LISTEN

Below, for your listening pleasure, I have played a small selection of Irish tunes. Enjoy!

Carrickfergus (arranged by Valerie Frewen)

Valerie Frewen, irish harp blog
Carrickfergus Castle, John James Syer (1844-1912)

This lovely tune is well known as the melody of an Irish folk song called Carrickfergus. The melody however is thought to date from an eighteenth century Irish language song '"Do Bhí Bean Uasal" ("There Was a Noblewoman"), which is attributed to the poet Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna who died in 1756 in County Clare.

 

 The King of The Fairies (arranged by Valerie Frewen)

Valerie Frewen, Irish harp blog
Fairies Dancing By Moonlight, Francis Hayman (1708-1776)

Like so many Irish tunes, this one goes by many titles, of which The King of The Fairies, is but one. It is another tune dating from the 1700s but was first published in the mid-nineteenth century. It appears to have originated as a Scottish Jacobite tune, Bonnie Charlie, referring to Bonnie Prince Charlie.

  
 
Captain O'Kane (based on an arrangement by Ann Crosby-Gaudet)

Valerie Frewen, irish harp blog
O'Carolan, The Irish Bard, James Christopher Timbrell (1807-1850)

Also known as The Dying Hussar, this is a composition by the great Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), a lament for his friend Captain Henry 'Slasher' O'Kane. O'Kane, a member of the old Irish nobility, was one of the many such grand gentlemen, forced into a life of exile as a mercenary in foreign armies. He is said to have met his death 'on the banks of the dark rolling Danube'.

 

 Carolan's Welcome (arranged by Valerie Frewen)

Valerie Frewen, Irish harp blog
The Reception, Arturo Ricci (1854-1919)

Another composition by O'Carolan, we do not actually know the original title of this tune. Until it was given the title of Carolan's Welcome by The Chieftains, it had been known for many years as 'piece number 171' from the 1958 publication, Carolan: The Life Times and Music of an Irish Harper, by Donal O'Sullivan. I think we can all agree that this beautiful tune deserved a more fitting title!

Comments

  1. Eileen17 June 2021 at 20:52

    Beautiful Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown20 June 2021 at 15:07

    Absolutely beautiful valerie I just love how you play the harp .... music for your soul

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ValerieFrw20 June 2021 at 15:31

      Thank you so much! That is a lovely thing to hear.

      Delete

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