferenceAppendixA

FrancisO’Neill’sManuscripts

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FunFactsabouttheIrishFiddleandBodhránIrishFiddle

• AviolininIrishmusicthatisplayedinanuniquestyleandsoundthatmakesitdifferentfromclassicalviolinplaying

• Theplayingstyleispredominantlyinfirstposition

• ItisplayedwithabowandisthoughttohavebeenplayedinIrelandsincethe17thcentury

Bodhrán

• Thisisalargeframeddrumrangingfrom25cmto65cmindiameterandcoveredwithstretchedanimalskin,typicallygoatskin.

• Itisstruckwithastickwhichistraditionallymadefromdouble-endedknucklebonetoprovidetraditionalmusicwithapulsatingbeat

• Theothersideisopenendedforonehandtobeplacedagainsttheinsideofthedrumheadtocontrolthepitchandtimbre

LearningtoSpeakGaelic

HereisacollectionofphrasestohelpintroduceaclasstotheGaeliclanguage.Consideredacomplexlanguagetolearn,theseshortphrasesincludeaphoneticpronunciationtoassist.Phrase:HelloIrish:DiadhuitPronunciation:Djee-ahgwitch

Phrase:Whatisyourname?Irish:Cadisainmduit?Pronunciation:Codhisanamgwitch

Phrase:ThankyouIrish:GoraibhmaithagatPronunciation:Guhrowmahaguth(rowasincow)

Phrase:You'rewelcomeIrish:TáfáilteromhatPronunciation:Thawfoil-chehroath

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IrishMusicSessions

SessionsaremostlyinformalgatheringsatwhichpeopleplayIrishtraditionalmusic.TheyarethecornerstonesofthesocialnatureofplayingtraditionalIrishmusic.TheIrishlanguagewordforsessionisseisún.

Sessionsareakeyaspectoftraditionalmusic;somesayitisthemainsphereinwhichthemusicisformulatedandinnovated.Further,thesessionsenablelessadvancedmusicianstopracticeinagroup.InmanyruralcommunitiesinIreland,sessionsareanintegralpartofcommunitylife.Sessionsaremostoftenheldinpubsbutalsoareheldinhomesoratvariouspublicplaces.

Thegeneralsessionschemeisthatsomeonestartsatune,andthosewhoknowitjoinin.Goodsessionetiquetterequiresnotplayingifonedoesnotknowthetune,andwaitinguntilatuneoneknowscomesalong.Inan"open"session,anyonewhoisabletoplayIrishmusiciswelcome.A"closed"sessionisbyinvitationonly.

FormoreinformationregardingIrishMusicSessions,pleasereferenceAppendixB

CéiliDance

Acéili(kay-lee)danceisapopularformoffolkdancinginIreland.Traditionalcéilidanceswereenjoyedathousepartiesandcornerroadgatheringsintheruralcountryside.Decadeslater,theyarestilldancedinIrelandandthediaspora.

Céilimusicmaybeprovidedbyanassortmentoffiddle,flute,tinwhistle,accordion,bodhránandinmorerecenttimesalsodrums,guitar,mandolin,andbouzouki.Themusicischeerfulandlively,consistinginIrelandmainlyofjigs,reels,hornpipes,polkas,slip-jigsandwaltzes.DancingatacéiliisusuallyintheformofCèilidhdances,setdancesorcoupledances.A"Set"consistsoffourtoeightcouples,witheachpairofcouplesfacinganotherinasquareorrectangularformation.Eachcoupleexchangespositionwiththefacingcouple,andalsofacingcouplesexchangepartners,whileallthetimekeepinginstepwiththebeatofthemusic.

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CéiliDanceattheCrossroadsinIreland

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IrishMusicSchoolofChicago;SeánCleland&JackieMoran

Theschool’sgoalistoprovidequalityeducationandfunexperiencesinthetraditionalIrishartstoeveryone.Thatincludeslearningfromgreathometownteachersyear-roundaswellastheopportunityforChicagoanstolearnfromandlistentothebesttraditionalIrishmusicdirectfromIreland.

