<![CDATA[The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/items/browse?collection=4&output=rss2 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 08:17:02 -0700 burnsref@bc.edu (The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music) Boston College Libraries Zend_Feed http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Buddy MacMaster's]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/719

Story

Cape Breton fiddle legend Mr. Buddy MacMaster gave this tune to our mutual friend, piano player Barbara MacDonald Magone. Barbara graciously passed it along to me when she recorded it for this collection in Portland, Maine, almost ten years ago.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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03-24_Buddy_MacMasters-Strathspey.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:23 -0800
<![CDATA[Trip to Moultonborough]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/720

Story

Meghan Mette was one of the musicians featured on 'A Polka for Matt'. She is the younger sister to Eliza Mette, who can be heard on 'Summer's Waltz'.

Here Meghan plays one of her own compositions and, below, she tells us in her own words how the tune came to be. What beautiful sentiments about our music and song from such a young person. It tells us much about her soul.

'Every summer of my life I have gone with my family down to New Hampshire to spend a week on Squam Lake. These weeks are always wonderful, but my fondest memories come from a time when I was much younger, a time when the entire family was able to join us at the lake.

For us, as children, the lake was a sea of mysteries waiting to be discovered and fully taken advantage of on sunny days: swimming, canoeing, going to the rope swing in Sandwich Bay, or maybe a motorboat ride out to the islands, setting up camp for a picnic. However, when a rainy day came along, we were far from disappointed. Today there would be a trip to Moultonborough. We would all pile into our cars and drive through the sprinkling rain – or the downpour – to Moultonborough Country Candy Shop.

The tired floorboards would creak as all of us children ran to collect our brown paper bags at the front of the candy bar, our mothers calling "Five dollar limit!" It is amazing, however, how much candy one can purchase for five dollars at a penny candy store. On the car ride home we would trade some candy – as long as it was an equal trade of course...

I wrote this strathspey in honor of those memories. Although we have grown up since then and many of my cousins no longer join us at the lake, we continue to go to Moultonborough once a year, because the tradition – like the music – must be passed on, never forgotten. Tradition is what allows us to hold the past dear, while all the time making and adding new memories and creations to our lives. We can never let these traditions die.'

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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03-31_Trip_to_Moultonborough-Strathspey.pdf
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<![CDATA[Follies of Youth, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/721

Story

Another young player who contributed to this project is Sean Gavin from Detroit, son of fiddle player and teacher Mick Gavin from Meelick, County Clare. Here Sean plays the flute on one of his own compositions, a strathspey that somehow must have many stories behind its title. He is joined by his musical friend, fiddle player Devin Shepherd.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
06-11_The_Follies_of_Youth-Strathspey.pdf
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<![CDATA[Fiddlemaster, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/722

Story

During one of his short visits to Boston from his native County Donegal, the great gentleman Tommy Peoples took time out of his busy schedule to record this tune for me at The Center for Irish Programs at Boston College. It was a thrill and an honour for me to spend time with this master musician, an afternoon of music that will stay with me forever.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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06-28_The_Fiddlemaster-Strathspey.pdf
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<![CDATA[Drumnagarry Strathspey]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/723

Story

Tommy Peoples played this tune for me at a recording session at Boston College. The tune may also be found on Tommy's fine albums Traditional Irish Music Played on the Fiddle and Waiting for a Call.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries

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08-35_Drumnagarry_Strathspey.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:24 -0800
<![CDATA[Dogwalker, The]]> https://connollymusiccollection.bc.edu/document/724

Story

Cindy Polo, my good friend, phoned me one night and lilted part of this melody to me. I loved the sound of it and suggested to Cindy that it might fit naturally on the fiddle in a minor key. We talked about 'doing something with it', and so we began to collaborate on making a tune. For inspiration, we talked about Cindy's evening ritual of walking her dogs: an evening parade in her neighbourhood of people young and old, big and little, walking and being walked by a vast array of canines. Our musical thoughts and ideas were sung and played to one another over the phone for a few weeks, until we finally decided that our tune didn't sound too bad. In fact, we liked it! We are still unsure, though, as to whether it is a strathspey or a march. Time and distance did not allow Cindy and I to record our tune together, so, for what it's worth, and for your pleasure, here I am playing 'The Dogwalker'.

Publisher

Séamus Connolly
Boston College Libraries
10-13_The_Dogwalker-Strathspey-March.pdf
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Fri, 12 Feb 2016 08:43:24 -0800