by Domnall Óg
Home >> Carolan
Turlach O’Carolan’s compositions were getting the Irish feet tapping as far back as the 17th Century. If you have ever listened to Irish music, you have very probably heard some of his work.
He was born in 1670 to a farming family and when an illness left him blind a local philanthropist paid for his musical education. After three years he began his career as an intinerant harper, a job which was highly respected in Ireland in those times. Harpers were considered bards – almost mystical artists.
He was given a very warm welcome in the big country houses where he entertained the properous. He also visited poor towns and his playing was regarded as a major cultural event.
Part of Carolan’s musical contribution to social life was to play at weddings and basptisms. He would also have been expected to play a cumha or lament at the funerals of Irish chieftains.
Carolan was the 17th Century equivalent of a pop star and was in demand from both ends of the Irish political spectrum. He only learned English late in life and so almost all his songs are in Irish. However, his English speaking patrons who had colonised parts of Ireland seemed to have enough gaelic to understand.
European music at the time was dominated by Vivaldi, Corelli, and Geminiani. Carolan, whose sense of humour was well known, could not resist calling himself Carollini on some published music sheets.
One story tells of a famous Italian composer visiting Carolan and deliberately making a mistake when playing a concerto of Vivaldi’s. Very courteously, Carolan corrected him and then improvised a brilliant new tune based around Vivaldi’s. The visiting artist never mocked an Irishman again. It is now an Irish classic fondly called “Carolan’s Concerto”. Every Irish musician of note has recorded it.
The majority of Carolan’s compositions are known by the names of patrons like Lady Athenry or George Brabazon. However, as his health failed and he returned to house of his first patron, Carolan composed his last piece called simply “Carolan’s Farewell to Music”. His death brought another farewell too. In the old church of Kilronan a stone proclaims “Within this churchyard lies interred Carolan, the last of the Irish bards”.
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Posted on http://www.weeklyletter.com at 2009-04-16 00:54:00 +0200
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Being the ignorant American that I am, I had never heard of Carolan but am listening now and absolutely love it. Thanks for the broadening of horizons!
Actually, a lot of what we consider American music like country, blues and even rock and roll has been influenced by Celtic music. The influence started to exert itself in the rural south during the early colonial period.
Nowadays the influence can be seen in hip-hop music such as that produced by Emcee Lynx. Enya is the most famous practitioner of what is called New Age music and there are genres such as Celtic Tech and Celtic Metal with groups like Dagda and Cruachan.
I am big fan of the Scottish singer Dick Gaughan who is more traditional but also sings modern songs.
Hi,
Here it goes the first comment of this year!!!
It’s good to see I’m not the only ignorant reading this weekly letter. Having an irish teacher, I know it’s a crime I should be paying for (be merciful, Dónal, please) but till this day I didn’t knew of the existence of Carolan. In fact, I don’t know much about Irish and Celtic music. Anyway the Celtic influence in modern music is obvious even for someone like me, so I think I’ll have to do an extra effort to increase my musical knowledge. Promise.
Bye and have a nice week-end
Paloma
I am thinking of having obligatory singing of Irish ballads in my classes, so don’t worry Paloma. I’m sure you will be a star student!!!
:-)
well, I didn’t know anything about Carolan and I must confess I’m really surprise and I would love to hear something (I’m sure it’s really good). It’s really an interesting article and I realized you can always learn something.
This article is about corolan live’s. I don’t know this compositor. I have never listened his music. In this text, we can know where he (nacio), and what her parents did for carolan when he was young. Later, he was in severan citys and what he do to give money to live.When he was old, he returned to home to die.
Hi guys.
Even though is not my cup of tea I have to say that I highly appreciate the succesful of this artist.Nowadays is true that this kind of artists are nearly to dissaspear.They like to play in crowded places, especially the urdenground, bus station, etc, where people can not really appreciate a good music and they can collect some coins for a quick song.
At the same time they survive with this song which is not bad and for the travellers is good because ta the same time that you are waiting for your train, bus, etc is very nice to listen song rather that the cars clang.
Regards