New Irish trad singing cd & article

Subject: New Irish trad singing cd & article
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 12:55 PM

Those interested in Irish traditional song and singing traditions should check out the new cd from Musical Traditions, a set of songs recorded by Keith Summers in County Fermanagh in the late 1970s. The cd notes can be found as an article on that worthy e-magazine's site, here.

A couple of quotes I found interesting:

"Unlike my experiences in Suffolk, I found it rare for a singer to claim a particular song as his own."

"Another important difference from the norm concerns instrumental music. There were local traditional musicians, many of whom played in the bars where I collected songs, but they tended very much to keep the two traditions, the music and the singing, distinct from each other. This, as I say, is not usual in Ireland and in no way was influenced by myself. The singers themselves seemed a tight-knit community who, while appreciating the music, did not see it as a natural companion to their night's singing."

Here's the official announcement:

The Hardy Sons of Dan (MTCD329-0)

Most of you will know that one or two of Keith Summers' recordings on Voice of the People came from Co Fermanagh but, like me, you probably didn't realise just how much recording he'd done there. He actually worked there intermittently from 1977 to 1983 and spent quite a bit of his spare time recording.

MT Records is now proud to present a 135 minute, 37-track double CD of 14 singers from Fermanagh and surrounding areas. It includes the likes of Maggie Murphy, Phil McDermott, James and Paddy Halpin, Mary Ann Connolly, Big John Maguire ... and is titled The Hardy Sons of Dan - football, hunting and other traditional songs from around Lough Erne's shore. As to its quality; anyone who was impressed by Seán Corcoran's Here is a Health cassette will be sure to enjoy what Keith has put together here.

It is the 'other traditional songs' which comprise the great majority of the 37 tracks, and there are only two football and four hunting songs included - but all are excellent examples of the genre. As usual, it comes in a double DVD case with a very informative 40-page integral booklet including lots of colour photos and full song texts. The CDs can be bought from me at the address below, or by credit/debit card from the MT Records website - priced £16.00 inc UK p&p. The booklet contents are also available in MT online as an article.

You will, I am certain, thoroughly enjoy it.

Rod Stradling
Musical Traditions Records
with on-line credit/debit card purchasing at:
www.mtrecords.co.uk
Musical Traditions Internet Magazine at:
www.mustrad.org.uk
1 Castle Street, Stroud, Glos GL5 2HP, UK
01453 759475
[e-mail]

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: New Irish trad singing cd & article
From: Alice
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 01:03 PM

Thanks, Becky.

Alice

Subject: RE: New Irish trad singing cd & article
From: Áine
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 12:51 PM

Thanks for the headsup on this one, Becky!

All the best, Aine