Customer Reviews

Celtic Harp, Vol. I: The Music of Turlough O'Carolan

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

... If Turlough O'Carolan is reembodied these days I wouldn't be surprised if he was Patrick Ball. Patrick seems to have been born to play this music in this age.I played it at the office where I work and even the rock/jazz/blues-liking people liked it. It's a great bridge to lead people from the latter grade of sound (I'm definitely prejudiced in this regard) to the realms of really beautiful music. For budget-minded people: in my opinion, save your money re Vol. 2; I prefered Vol. 1 about infinitely (regarding the selections, not the artist's playing of them). I haven't heard Vol. 3 or Vol. 4.

If I tell you this is the most relaxing music I know, you may get the wrong impression. This is no newage mush, but intricate Baroque compositions played flawlessly on an instrument with such a blissfully sweet tone that it's no wonder angels are depicted with harps. All the same, when I was stressed out in graduate school I used to play this tape every night to drive away care, and more recently, I've found it just the thing for getting my baby to settle down to sleep. The tones of the harp cascade light bright drops of water over the surface of your mind and float you to a more peaceful place. This music is like magic.

I have been going to see Patrick Ball's live performances every chance I get since 1995. In between I console myself with his wonderful CD's. Of all of them, though, I think I play this one the most, partly because of the "O'Carolan's Farewell to Music" track. Those of you who have been lucky enough to see Patrick's one-man show of that title will not need to ask why. I have other recordings of that track, but for me they are flickering candles compared to the sun of Patrick Ball's performance. O'Carolan himself could not do it better.

This was a disgustingly good CD. :) If you like gentle instrumental music, you may well like this. It's equally good to listen attentively to or to have in the background.

... Yes, I know that line was written by a Scot, not an Irishman, but it suits the occasion. I went to a grand Saint Patrick's Day party last night, with the same old friends, and none of them musicians, whom I always break soda bread with this once a year if I'm in town, forty or fifty people with only a few really Irish but all as gentle company as any blind harper could have asked for. My son is now eighteen, and far more obviously a man than anyone remembered from last year, so he joined us in the ritual sampling of the Irish 'usquebaugh' and we got a trifle tipsy together and found ourselves re-enacting various scenes from the movie "Waking Ned Devine." But the 'comfort' was welcome, since after the party we were committed to spending the second half of the night patrolling our little neighborhood, which is being afflicted by a garbage-can arsonist.

And being a Paddy's Day party, the music was The Chieftains and other artists of the Celtic Revival, including harper Patrick Ball. Irish music has a way of taking you with it emotionally. I love the jigs and reels, with the elbow pipes and fiddles and bodhran jamming at breakneck speed. I played penny whistle with an Irish band - Banish Misfortune - a long time ago. But I also love the wistful planxties played on harp alone, and the best of them were mostly composed by Toirdhealbhach O Cearbhlallain (Turlough O'Carolan), the blind 17th C harper who spent his life as a wandering guest of the manors, one of the last of the ancient tradition of Celtic and Nordic minstrels.

The Chieftains include plenty of Carolan in their performances, with harper Derek Bell, but this solo performance by Patrick Ball brings Carolan's music to you in its purest form, with its twilight whimsy intact. Volume 1 includes my two favorites of all Carolan's tunes - 'Planxty George Barbazon' and 'Give Me Your Hand.' Ball plays a wire-strung Celtic harp, and he plays with total rhythmic integrity. There's nothing folksy-wolksy about his musicianship; his Carolan is technically superior, I think, to the playing of classicist Andrew Lawrence King. You won't need to wait for next St. Patrick's Day, or drink Irish whiskey in place of your usual wheat grass beverage, to relish this serene, sublime music.

Patrick Ball's music is by far my favourite harp music. Enchanting, joyous, moving, lilting, pretty it pulls at the heart strings. I grew up with some of these tapes in my father's possession and they were a great delight to listen to. These truly beautiful melodies from Ireland will sweep you up in their presence.

I have to confess to having a soft spot in my heart for this first of Patrick Ball's album. This was the first recording I ever encountered of music played on the
ancient Gaelic harp and it set me on the path to taking up the instrument and becoming a professional harper myself.

While I can't promise you that this recording with affect the same sort of life changes in all listeners, some 30 years later it remains a sparkling gem,
and a great introduction the music of one Ireland's most revered harper-composers. Patrick himself was just starting out, yet despite having only played for a few years
there is artistry here of breathtaking depth and maturity. His arrangements were simple back then but what he said through this music remains profound.

I love this performer's playing. It's beautiful and poignant. Some of the pieces sounded a lot alike, but I'm not really complaining. I'm now interested in his other recordings.

Patrick Ball is 'top of the line' in playing the traditional Celtic (Irish) harp. This CD is filled with delightful music which is a joy to hear. It is a must for those who are serious about Celtic harp music.

This collection could hardly be better. the playing is masterful and exciting. I look forward to more from this player. Of course, it does not hurt to have the greatest material of O'Carolan to play!