Irish traditional music

The Irish traditional music is unusual and unique- It's recognation factor are typical instruments like fiddle, Tin Whistle (a metal flute), harp or bagpipes. The Irish music, also known as "Irish Folk" seems to be close to the nature- for example there are instrumental pieces of music like "Romance Irlandaise". The owner Guy Tudy wanted to show the beauty of Ireland and its nature in it.
Till the 18th century, instrumental and vocal music have been separated, but now, it's connected also and although Irish Folk is Folk and young people don't like Folk much, Irish Folk is listened by a lot of people.

The Irish Folk is based on speech songs, the "Puirt a beul" (mouth music). Normally, there are one or two voices which are loud singing. The text is sometimes offensive, but often unimportant or even without sense. Because of wars etc. in the past, bagpipes and drums became also an important part of the Irish music.

 

 

Irish Folk get a lot of followers in Europe the last years- Typical Irish Folk bands like the Chieftains or the Dubliners spread Irish Music all around the world and Rock/Pop bands like the Hooters or Van Morrisson reached that people who hadn't heard something like Irish Folk before hear Rock or Pop with similarities to Irish music. Apart from this, there are Irish dance shows like "Riverdance" or "Lord of the Dance" (dance and music is close together in Ireland).

Then there's a well-known subgenre of Irish Folk- "Irish rebel music". In the past, this music was about the worries and problems of the people and about the wars. Later and also today it deals with the matters of Northern Ireland. Lots of musicians connect(ed) this kind of music with others like hip hop, so that it became more popular. Because of the sometimes government-critical content there were also a few controverses the last years- So the music of Derek Warfield is banned from the airplanes of the Republic Ireland's airline a few years ago, but the government is pleased about the Irish rebel music, because it's the living proof for the freedom of speech in Ireland.

Music is an important part of Irish people's daily life. There are lots of street musicians, you hear music everywhere and there are the pupular "open sessions" in pubs. That's a kind of concert, but all people who play an instrument or sing can join the "band" and make music together. Normally there are played actual pieces or it's improvisation.

There are also very popular bands from Ireland like U2, Bono or the Dubliners and the reason for this could be that the artists in Ireland needn't pay taxes.

Ireland- a music loving country.