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Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 3, Page 34

Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 3, Page 34
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music
volume Number
1
issue Content
60Ceol na hEireann fish Music61archive recordings in their care. The CD was produced by Peter Browne, andour thanks are due to him for ensuring that these recordings be made freelyavailable.Harry Bradshaw is also to be congratulated for enhancing the sound quality ofthe original recording. The end product is certainly a fitting tribute to Ennisgenius and, given the inspirational nature of these recordings, his alreadyprominent influence on the development of uilleann piping will take on a newdimension.Robbie Hannan, Co. DownOld Music on Young fingersA LOOK AT THE CHANGES, INNOVATION AND CONSOLIDATIONOF THE UILLEANN PIPING TRADITION IN THE QUARTERCENTURY BETWEEN VOLUMES ONE AND TWOOF THE DRONES AND THE CHANTERSWhen the first volume of The Drones and the Chanters was released in the early1970s, the uilleann pipes were not commonly seen or heard unless you had aspecialised knowledge of where and when they were likely to be played. Therewere only a few dozen active players (compared to the present when there arehundreds). Within the space of five years or so, around the turn of the decade in1970, we lost Jack Wade, Leo Rowsome, Willie Clancy and Felix Doran. Manyof the great players were in decline as ill-health, or in some cases life style,caught up with them. Indeed, of those recorded for volume 1, only PaddyMoloney remains hale and hearty. Some of those pipers were of considerableinfluence on younger pipers. The Drones and the Chanters, Vol. 1, managed tobe a showcase for a vital facet of Irish traditional music by some of the best andmost renowned pipers of the century. It was also a music that, even now, rarelyif ever bows its knee to commercialism or the spurious, nor touches its forelockto the nonsense and mediocrity of popular music. It has exponents ofinventiveness and innovation but the pipes have kept their essence of traditionand taste and remain a rock-solid bastion of Gaelic culture.The uilleann pipes were very nearly an endangered species in the early 1960s,yet ironically in much demand. The problem was that very few pipemakersworked on a full-time basis and those that did were men well into old age, suchas Matt Kiernan (Dublin), Moss Kennedy (Cork) and Frank McFadden(Belfast). There were sets gathering dust in lofts and cupboards, bags andbellows leather drying out, spiders nesting in chanters, heirlooms of people whodidnt want to play them but also didnt want to part from them. The oldflat-pitched sets were unfashionable, many traded in for shiny concert pitchsets, though waiting lists were awesomely long. A friend purchased a full Coyneset in C for 75 from Matt Kiernan in 1972. Seven years earlier the McPeakeFamily of Belfast persuaded Kennedy of Cork to make a full de-luxe set for105 for Beatle John Lennon, though soon he had moved on to Indian musicand gifted these pipes to Francie McPeake. Leo Rowsome had been the mostfamous piper in Ireland for many decades, broadcasting, recording, teaching,
issue Number
3
page Number
34
periodical Author
[Various]
issue Publication Date
2001-01-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

Ceol na hÉireann / Irish Music, Volume 1, Issue 3

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