FREEDOM is the feeling that Irish music creates for me, and sometimes the trappings of too much information and detail about dance and music can strangle that sense of liberation.
So, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite music dance tracks with you with the minimum amount of fuss.
I have a long list of choices so this is not exhaustive, but it will give you a flavour of the breadth of sounds, styles and tempos: ranging from sweet orchestral to the wildest, raw music that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
These are just a tiny few of the many, many brilliant musicians sharing their Irish magic with you.
The last one is a new one for me but a fast favorite- Mason’s Apron by Rattle The Boards album The Parish Platform. Great playing by Benny McCarthy on accordion.
So, wherever you are, press the button, turn up the volume and go dancing.
If you’d like to support the musicians and buy any of these tracks, check out iTunes, Spotify and Amazon first to see if they are listed there.
And, yes, that is me in the photo – yours truly- rattling the boards on a bog in Tubbercurry, one summer visit to Sligo.
Have you got a list of favorites to dance to?
Please share in the comments below – I’d love to know.
Nora Stewart
Irish Bliss
Greetings Nora, I’m a bit jealous of your dancing in the bog but a love for the different sides of Irish music is a pleasure I’m more than happy to join in with you. I grew up on Irish folk songs and have a trad player daughter, so the house was full of hornpipes and reels, though her brother was annoyed constantly by her practice. Thanks for selections, Seamus Begley is a great box player but you’re never sure what he might say.
Cheers,
Brian.
Thanks Brian. Glad you like the music. And yes, Seamus, good box player, incredible singer and pretty unpredictable. But that’s what makes him so delicious! 🙂 Nora
I was curious to see what Irish tunes I might add to my play list- but found many of these to be Cape Breton tunes ;-(
Glad you enjoyed the music. As I’ve said is some of my other articles about music & dance, everyone borrows from everyone else – hornpipes from England, reels from Scotland and slides probably from Algeria. It’s a movable feast – all to enjoy 🙂
HI again – Had time to check out the origins of these tunes, as follows:
-Marco’s Reel (France) /Rickett’s Hornpipe (USA)/ Pat the Budgie (Ontario)
-The Humours of Castlefin (Ireland)
-Lime Hill (Nova Scotia)/ Sarah’s Fiddle (Scotland) / Laurels Reel (USA) /The Mortgage Burn (Cape Breton)
-The Old Torn Petticoat that I bought in Mullingar (Ireland) / Mary Willie’s (Ireland) /The Star Above (England/Ireland)
-Mason’s Apron (Scotland)
So, two Cape Breton, some others “borrowed” and some Irish. Maybe Cape Breton is doing a bit of “borrowing” of it’s own? Happy playing 🙂