TheSchoolwasfoundedin2003byChicago-bredandinternationallyacclaimedIrishfiddlerSeanCleland.AsayoungIrish-AmericandeterminedtoplaytraditionalIrishmusic,SeanmaderepeatedtripstoIreland.Backathome,heimmersedhimselfinthevibrantChicagoIrishMusiccommunity,literallysittingatthefeetofthemostlyimmigrantIrishmusicians.

SeánCleland-IrishFiddle

SeánisanIrishfiddleplayer,Irishmusicteacher,adjudicator,collaborator,producerandexecutivedirectoroftheIrishMusicSchoolofChicago.SeángrewupontheNorthsideofChicagoinanIrish-Americanhousehold.Hestartedclassicalviolinlessonsatage7,andatage9hisparentstookhimtooneofthefirstNorthAmericanconcerttoursofComhaltasCeoltóiríÉireann,Ireland'snationalmusicorganization.TherehebecameenthralledwithIrishFiddleandbeganplaying.Hehassincegoneontoformamultitudeofgroupsandperformwithsomeofthefinestmusiciansworldwide.

JackieMoran-Bodhrán

BorninTipperary,ten-year-oldJackieandhisfamilyimmigratedtoChicagowherehequicklybegandrummingwiththebestplayersintheIrishmusicscene.HeswiftlygrewintooneofthepreeminentfiguresintheChicagoIrishmusicscene.Jackie’stalentshavealsoledhimtoappearonstagewith“Riverdance,”andtohelpformandperformwiththeTrinityIrishDanceCompany

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In-ClassActivitiesandLessonPlans1) ExploretheworldofIrishculturethroughplaying,singinganddancing.Studentswill

learntodifferentiatestylesofIrishmusicandstartdiscussingtheculturalcontextof

songanddance.FollowthelinktotheSmithsonianlessonplanthatintroduces

traditionaldancingandmusicalactivities: http://www.folkways.si.edu/irish-experiences-

dance-singing-instrument-playing/jigs-polka/music/tools-for-teaching/smithsonian

2) Playthebodhránaccuratelyandwithasteadybeat.Learnlistening,singinganddancing

skillthroughthetraditionalsong“Cunla.”Anydrumwouldserveasasuitablesubstitute

toatraditionalbodhrán.Lessonplanavailableinlink: http://www.folkways.si.edu/irish-

bodhran-celtic-classics-singing-dancing-playing/music/tools-for-teaching/smithsonian

3) TraditionalIrishMusicLearningResourceCenter.Includesamultitudeoflinksto

materials,songsandlearningtools.

http://www.tradirishmusic.org/index_files/ExtHome3.html

HelpfulLinks

1) AinformativebackgroundonFrancisO’Neill,whoservedasaninstrumentalfigurein

spreadingIrishartsandcultureheritagethroughChicagointheearly20thcentury.

http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=1,7,1,1,34

2) ListenandlearnsomeclassicsongsinGaelic!Sheetmusicandaudiorecordingsavailable

atthislink:http://www.gaelic4parents.com/maoilios/listen-and-sing

3) Colorthesesignsthatdenotethevariousroomsofthehousefromthekitchentothe

bedroom.http://www.gaelic4parents.com/maoilios/make-and-print/door-signs

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AppendixA:AdditionalHistory

Incommonwithmanyotherkindsoftraditionalmusic,Irishmusictookabigdownturninthe40’sand50’sasswing,rockandroll,andgeneralpostwaroptimismsawanewgenerationturningtheirbacksonwhatwasseenasatiredandoutdatedgenre.Concernedbythedeclineandpotentialdemiseoftraditionalplaying,agroupofmusiciansgottogetherinDublinin1951andformedComhaltasCeoltóiríÉireann(“gatheringofmusiciansofIreland”),commonlyreferredtoasjustComhaltas(key-ol-tas).TheiraimwastopromoteIrishtraditionalmusic,dancing,languageandculture,andtoestablishanannualnationalfestivalandcompetitionorFleadh.Classesteachinginstrumentsanddancetoyoungchildrenbecamewidespread,andthecompetitionshaveconsistentlydrivenuptheoverallstandardofplaying.

