Traditional Fiddle Playing in West Clare: Junior Crehan and Michael Downes
Details
Type of record: Archive
Title: Traditional Fiddle Playing in West Clare: Junior Crehan and Michael Downes
Classmark: LAVC/SRP/2/178
Creator(s): Taylor, Barry Roy
Site Location(s): Subject - County Clare, Ireland( 52.8333, -9 )
Date(s): 1977
Size and medium: iv, 103 unbound typed leaves; 4 colour photographs.
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/410214
Collection group(s): Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture
Description
A study of the work of the Irish fiddle players, Junior Crehan and Michael Downes. The first of its nine sections presents a brief historical survey of Irish dance and its music; section two provides a note on the history and topography of County Clare; section three gives a short biographical introduction to the two informants, and section four concerns traditional learning methods. Section five puts the informants' music into its local context, with reference to the predominant form of communal activity before the mid-1930s, the country house dance. This section also considers other forms of local activity, and the period after the decline of the country house dance. Sections six and seven focus on methods of transmission of the music, with reference to the musicians and Dancing Masters and the introduction of the gramophone. Section eight focusses on the musicians' repertoires, and the acquisition of basic repertoires. The structure of the repertoire, and the tunes within this, is
examined, and how it has been affected by changes in the method of transmission, differing audiences and functions of the music. This section also examines other aspects of the informants' traditional creativity, particularly Crehan's playing of airs and his general interest in their associated lore. The final chapter analyses the styles of the players, both in relation to each other, and in the overall context of Irish traditional music.
The first of two appendices presents details of the audiotapes submitted with the dissertation. Appendix Two is a proof copy of an article on Junior Crehan, 'Junior Crehan Remembers', received by the collector in advance of its publication in 'Dal gCais' in June 1977. A discography is also included.
Access and usage
Reproduction
Access
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