Music and the Celtic Otherworld: From Ireland to Iona [Hardcover]

Karen Ralls-MacLeod (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2000

Covering themes close to Scottish and Irish folklore, this book explores the universal concept of the spiritual dimension of music from the viewpoint of the Celtic sources. From the descriptions of the supernatural power of the "fairy" harp in Elfland in the Scottish ballads to the sacred music of God's Heaven in the Christian Saints' Lives, the Celtic sources provide a rich and varied selection of references to music and its perceived supernatural power and influence.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The connection between music and the medieval Celtic concepts of the Otherworld is a fascinating topic that Ralls-MacLeod (Celtic and religious studies, Univ. of Edinburgh) succeeds in introducing through various source texts. However, the book's organization, including numerous headings and subheadings that often impede the flow of the text, diminishes the impact of her assertions. Based on literary descriptions containing references to music, the author's arguments concerning the Celtic Otherworld, music, and their relation to medieval Irish culture would have been more convincing if the book had begun with an in-depth description of the importance of music in various aspects of everyday life. The general reader would also benefit from a more detailed account of the sources and their provenance and by placing the main figures in historical context. Despite these limitations, this study provides a solid introduction to an interdisciplinary topic that will be of interest to scholars of Celtic culture and folklore as well as medieval Irish music. Recommended for academic libraries.DTeresa M. Neff, Boston Univ.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"The connection between music and the medieval Celtic concepts of the Otherworld is a fascinating topic that Ralls-MacLeod succeeds in introducing through various source texts." --Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 244 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (June 10, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312232411
• ISBN-13: 978-0312232412
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,056,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Whatever our chosen paths, we are all on a quest. History, local traditions, and visiting historical sites can often enlighten and assist us on this journey. I write my books for all of you, as we mutually step back in time and explore what history has to offer us today -- "Quest on"! All best wishes, Karen

Karen M. Ralls, PhD, medieval historian and world religions and spiritualities scholar, obtained her doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, followed by six years as Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer (Univ. of Edinburgh, Celtic Dept.) and Deputy Curator of the Rosslyn Chapel Museum art exhibition (1996-2001) prior to relocating to Oxford, England, where she continues her specialist research,media/TV/film outreach, and music projects. A member of The Chalice Well, Rosslyn Chapel (Scotland), and Gatekeeper Pilgrimage Trusts (UK), the American Academy of Religion, and the British Association for the Study of Religions, Dr Ralls has appeared on major American, British and European TV documentaries for History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, BBC Channel 4, etc., and has completed a specialist Medieval and Renaissance art history course at the renowned Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London.

Often widely recognized for her groundbreaking work, Dr Ralls is an international lecturer, conference speaker, noted author, historical and sacred sites tour guide, and workshop/retreat/events presenter. As Medieval Editor, she has also written a column for Sacred History, an American magazine for general readers whose debut issue was selected in 2006 by Library Journal as one of the "Top 30 new US periodical releases". Originally from the USA, Dr Ralls' books include The Templars and the Grail (Quest Books), The Knights Templar Encyclopedia (Career Press), Music and the Celtic Otherworld (Edinburgh University Press & Palgrave/Macmillan), Quest for the Celtic Key (Luath, Edinburgh); Indigenous Religious Music (SOAS Musicology Series, UK), and more. Also a musician (flute, Celtic harp), Karen has a Facebook Author Page and her award-winning website is http://www.ancientquest.com




*some of the TV documentaries include:

Medieval Mysteries (2010)

The Quest: The Greatest Knight of All (Vol III - part of the Knights Templar Quest DVD Series, Classic Media/Shepperton Studios, UK. "Presented by Dr Nick Barratt of the BBC TV flagship programme 'Who do you think you are', and featuring the eminent medieval Templar historian Dr Karen Ralls and others, this Volume III DVD of the series investigates the specific history, legends, and mysteries surrounding the medieval Knights Templar." 2 discs; running time 110 min.'s (2008)

Quest for the Lost Ark (History Channel, BBC 4) (2008)

Looking for a Grail Legend (DVD); with Dr Karen Ralls (at Rosslyn Chapel), Prof. Ronald Hutton, John Matthews, Jude Currivan, Maddy Prior, etc. (UK production, 2007)

Mysteries of the Freemasons (National Geographic, 2006)

Medieval Pilgrimage - A Sacred Journey (2006)

Secret History of Religion: Knights Templar (Curtis Productions, Chicago; National Geographic) - a 'special Thank You' to Dr Karen Ralls (2006)

Decoding the Past: The Templar Code (History Channel; 2005)

Beyond the Da Vinci Code (History Channel; 2005); The Da Vinci Code Decoded (History Channel; 2004)

Quest for the Holy Grail (UK); filmed at Rosslyn Chapel, Scotland; (Discovery Channel, 2003)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Ambitious but flawed, October 4, 2011

By 

Mara Grey "Mara" (Langley, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Music and the Celtic Otherworld (Paperback)

I wanted to like this book, since the subject is such a rich and fascinating aspect of Celtic life, but it's not the book I hoped it would be. As the extension of PHD thesis, this book is naturally scholarly and I have no problems with that. There are way too many dreamy, misty faux-Celtic books around and way too many people passing their own ideas off as "how it really was" but it could have included more quotes and actual writings rather than relying so much on the author's thoughts about the writings.

What truly put me off the book, however, was a lapse in scholarship. One of the most interesting accounts of music changing reality is in "Tain Bo Froech," "The Cattle Raid of Froech." In this story, available in translation so ignorance is not an excuse, Froech was a renowned warrior whose mother was one of the Sithe, the people of the otherworld. When he went to woo Findabar, the daughter of the king, his aunt, Boand, gave him a marvelous retinue from the Sithe. This included three harpers, the sons of Boand and Uaithne, the harper of the chief of the gods. They were named after the strains of music that Uaithne played as they were being born, Sad Music, Happy Music, and Sleep Music.

When they played for the king's household, the decorations in the form of snakes and birds and hounds in gold and silver on the harps came alive and moved among the people. Twelve men died of sorrow.

All this, including their birth, is in the story but the author says that "the story describes how a talented mortal harper summoned spirit-images" of the animals. She quotes one paragraph but has no idea of the context in which it is placed. Poor scholarship!