There's a lot of good composers but I personally like the recordings of Paddy O'Brien (Nenagh). Also, Vincent McGrath has some lovely compositions and another favourite would be Finbarr Dwyer (mixolydian man lol) .
I like Vincent Brodericks compositions some nice tunes Flagstone of Memories, Tinkers Daughter, The Whistler at the Wake, Seven Noble Men, and the Crock of Gold to name but a few!
Fiddlers would mention Fahy and Reavy. They actually composed some nice tunes playable on the flute too. As for flute playing composers, Josie McDermott and Hammy Hamilton come to mind. I actually played "The Trip to Birmingham" this afternoon in my very first gig this afternoon.
Slightly off topic: Is Paddy Fahy still alive? Still writing/fiddling? I searched the web and found a 2002 bio page for him, but nothing more recent. In that photo he appears to be, er, not a young man.
Brian Finnegan's composed some lovely tunes for flute/whistle, presumably playable on other things: on Flook!'s "Rubai" album, I'd name The North Star and The Ghost Of Ballybrolly (jigs), and the reel Larry Get Out Of The Bin.
(You may have come across a reel called Trip To Herve's on another Flook! album, the live one. People seem to love or hate this tune, but I think it's a good one. Herve incidentally is a Frenchman's /French Canadian's name - it should have an accent on the last "e".)
Lots of people compose tunes and sometimes surprising people come up with surprisingly good ones. But even the most gifted or talented players and tunesmiths can't necessarily turn these out every day: new tunes that are both catchy and give the impression that they've been there for ever, are really rather few and far between compared to new ones that are also-rans. I see this in Flook!'s albums: a few really good new tunes, and a lot that are padding, helped along by arrangements and production.
(And don't get me wrong - I like their albums.)
Old players like Reavy will have composed tunes over a lifetime. A book of his tunes, which I assume exists, comprising his best ones, will represent the efforts and happy accidents (not to mention experience of playing) over decades on end. But if a young player can honestly fill a book with first-class original traditional-style tunes all of his own, his name's got to be Mozart. It just don't come that easy.
My favourite composer is that of the last tune I've enjoyed listening to, whether it's gan aimh or somebody known. But I'd give a special place to Scottish piano-accordionist and whistle-player Phil Cunningham, who's recorded a succession of marvellous self-composed tunes alongside trad and other material, notably with the band Silly Wizard and on solo albums. If he has produced a book of his tunes, it would be worth getting.
And other composers to do with ITM? Clannad, for their theme for "Harry's Game"; out of what they knew, quite original and off the wall, a haunting and riveting piece of music.
Phil did produce a book of his tunes some years ago. I think it was called "The House On Rose Valley", or something similar.
We've discussed this before on several threads, I'm sure. Once again, I'll put in a mention for Charlie Lennon.
My vote goes to Paddy Fahey, even if he is the George Foreman of ITM.
On a related tangent to lazyhound’s excellent answer, I have a few CDs in a series entitled “50 Years of Bluegrass Hits”. A lot of the songs are credited “M. Christian” – surely meant to imply public domain since the tunes are old chestnuts “Banks of the Ohio” “Unclouded Day” “In the Pines”. Anybody have a clue as to what “M.” stands for? Or the Christian part, for that matter?
Now that is odd, fidkid. I googled and I see Martin Christian credited with writing several songs that I know were written by other people. Is this some kind of joke?
The favorite composer of tunes that I actually play, and love; is: Phil Cunningham. And the tune is one he wrote for his daughter: "Miss Rowan Davies". A lovely air/waltz that I shared with a fellow/student in an Irish week flute class, remains the signature tune of my career as a flutist. Though they knew it not, John and Phil have been the most powerful influence in my musical life.
Charlie Lennon has composed some great tunes as has his nephew Maurice - Stone of Destiny and the Master's Daughter are two great tunes from Maurice. Tommy Peoples has to be one of the greatest as his tunes have that special feel to them - Green Fields of Glentown, Grainne's Jig, the Jocelyn Tree, etc.
