Ireland

Ireland

  • The Republic of Ireland officially formed in 1949, with Ulster—Northern Ireland (Ulster)—voted to remain part of the UK

  • Popular culture in US tends to associate and blend all Celtic music (Irish-based music) together as one

The Uilleann Pipes –

  • The Irish Bagpipes

  • Different from the Scottish highland pipes because the air is pumped by a bellows into the bag – not filled by blowing through a tube into the bag

  • Uillean = elbow

  • The instrument is named for the elbow that pumps the bellows.

  • Played indoors for domestic occasions

  • Can be solo or ensemble instrument

  • Are bellows not mouth driven

About the Instrument

  • Consist of the airbag, the bellows and strap, the chanter pipe (melody), three drone pipes, three “regulators”—a set of pipes with keys played with the side of the hand —that allow production of chords (harmony)

  • Bellows are secured with a belt across right hip and use right arm/elbow to pump and fill bag

  • Player presses on the bag with left arm

  • Use fingers of both hands to play melody on chanter and press regulator keys with side of right hand

Musical characteristics

  • Played indoors for domestic occasions

  • Mellower than Scottish highland pipes

  • Fuller sound, warmer tone

  • Can hear occasional chords of harmony

Types of music-

  • Similar dance music as the highland pipes

  • Dances—jig, reel, horn-pipe, polka

  • Lyric and sentimental songs

  • Drinking songs

  • May be major/minor or pentatonic

  • Much of Irish music seems sad or sentimental

Other Traditional Irish Instruments –

The Celtic Harp

  • The original Irish instrument was the harp—fell into oblivion around 1800

  • Harp revival in 20th century (1900s) – it is now the symbol of Ireland

  • Notice its distinctive outwardly bowed shape

The Tin Whistle

  • A flute aerophone

  • Once called the penny whistle (inflation necessitated its name change)

The Bodhran

  • A type of frame membranophone drum

  • Played with a stick that was originally a fowl/chicken leg bone (the drumstick)

  • The main percussion instrument in Irish/Celtic folk music

The fiddle –

  • The same instrument as the violin

  • A type of bowed lute chordophone

Performance Places/Contexts

  • Traditionally music was played communally for family/friends in private settings

  • Now often in pubs or smaller settings

  • New types of Irish-based folk music is generally labeled “Celtic”

Other often used instruments –

  • “timber” flute (wooden transverse)

  • bellows-driven free reed instruments with keyboards—melodeon, concertina, accordion

  • Adopted instruments—Italian mandolin, American tenor banjo, guitar, bouzouki (after Greco-turkish lute)