IrishimmigrantscreatedalargenumberofemigrantballadsonceintheUnitedStates.Thesewereusuallysadlaments,steepedinnostalgia,andself-pity,andsingingthepraisesoftheirnativesoilwhilebitterlycondemningthelandofthestranger.Thesesongsincludefamoussongslike"ThousandsAreSailingtoAmerica"and"BytheHush",though"ShamrockShore"maybethemostwellknowninthefield.

AppendixB:AdditionalHistory&TypesofIrishMusicbyStyle

Mostoftentherearemore-or-lessrecognizedsessionleaders;sometimestherearenoleaders.Attimesasongwillbesungoraslowairplayedbyasinglemusicianbetweensets.

Typically,thefirsttuneisfollowedbyanothertwoorthreetunesinaset.Theartofputtingtogetherasetishardtoputintowords,butthetunesmustflowfromonetoanotherintermsofkeyandmelodicstructure,withoutbeingsosimilarastoallsoundthesame.Thetunesofasetwillusuallyallbeofthesamesort,i.e.alljigsorallreels,althoughonrareoccasionsandamongstamoreskilledgroupofplayersacomplementarytuneofadifferentsortwillbeincluded,suchasaslipjigamongstthejigs.

Somesetsarespecifictoalocale,oreventoasinglesession,whilstothers,likethe"Colemanset"ofreels("TheTarbolton"/"TheLongfordCollector"/TheSailor'sBonnet"),representlongstandingcombinationsthathavebeenplayedtogetherfordecades.

AppendixC:TypesofIrishMusicbyStyle

Reelsarefasttunesin4/4time(ormoreaccurately,incuttime).ReelsarethestapleofIrishtraditionalsessionstheworldover,usuallyoutnumberingallothertunetypesbyalargemargin.TheywereimportedfromScotlandinthelate18thC,buthavenowdevelopedtheirownstyleinIreland,andmakeupalargepartoftherepertoire.Theyaremadeupmostlyofeighthnotes(quavers),whichmaybeplayedstraight,orgivenaswingabitlikehornpipes.Thepulseofareelcaneitherbeonthefirstofeachfourquavers(theonbeat),oronthethird(theoffbeator

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backbeat).KevinBurkefrequentlyusesthelatterapproach,similartotheAmericanGeorgiashuffle.Patternsinwhichthebowrocksacrosstwostringsarecommoninreels.Mostreelshaverepeatedeight-barsections;making32bars(eg.theStarofMunster,theMerryBlacksmith,)Lesscommonare3-part(48bar)reelssuchastheFloggingReelortheMovingCloud.Singlereelsarethoseinwhichthe8-barsectionsarenotrepeated.Examplesoftwo-partsinglereelsincludeTheWindthatShakestheBarley,theMonaghanTwig,andDrowsyMaggie.Singlereelscanalsobethree-part(TheFloggingReel,theLongfordSpinster,BoysofMalin);fourpart;(LordMacDonald’s),orfive-part(BucksofOranmore).

Reelsareusuallyfastandflashy,showingthefiddler'stechniquetogoodeffect,thoughMartinHayesisknownforplayingreelsinaveryslowandexpressivefashion.

HornpipeswereintroducedfromEngland.Theyaresimilartoreels,butwithabouncy,"humptydumpty"rhythmcreatedbylengtheningthefirstofeachpairofquavers,andshorteningthesecond.Theytendtobeplayedslowerthanreels,particularlywhenplayedfordancing.Ahornpipecanbereliablyidentifiedifthe8barlineendswiththreeevencrotchets,asforexampleinthesailor’shornpipe.Hornpipestendtobemoremelodicthanreels,andwithmoreharmonicinterest,andfrequenttripletsareacommonfeature.Arpeggiatedphrases,chromaticnotesandimpliednon-diatonicchordsareallcommoninhornpipes.ExamplesincludeHarvestHome,BoysofBluehill,StackofBarleyandOfftoCalifornia.ListentoFrankieGavin’stakeonTheWonderHornpipe,whichmorethanlivesuptoitsname.

