O'Brien Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (Pocket History series) [Paperback]

Gearoid O hAllmhurain (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2004 | Series: Pocket History series

The history of Irish traditional music, song and dance from the mythological harp of the Dagda right up to Riverdance. Exploring an abundant spectrum of historical sources, music and folklore, this guide uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the role of the music maker in Penal Ireland, as well as the popularity of dance tunes and set dancing from the end of the 18th century. It also follows the music of the Irish diaspora from as far apart as Newfoundland and the music halls of vaudeville to the musical tapestry of Irish America today.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gearoid " hAllmhurain is an Irish historian and anthropologist specializing in ethnomusicology. A leading authority on the history of Irish traditional music, he is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. He lives in San Francisco, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: O'Brien Press (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 086278820X
• ISBN-13: 978-0862788209
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #833,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compact but far ranging, September 9, 2004

By 

Virginia Allain "retired librarian" (Poinciana, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: O'Brien Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (Pocket History series) (Paperback)

It lacks an index, but helpful headings on almost every page help you find sections. Really "covers the map" including topics such as Irish Traditional Music in Quebec or The Scots-Irish in the Appalachians. It profiles important musicians in the history of Irish music, but I wanted more details on the recent (1970s-2000) artists.
The list of traditional music organizations, glossary, discography and note on session etiquette were useful.
Good for getting the basic background on Irish music, but I recommend taking a look at Far from the Shamrock Shore for a more emotional, yet historical look at the same topic.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great introduction to traditional Irish music, June 9, 2007

By 

johnnybird (Tousanne Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: O'Brien Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (Pocket History series) (Paperback)

This serves as a great introduction - not too large but plenty in it - to traditional Irish music. After an evening in a pub in the west of Ireland we picked this up in the airport shops on the way homeward. Highly recommended for musicians and certainly for fans of Irish and 'Celtic' music and culture.

Table of Contents

Music in Early and Medieval Ireland
Tudor and Stuart Ireland
Jacobites, Dancing Masters and the Penal Era
Music of the Exiles 1700-1830
Pipers, Spallpins and Patriots: Pre-Famine Ireland
Silence in the Land of Song: Post-Famine Ireland
Quebec to the Klondike: The Famine Diaspora
Records, Radios and Halls: `The New Century'
Ennis, Ó Riada and the Fleadh: A Tradition Restored
From Friels' Kitchen to the New Millennium
Glossary of Traditional Music Terms
Music, Song and Dance Collections
Traditional Music Organisations
Select Discography
A Note on Session Etiquette

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a place to begin, September 6, 2004

By 

Kelly Ann "Kelly Ann" (Fresno, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: O'Brien Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (Pocket History series) (Paperback)

I have been interested in Irish music for so long but never found a book that really covered the music in any kind of context. This is a brilliant handy little book which I have often used as an affordable gift. It covers all the historical bases as well as the modern groups and performers. Highly recommended!