Big Blog #2: Celtic Music

There is something about Irish music that speaks to me. The simplicity and the fast-paced rhythm has always made my heart leap. It is such a recognizable form of music that you can hear from a mile away. One of my favorite aspects of this type of music is the communal feel. Whenever I hear Irish music I think of family-oriented events, community gatherings, or some social event.

Let’s start with some traditional musical instruments that are commonly used in Celtic music. We have learned about “the instrument” of many countries, but what is Ireland’s most beloved instrument? It is the fiddle! The fiddle is to Ireland what the the sitar is to India or what didgeridoo is to Australia. The fiddle is actually a violin in form with the only difference being the music that is being played on it. The fiddle is a chordophone that is associated with fast note changes and usually accompanied by dancing.

Next up, another chordophone, and also idiophone if we were in the Andes – the harp. The harp is a well-known instrument in Celtic music most traditionally played at weddings and funerals. Apparently, “legend has it that the first harp was owned by Chief Dagda from Tuatha dé Danann” (Birch). He would make his audiences cry, smile, and even lull them to sleep, so the harp was named the, “dispenser of sorrow, gladness and rest” (Birch).

The flute is our next instrument. This aerophone is higher pitched that our previous instruments. Under the umbrella aerophones, the Irish use tin whistles quite frequently. Native American music also contains the tin whistle which I thought was interesting given the difference in cultural backgrounds. The tin whistle makes a shrill and almost tinsley sound. If you have watched Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings or Hobbit films then you may have heard this instrument used during scenes of the Shire. 

Next we have the accordion which is commonly associated with Germanic types of music. The accordion is played by compressing and expanding the bellows while you press certain keys and buttons. This makes the pallets open, which cause air to flow over the reeds therefore producing the sound. 

Since we haven’t talked about a membranophone yet, let's take a look at the Bodhrán. This common percussion instrument is played in an upright position. The hands of the drummer manually control the timbre and the pitch. The “Bodhrán” means dull and reflects the hollow sound of the drum” (Birch).

Now that we know the types of instruments used in Irish music I want to introduce some common types of songs that are sung in Ireland. First up, the ballad. Ballads tend to be slower and more contemplative because they are telling a narrative. Essentially, ballads are musical narratives. Ballads could range from war stories to love stories. They pass down history just like African griots do. Irish ballads became a special part of the immigration stories of the Irish people during the potato famine. They were important because they helped the Irish remember their homeland and her history. Here is a Nathan Evans song called Wellerman that highlights this ballad style in a modern way.

The opposite of a ballad would be an Irish “Drinking song” that like the name suggests is associated with the communal aspect of Irish bars. These types of songs were more common in the working classed of Ireland. The drinking song is typically associated with “Simple melodies, repetitive lyrics, catchy hooks, universal sentiments” (Warner). The melodies are simple enough so all people, regardless of musical background, could catch on the the tune. The universal sentiments are a central part of these songs because they unite everyone in the pub under a common umbrella. These songs are relatable to the general public because of common problems like romantic relationships and financial trouble. The key difference in ballads and drinking songs is the “seriousness” of the subject matter. Ballads help society understand their history and their past while drinking songs help people get through tough times in the present moment. Down by the Laganside by the Irish Rovers is a great example of a drinking song.

Finally, I want to focus on the dancing music of Ireland as well as take a detour into the world of Irish dance. I am a former Irish Step Dancer, I have competed in many a feis (Irish Dance competition) during my years as a dancer, and qualified to go to nationals before I switched to dancing ballet. Irish dance holds a special place in my heart and I'm excited to get to share a bit about the music behind it all.

There are dozens of dozens of dances within Irish dance but I will choose to focus on three. It is also important to note that in Irish dance, there are two categories that dances fall into. One, is called soft-shoe which is where the dancers wear soft leather shoes. These dances tend to travel more and have more of a “light” nature due to the softer show. Second, is hard-shoe. Hard-shoes have a small heel on the end of the shoe and a fiberglass tip that makes noise when it hits the floor similar to what a tap shoe does. 

Let's first talk about the treble jig (hard-shoe). Given that this is a hard-shoe dance, the music is usually played at a larger and louder scale so that the dancers can hear it over the loudness of their shoes. The accordion takes and more central role in hard-shoe dances like this. I have attached a video of Riverdance, Michael Flatley's Irish dancing troupe, below for you all to get a feel of what Irish Dance is like. Not all Irish dance is this performative, but at least you will be able to see how the music intersects with the dance.

Now, I want to highlight the a soft-shoe dance called the “reel.” The reel is considered the most famous of all of the soft-shoe dances surpassing dances like the slip jig and light jig. This is a progression dance which means the higher the level you are the more steps and complications will be added into the dance. The fiddle is more of a major player in this dance. Here is an example of what a reel would sound like.

Also, here is a clip of the Gardiner Brothers performing a traditional Irish hard-shoe dance. It takes awhile to get into the dancing so flip into it a bit

Finally, there is a dance and musical collaboration called a Ceilidh dance. A Ceilidh dance is a communal dance and music experience similar to what Americans would think of as line dancing. These dances are also popular in Scotland. The musicians not only play the music for these dances but also are in charge of walking the dancers through the steps and explaining the rhythm and the beat (Monteuil). 

To conclude our journey through Irish music, I want to highlight the Celtic Women, an all female group of Irish singers.  From religious songs to druid songs, these women have helped bring Irish music to the world. They are key players in how the world perceives Irish music, and they continue to shape our perceptions of what Ireland looks like through the musical lens.

*Also, apologies for the text being highlighted at some points, I typed it in a google doc and copied and pasted it into blogger so I don't know how to remove it.

Birch, Gillian. (2022). 9 Of The Most Popular Irish Instruments For Playing Irish Traditional Music. https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/traditional-irish-instruments/

Montreuil, Loic. (2019). What is the Scottish Ceilidh and Ceilidh Dancing? https://www.inlingua-edinburgh.co.uk/what-is-the-scottish-ceilidh-and-ceilidh-dancing/#:~:text=Dating%20back%20to%201875%2C%20Ceilidh,becoming%20more%20and%20more%20popular!

Warner, Andrea. (2019). A Brief History of Drinking Songs. https://www.cbc.ca/music/a-brief-history-of-drinking-songs-1.5070012