manx celtic music and dance

Fiana Ni Chonaill: Dathanna an Cheoil | Album Review

24 Nov 2016


Fiana Ní Chonaill: Dathanna an Cheoil | Album Review

A Personal Perspective: Refreshing!

Peddyr Cubberley. October 2016

A little more than 12 months ago Irish harper Fiana Ní Chonaill visited Mann by invitation of Manx trad band Mactullagh Vannin. During her visit she toured several schools, and gave workshops and concerts throughout the Island and was very encouraging to our own young trad musicians, and harpers in particular. In return, her visit was reciprocated by a group of young Manx musicians - “Croan yn Tead”, who travelled to Ireland in the Spring of this year, playing concerts and giving workshops in the Limerick and Tipperary areas, including the University of Limerick’s Irish World Academy. Next year in 2017, Fiana is planning to bring a large group of harpers back to the Island. An opportunity not to be missed by fans of traditional music, and lovers of the harp in particular! More details to follow in due course.

Meanwhile, if you don’t fancy the wait until next year to hear Fiana’s harp playing, she has just released her debut CD – “Dathanna an Cheoil”. It can be purchase by contacting her from the contact page of her website - www.fianaharpmusic.com. “Dathanna an Cheoil” is definitely a must have album and a great addition to anyone’s traditional music collection, and if you’re looking for that ideal Christmas present for family and friends alike,  then you wouldn’t go wrong with this album!

 

The text of the CD states –

“Fiana hails from Castleconnell, Co Limerick. She comes from a family that has been involved in Irish music for three generations and was reared in a household immersed in the Irish music tradition. Her grandmother was an instrument maker, two of her aunts are former all-Ireland winning harpists and another was an all-Ireland winning concertina player.  She began learning the harp with Dr. Janet Harbison at the Limerick School of Music and later at the Irish Harp Centre. She completed a B.A. in Irish Music at the University of Limerick in 2012 and went on to attain a Masters in Music at Newcastle University in 2013. Her achievements in the harp world are diverse and impressive in nature, having won numerous prizes at local harp festivals, such as those in Keadue and Granard and include the senior title at the O’Carolan Harp festival in Nobber, Co. Meath. She has won several All-Ireland medals as well as achieving first place in the Harp Slow Airs at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2012.”

Fiana is a fine exponent of Irish Traditional Music, and a musician of consummate skill who embodies Ireland when she plays the harp. Her sensitive treatment of, and approach to her music demonstrates an innate understanding of the music, its origins, and a loyalty to the spirit, style, and repertoire of the tradition. Undoubtedly a solid tradition bearer of her native Ireland’s traditional music, she has a maturity in her playing that belies her youth when it comes to interpreting the music of that tradition, and she follows in the footsteps of other renowned tradition bearers that have gone before her such as Gráinne Yeats, thus ensuring that the repertoire for the harp stays attractive and relative to contemporary harpers.

The harp is, undoubtedly, quintessentially Irish and represents all things Irish for many people the world over. Indeed, the harp is the national emblem of Ireland, and takes centre stage in the coat of arms. Today, the most well-known of all the Irish harpers is Turlough O’Carolan (Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin). O’Carolan was the last of the big harper, composer bards and no self respecting Irish harp album would be complete without an O’Carolan track or two, and Fiana does not disappoint in this respect.

The album opens with a lovely set of reels, the second of which – “The Red Bee”, will be familiar to those who heard Fiana in Ramsey last September. The balance between tracks is good with plenty of variety and contrast, and as one might expect, there’s a good blend of jigs, reels, hornpipes, and slow airs, including the two O’Carolan pieces – “Lady Laetitia Burke”, and “Mrs Bermingham. First Air.” This new recording will be especially appreciated by lovers of the harp, and of slow airs in particular, of which there are two out of the twelve tracks in total, Track 4 - “A Stór Mo Chroí” and Track 10 – “Cuimhne an Phíobaire”. The remaining tracks are more upbeat with sets that are just right in length and tempo and not ‘over-cooked’ at high speed, something that so many of today’s bands seem to aim for with the result that sometimes it’s a case of ‘all style and no substance’! On the contrary, this album is like a breath of fresh air as it’s refreshing to hear traditional music being played within the spirit of its genre once more. If I had to pick a favourite from this album, I'd pick two! The slow air - “A Stór Mo Chroí”, Track 4, and the reel - “The Man of The House”, Track 7.  That being said, I’m enamoured with the entire album and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

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