<![CDATA[The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/items/browse?collection=2&output=rss2 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 08:24:39 -0700 burnsref@bc.edu (The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music) Boston College Libraries Zend_Feed http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Come to the Fair]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/725

Story

'Come to the Fair' was a very popular waltz/song played by The Kilfenora Céilí Band in the 1960s. I have always enjoyed listening to the band's singer Mary Higgins performing the song on a recording made at a céilí in Ennis in 1960. The recording of all of the tunes and songs played on that night was given to me to learn when I was invited to join The Kilfenora and embark on my first 'big' tour of England. What a thrill and an honour for me! The tune is performed here on this track by Tara Lynch (daughter of Jerry Lynch, the accordionist with the band in the 1950s) and myself. The track was enhanced by the musicianship of Gabriel Donohue on piano and keyboards.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
01-19_Come_to_the_Fair-Waltz.pdf
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<![CDATA[Keith Corrigan's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/726

Story

I learned this tune from accordionist Keith Corrigan. Keith had a wonderful repertoire of fine old Irish and Québecois tunes. On one memorable visit to his home in Valcartier, north of Québec City ('God's Country', as he called it), we played music long into the night and on that occasion Keith played this waltz for me. I recently found my recording of it on a microcassette and asked Damien Connolly to learn and record it for this collection. Thanks, Damien.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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02-08_Keith_Corrigans-Waltz.pdf
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<![CDATA[Cruca Glás na hÉireann]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/727

Story

The music lives and breathes in the soul of Tara Lynch. Tara, daughter of Jerry Lynch (accordionist in the 1950s with the celebrated three-time All-Ireland champion Kilfenora Céilí Band), was born in New York. She learned her music from her father, and her style is steeped in the tradition of the old Kilfenora Band. The tune she plays on this track was part of the repertoire of the band in the 1960s and '70s, of which I was so honoured to be a member. I am also honoured to have Tara playing it for us: an unbroken link.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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03-06_Cruca_Glas_na_hEireann-Waltz.pdf
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<![CDATA[Summer's Waltz]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/728

Story

A beautiful waltz played by its composer, Eliza Mette, from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, with Kimberley Fraser at the piano. Eliza made up this tune for her friend Summer, another young and talented musician. Eliza generously took the time (from doing her homework) to record it for this collection. When she went away to college, I missed hearing her play. I am happy to say that she is still playing her beloved fiddle and composing other tunes. Thank you, Eliza: keep playing and composing.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
03-21_Summers_Waltz.pdf
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<![CDATA[O'Carolan's (Number 174)]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/729

Story

Turlough O'Carolan's eighteenth-century compositions have attracted the attention of musicians all over the world. His music occupies a unique and permanent place in the repertoire of Irish traditional music. I learned this tune from the guitar playing of my friend Anisa Angarola. We played it together on Anisa's CD Birdwatcher Hill, and that track appears here. The tune can be found as number 174 in Donal O'Sullivan's magisterial collection Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper, Volume 1.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
05-16_OCarolans_Number_174-Waltz.pdf
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<![CDATA[Homecoming, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/730

Story

Kathleen Boyle, a great musician from Glasgow, composed this tune for her mother and father. They had returned home to County Donegal after living for forty-seven years in Scotland. Kathleen, who plays her composition on this track, travels back and forth from Scotland to America very often. She is a member of Joanie Madden's Cherish the Ladies ensemble. There is more on this young lady elsewhere in the collection.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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07-17_The_Homecoming-Waltz.pdf
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<![CDATA[Just Because It's You]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/731

Story

My dear friend Cindy Polo wrote this lovely tune in memory of her Dad. In her own words she tells us how it came to be:

'My first attempt at Irish fiddle playing was at a music camp in 2008, a violin novice, where I had the opportunity to learn from Séamus Connolly. He suggested that I could create a tune if I thought about a meaningful event. The tune played here by Séamus was my first attempt at composing music. It is in waltz time, and I wrote it in memory of my father, Edward Thomas Keane. As a young child, we would waltz across the living room, me riding on his feet. In later years there were father–daughter dinner dances and the dance at my wedding. We had our last waltz in 2001, the weekend before he died in the World Trade Tower on September 11th.'

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
08-08_Just_Because_Its_You-Waltz.pdf
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<![CDATA[Waltzing Down the Aisle]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/732

Story

Another tune from the pen of Kathleen Boyle from Glasgow in Scotland. She wrote this waltz for her sister's wedding, for her to walk down the aisle to. Here we hear 'K.T.' beautifully playing her own composition on piano and piano accordion.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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09-04_Waltzing_Down_the_Aisle-Waltz.pdf
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<![CDATA[Grover Jones' Waltz]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/733

Story

The great Appalachian fiddle player Alan Jabbour recorded this tune for me with Ken Perlman on banjo and Pete Sutherland at the piano. Alan told me that Grover Jones loved to play this tune on his fiddle, and even when in the company of other musicians without his fiddle he would always request this waltz. Although Mr. Jones did not compose the tune, it was because of his enthusiasm, love, and eagerness to hear it that his name automatically became associated with it. Dr. Jabbour also told me that he learned the waltz from the legendary West Virginia fiddle player Henry Reed. Listen to the beautiful, sensitive, and refined music of Alan Jabbour. Alan, I have listened to this track many times and every time a little happy tear runs down my face. Lonesome music, my friend.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
09-25_Grover_Jones_Waltz.pdf
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