They may not have composed that many tunes, but
Bobby Casey - Posrthaouse of the kelp and Martin Hayes - Maghera mountain are two of favourtie compositions
I agree with loads of the above, Ed Reavy, Charlie Lennon, Paddy Fahy, Tommy Peoples...
A couple have been missed though, like Sean Ryan and Josephine Keegan. Not to mention players like John Carty, Siobhan Peoples, Michael McGoldrick, Michael Rooney and many others, who have written some georgeous tunes. There are so many people writing great new tunes these days!
Josephine Keegan is a prolific composer and many of her tunes are part of many musicians repotoires. She won TnG Composer of the year in 2005, and her 2nd collection of her compositions is due out early autumn. The Square of Crossmaglen, The Curlews are just two of them that are widely played and recorded.
Ian Hardie ( you should get Ian Hardie's cd 'The Spider's Web' (there is also a book of the tunes from the cd by the same name). The best website to order from is: www.folkmusic.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=37_111&sort=2a&page=3
(they are about halfway down the page)
If dead composers count then definitely James Scott Skinner for the fiddle or Turlough O'Carolan for the Irish Harp.
Favourite Composer
Favourite Composer
There's a lot of good composers but I personally like the recordings of Paddy O'Brien (Nenagh). Also, Vincent McGrath has some lovely compositions and another favourite would be Finbarr Dwyer (mixolydian man lol) .
Yours?
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by 52Paddy
Re: Favourite Composer
I like Vincent Brodericks compositions some nice tunes Flagstone of Memories, Tinkers Daughter, The Whistler at the Wake, Seven Noble Men, and the Crock of Gold to name but a few!
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by ceolgal
Re: Favourite Composer
Fiddlers would mention Fahy and Reavy. They actually composed some nice tunes playable on the flute too. As for flute playing composers, Josie McDermott and Hammy Hamilton come to mind. I actually played "The Trip to Birmingham" this afternoon in my very first gig this afternoon.
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by slainte
Re: Favourite Composer
Traditional.
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Favourite Composer
Ed Reavy, definitely.
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by Henk Bos
Re: Favourite Composer
Slightly off topic: Is Paddy Fahy still alive? Still writing/fiddling? I searched the web and found a 2002 bio page for him, but nothing more recent. In that photo he appears to be, er, not a young man.
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by John Galt
Re: Favourite Composer
The Kane Sisters said "yes" to both questions about Paddy Fahy when I saw them about three weeks ago.
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by GaryAMartin
Re: Favourite Composer
Brian Finnegan's composed some lovely tunes for flute/whistle, presumably playable on other things: on Flook!'s "Rubai" album, I'd name The North Star and The Ghost Of Ballybrolly (jigs), and the reel Larry Get Out Of The Bin.
(You may have come across a reel called Trip To Herve's on another Flook! album, the live one. People seem to love or hate this tune, but I think it's a good one. Herve incidentally is a Frenchman's /French Canadian's name - it should have an accent on the last "e".)
Lots of people compose tunes and sometimes surprising people come up with surprisingly good ones. But even the most gifted or talented players and tunesmiths can't necessarily turn these out every day: new tunes that are both catchy and give the impression that they've been there for ever, are really rather few and far between compared to new ones that are also-rans. I see this in Flook!'s albums: a few really good new tunes, and a lot that are padding, helped along by arrangements and production.
(And don't get me wrong - I like their albums.)
Old players like Reavy will have composed tunes over a lifetime. A book of his tunes, which I assume exists, comprising his best ones, will represent the efforts and happy accidents (not to mention experience of playing) over decades on end. But if a young player can honestly fill a book with first-class original traditional-style tunes all of his own, his name's got to be Mozart. It just don't come that easy.
My favourite composer is that of the last tune I've enjoyed listening to, whether it's gan aimh or somebody known. But I'd give a special place to Scottish piano-accordionist and whistle-player Phil Cunningham, who's recorded a succession of marvellous self-composed tunes alongside trad and other material, notably with the band Silly Wizard and on solo albums. If he has produced a book of his tunes, it would be worth getting.
