Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738) was a blind Celtic
harper, composer and singer in Ireland whose great fame
is due to his gift for melodic composition. Often
called “the last of the Irish Bards”, even though
there were traditional Irish harpers living as late as
1792. Carolan is considered a national treasure —
his compositions are still often played during a
session and are also highly regarded. Focusing on
Carolan’s works first will bring you high rewards as
a player. By the way, thou...(+)
Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738) was a blind Celtic
harper, composer and singer in Ireland whose great fame
is due to his gift for melodic composition. Often
called “the last of the Irish Bards”, even though
there were traditional Irish harpers living as late as
1792. Carolan is considered a national treasure —
his compositions are still often played during a
session and are also highly regarded. Focusing on
Carolan’s works first will bring you high rewards as
a player. By the way, though it is correct to say
“Turlough O’Carolan” when giving the full name,
when no first name is given one should simply refer to
him as “Carolan.”.
Although not a composer in the classical sense, Carolan
is considered by many to be Ireland's national
composer. Harpers in the old Irish tradition were still
living as late as 1792, and ten, including Arthur
O'Neill, Patrick Quin and Donnchadh Ó Hámsaigh,
attended the Belfast Harp Festival. Ó Hámsaigh did
play some of Carolan's music but disliked it for being
too modern. Some of Carolan's own compositions show
influences of the style of continental classical music,
whereas others such as Carolan's Farewell to Music
reflect a much older style of "Gaelic Harping".
“Planxty” is a word that Carolan prefixed to the
surname of a lively melody for one of his patrons.
Although its exact meaning is of some debate it appears
to some to be a form of salute. The most respected
Carolan authority, Donal O’Sullivan, suggested that
‘Planxty’ was based on the Latin plangere (in its
supine form, planxtum) on the model of the existing
Irish word planncaim, which means to strike (as
‘strike the harp’). There have been several other
thoughts about the origins of Planxty. The academic and
concertina player Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin (1998)
writes that the word was derived from the Gaelic
plearácha, or praise pieces (see below). Seán Ó
Riada proposed that since many of Carolan’s songs
begin with the Irish word sláinte (health), perhaps
Planxty was derived from it—a corruption of sorts.
Guitarist Paul de Grae believes it is simply a nonsense
word employed by Carolan in a snippet of English verse
in the otherwise Irish song called “Planxty George
Brabazon.” However, In a review of several arguments,
Donal O’Sullivan concludes that each explanation for
the derivation of the word planxty has too many
exceptions, and therefor there was no useful definition
that could be promulgated.
Regardless of its origin, O’Sullivan points out that
Carolan seldom actually used the word, and that it was
later publishers who applied the term to his
tunes—for example, his “John Drury” became known
as “Planxty Drury.” "It seems probable that the
early editors used the term 'Planxty' in the title only
when they did not know the name, or at any rate the
full name, of the subject of the tune, says
O’Sullivan. The title planxty appears twice in Neals'
Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes (Dublin
1724, spelled "Planksty". Paul de Grae finds that John
Lee published a Carolan collection c. 1780, “possibly
a revised re-issue of another collection he published
in 1748 (ten years after Carolan's death) of which no
copy survives; out of 68 tunes, only three are titled
"planxties" - "Plangsty Bourk", "Plangsty Connor" and
"Planksty by Carolan", the latter being a version of
the "Madam Cole" in the same book.”.
A contemporaneous Irish term used for a planxty-type
air was "Pléaráca" (spelled "Plea Rarkeh" in one
title of the Neal collections), meaning
‘merriment’. In modern times, says de Grae, Brendan
Breathnach used the term "Pléaráca" as the Irish
equivalent of “Humours,” as in "The Humours of
Drinagh" = " Pléaráca Dhraighní".
Although originally composed for Traditional Irish
Instruments, I created this interpretation of the
"Planxty Lady Athenry" for Oboe & Strings (2 Violins,
Viola & Cello).
SHEET MUSIC