Polkasareplayedfasterthanreels,butfeelsteadierastheyhavefarfewerrunsofquavers.Theyarein2/4time-ietwocrotchetstothebar.TheyoriginatedinPolandinthe1830's.ThepolkawassoonapopularthroughouttheballroomsofEurope,beforefilteringdowntothedancesofordinarypeople.Polkasareoftenverysimplemelodies,andaparticularlyprevalentintheSliabhLuachraregionofCork,KerryandLimerick.AmongtheleadingexponentswereJuliaCliffordandDenisMurphy,abrotherandsisterfromcountyKerry,andmorerecentlythefiddlerMattCranitchfromthebandSliabhNotes.

Examplesofwell-knownpolkasincludeMaggieintheWood,The£42cheque,FarewelltoWhiskey,andDenisMurphy'sPolka.BritchesfullofStitchesisaparticularlyeasytunetolearn,asitisbasedonapentatonic(fivenote)scale.

Jigs,amongtheoldestformofIrishdancetune,haveabouncy6/8rhythm,withastressatthebeginningofeachthreenotes(rashersandsausages)ExampleswouldbeHastetotheWeddingorLannigan'sBall.Youmaysometimeshearthetermdoublejig;thisisinfactthenormalform.Theterm“double”inreferencetojigsreferstothe“doublebattering”stepusedbydancers.

Jigsareoccasionallythree-part(suchasDingleRegatta)orfour-part(TheLark),butlikemostIrishtunesareusually2-part.Asinglejighasasimplerrhythm(boiltheeggsandcookthebacon),andissometimesnotatedin12/8time.ThebestknownexamplesincludeSmashtheWindows,HagattheChurnandOffSheGoes.

Slipjigs.Farlesscommonthanordinaryjigs,thesehaveasimilarfeelbutarein9/8(cookingmyrashersandsausages).Theslipjigisusedforagracefulsoftshoestepdance,usuallydancedby

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womenonly,andalsofortheceilidanceStriptheWillow.AmongthebestknownareTheButterfly(acompositionbyDublinfiddlerTommyPotts),RockyRoadtoDublin,DropsofBrandy,theKidontheMountainandtheFoxhunter’sJig.

Slides;similartojigsagain,butinabrisk12/8time;foundonlyinthesouthwestofIreland.Theycanbedistinguishedfromjigsbythelongmelodicphraseswhichwouldnotfitintoabarof6/8(cookingmytatersandrashersandsausages)ExamplesincludeStarabovetheGarter,HareintheCorn,andKilfenoraJig.

Mazurkas.LikePolkas,Mazurkasoriginatedascouple-dancesinPoland(aMazurbeinganinhabitantoftheprovinceofMazovia).Theyarein3/4time,butunlikethewaltz,theaccentisusuallyonthesecondbeatofthebar.ExamplesincludeJohnnyDoherty's,CharlieLennon's,andSonny'sMazurka.Theyareplayedsomewhatfasterthenawaltz.TheyhavebecomeparticularlyassociatedwithDonegalmusic.

Slowairs,derivedinpartfromthesean-nos(oldstyle)gaelicsinging,areonlyoccasionallyplayedatsessions,andmakemoredemandsontoneandintonationthandothedancetunes.Theyareplayedrubato,andwithagreatdealofexpression.Examplesofwell-knownslowairsincludeAnChúilfhionn(TheCoolin),BeanDubha’Gleanna(DarkwomenoftheGlen),SliabhGealGcua(Fareyouwell),andTheWoundedHussar.Slowairsareanimportantfeatureoffiddlecontestsatthefleadh;intheadultcategorytheplayingofoneiscompulsory.Itissaidthattoperformoneproperly,youneedtobefamiliarwiththegaeliclyrics,otherwisethephrasingwillmakenosense.

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Materials Prepared by Lotus Education Arts Foundation, January 2016

Written - Sean Benolken, Lotus Graduate Assistant

Contributor - Kathy Medic & the Irish Music School of Chicago

Photo Credit – Irish Music School of Chicago

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Irish Music School of Chicago study guide