Best friend to Lord Byron; famous throughout Europe and America as a poet, composer, singer, wit, and polemicist; Thomas Moore (1779-1852) was the embodiment of Romanticism. It is said he was often moved to tears by his own songs, and so were his audiences. Servants lined up behind closed doors to hear him; women swooned, wrote him notes in verse, and treasured locks of his hair. The first in a long line of Irish poet-performers who combined personal expression with a zeal for political and social reform, Moore formed a vital link between the old Gaelic bardic tradition -- nearly extinct in his day -- and the popular songs in English that fueled the flames of nationalism in early nineteenth century Ireland.Including Moore's lyrics to accompany the songs recorded here, James Flannery's book is part biography, part music history, and part history of a nation. It presents the story of Thomas Moore in the context of the Irish nationalist movement and explains the lasting influence the songs of Moore have had on the lives of countless millions of Irish emigrants, who found in them a symbolic link with their homeland.

Once regarded as Ireland’s national bard, Thomas Moore's lasting reputation rests on the ten immensely popular collections of drawing-room songs known as the Irish Melodies, published between 1808 and 1834. Moore drew on anthologies of ancient music, breathing new life into the airs and bringing them before a global audience for the very first time. Recognizing the unique beauty of the airs as well as their symbolic significance, these qualities were often interwoven into the verses providing potent political commentary along with a new cultural perspective. At home and abroad, Moore’s Melodies created a realm of influence that continued to define Irish culture for many decades to come. Notwithstanding the far-reaching appeal and success of the collections, Moore has only recently begun to receive serious attention from scholars. Una Hunt provides the first detailed study of Moore’s Irish Melodies from a combined musical and literary standpoint by drawing on a practical understanding and an unrivalled performance experience of the songs. The initial two chapters contextualize Moore and his songs through a detailed examination of their sources and style while the following chapters concentrate on the collaborative work provided by the composers Sir John Stevenson and Henry Rowley Bishop. Chapters 5 and 6 reappraise musical sources and Moore’s adaptation of these, supported and illustrated by the Table of Sources in the Appendix.

(Harp). 50 wonderful traditional and contemporary Irish melodies arranged by Sylvia Woods for both beginning and advanced hard players. Songs include: The Castle of Dromore * Cockles and Mussels * Danny Boy * The Gartan Mother's Lullaby * Killarney * Limerick Is Beautiful * My Wild Irish Rose * Sweet Rosie O'Grady * Warin' o' the Green * When Irish Eyes Are Smiling * Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral * and more. Also includes an alphabetical index and an index of first lines. Spiral bound. Playable on both lever harps and pedal harps.

A facsimile edition containing the original collection of 1,850 melodies consisting of airs, jigs, reels, hornpipes, marches, and more for fiddle

Charting the history of Irish traditional music since the turn of the century, award-winning record producer and radio presented PJ Curtis provides an overview of Irish music and song from the earliest recordings, through the bleak decades of the Forties and Fifties, to the popular renaissance of recent years. Vividly capturing the personalities of musicians, past and present, who have contributed to this living tradition, 'Notes from the Heart' explores the social milieu from which they spring, their influences, their cultural significance, and the social milieu from which they spring, their influences, their cultural significance, and the spirit and essence of the music they make.

This volume explores Irish rock's relationship to the wider world of international popular music through detailed analysis of the island's most prominent artists and bands such as U2, Van Morrison, Sinéad O'Connor, The Boomtown Rats, and Horslips - and key musical movements including the beat scene and the folk revival.

Field Guide to the Irish Music Session is the first and only book devoted entirely to the dynamics and etiquette of the traditional Irish musical gathering. There's more to these events than meets the eye or ear, and Field Guide covers it all, with an insightful blend of the humorous and the serious that is of value to both listeners and prospective participants.

From the mythological harp of the Dagda to Riverdance, this concise history of Irish traditional music and dance explores a rich spectrum of historical sources and folklore. It uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the rote of the music maker in Penal Ireland, and the popularity of dance tunes and set dancing from the end of the eighteenth century to the present. It also follows the music of the Irish diaspora from the music halls of vaudeville to the musical tapestry of Irish America today.