Commissioned for the 100 anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, this suite of music – comprising 11 separate movements arranged in a single continuous performance of just over 30 minutes is one of the most moving and inspirational music performances done for the 1916 Centenary. Debuted in Portlaoise in May 2016, it has since been performed in Dublin Castle and other venues for dignatories such as An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, Prince Albert of Monaco, Michael Flatley and many more.
What made this suite of music particularly effective was that the music was jointly composed by Martin Tourish along with some of the senior musicians, and Tourish has been generous in his praise and recognition of the contribution of these musicians.
The suite of music itself covers the entire range of emotions featured across the rising, from Pearse’s Oration, Hope & Loss, A Terrible Beauty, through Possibility and Into the Future.
The musicians themselves performed to a standard that any professional orchestra would be proud to achieve – and not a sheet of music or conductor to be seen! This album should be listened to in its entirely from start to finish.
Don’t just read the review, buy the CD!
This article is part of a series of articles on selected traditional Irish musicians and CD’s. At Spink Comhaltas, we believe it is critically important to support and promote our musicians, and never more so that at this time as the Covid-19 pandemic has ravaged the music industry.
Having role models and heroes is important in any walk of life, and this is true of musicians too. Some of our strongest musicians who have developed with Spink Comhaltas over the recent years have learned as much of their musidc from listening to these artists – both on CD and live – as they have learned in formal classes. We encourage our current generation of young musicians – and their parents – to consider building up their own collection of music. And while we live in a world of streaming, there is something special about being able to read the sleeve notes on an album that an artist has put a lot of energy and effort into that will always be much more meaningful than listening on a streaming service.
The musicians we have featured here are outstanding performers. Different music styles, instruments, and interpretations will appear – as well a mix of solo and group music. For most of the musicians featured, the CD featured is one of a number of works by that artist.
Spink Comhaltas promotes traditional Irish music across Laois, Carlow, Kilkenny, Kildare and further afield. With excellent teachers and resources, as well as one of the largest music instrument banks in the country, Spink Comhaltas is an excellent place to begin your journey in traditional Irish music.
In addition to teaching and promoting music, Spink Comhaltas also fosters connections – with musicians across different counties and counties, different genres of music, and other artistic and