And other composers to do with ITM? Clannad, for their theme for "Harry's Game"; out of what they knew, quite original and off the wall, a haunting and riveting piece of music.
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by nicholas
Re: Favourite Composer
Thanks, GaryA. (You just saw the Kane sisters? You lucky devil.)
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by John Galt
Re: Favourite Composer
Phil did produce a book of his tunes some years ago. I think it was called "The House On Rose Valley", or something similar.
We've discussed this before on several threads, I'm sure. Once again, I'll put in a mention for Charlie Lennon.
# Posted on August 20th 2006 by Kenny
Re: Favourite Composer
My vote goes to Paddy Fahey, even if he is the George Foreman of ITM.
On a related tangent to lazyhound’s excellent answer, I have a few CDs in a series entitled “50 Years of Bluegrass Hits”. A lot of the songs are credited “M. Christian” – surely meant to imply public domain since the tunes are old chestnuts “Banks of the Ohio” “Unclouded Day” “In the Pines”. Anybody have a clue as to what “M.” stands for? Or the Christian part, for that matter?
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by fidkid
Re: Favourite Composer
Now that is odd, fidkid. I googled and I see Martin Christian credited with writing several songs that I know were written by other people. Is this some kind of joke?
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by Bob himself
Re: Favourite Composer
The favorite composer of tunes that I actually play, and love; is: Phil Cunningham. And the tune is one he wrote for his daughter: "Miss Rowan Davies". A lovely air/waltz that I shared with a fellow/student in an Irish week flute class, remains the signature tune of my career as a flutist. Though they knew it not, John and Phil have been the most powerful influence in my musical life.
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by wvwhistler
Re: Favourite Composer
Charlie Lennon has composed some great tunes as has his nephew Maurice - Stone of Destiny and the Master's Daughter are two great tunes from Maurice. Tommy Peoples has to be one of the greatest as his tunes have that special feel to them - Green Fields of Glentown, Grainne's Jig, the Jocelyn Tree, etc.
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by Bannerman
Re: Favourite Composer
They may not have composed that many tunes, but
Bobby Casey - Posrthaouse of the kelp and Martin Hayes - Maghera mountain are two of favourtie compositions
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by TradLad
Re: Favourite Composer
I agree with loads of the above, Ed Reavy, Charlie Lennon, Paddy Fahy, Tommy Peoples...
A couple have been missed though, like Sean Ryan and Josephine Keegan. Not to mention players like John Carty, Siobhan Peoples, Michael McGoldrick, Michael Rooney and many others, who have written some georgeous tunes. There are so many people writing great new tunes these days!
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by nicstar
Re: Favourite Composer
Maurice Lennon has that gift of being able to write tunes that sound different and traditional
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by telboy
Re: Favourite Composer
In addition to all the above, I would add Junior Crehan.
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by Jiml
Re: Favourite Composer
Josephine Keegan is a prolific composer and many of her tunes are part of many musicians repotoires. She won TnG Composer of the year in 2005, and her 2nd collection of her compositions is due out early autumn. The Square of Crossmaglen, The Curlews are just two of them that are widely played and recorded.
# Posted on August 21st 2006 by tommy fegan
Re: Favourite Composer
Liz Carroll!
# Posted on August 22nd 2006 by JSO
Re: Favourite Composer
Ian Hardie ( you should get Ian Hardie's cd 'The Spider's Web' (there is also a book of the tunes from the cd by the same name). The best website to order from is: www.folkmusic.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=37_111&sort=2a&page=3
(they are about halfway down the page)
If dead composers count then definitely James Scott Skinner for the fiddle or Turlough O'Carolan for the Irish Harp.
# Posted on August 25th 2006 by Harping McCartan
Re: Favourite Composer
Ed Reavy, of course.
# Posted on August 26th 2006 by Miguel L.
Re: Favourite Composer
och! how do you choose, Michael Grey is a pretty hot composer. also Gillian Frame writes some good tunes
# Posted on August 26th 2006 by cellodiva