Found in the Scottish Gaelic Magazine "Comunn Gaidhealach" (1905). The passage occurs in a rather spirited review of the Inverness Mod.
"It was indeed, so remarkably good that we pitied rather than
envied the judges who had to decide between
the merits of more than half-a-dozen singers
whose performance was simply splendid. The
favourite song of soloists was, "Thug mi Gaol
do'n Fhear Bhan," and it was very well ren-
dered by most of the singers, yet we fear many
in the audience, hearing singer after singer
giving this song with the same pronunciation,
rate of movement, shades of expression and to
the same setting, felt alarmed lest the monotony
of it all would induce incipient madness which
might lead to dangerous results!" (p176)
I once judged a set dance competition ( I now refuse such invites ,never again ) with 7 teams ,6 teams did two figures from the kerry set and only knew those two figures. The seventh team danced the Caladonian and asked me which of the 6 figures did I want them to dance .
Easy choice on who won.
I wonder if any TV producers, scientists, sociologists etc. etc. have ever latched on to a group of clone competitors in this sort of scene and followed them through life, reporting on each one of them in intimate detail at seven-year intervals or something and speculating on the extent to which their experience of these competitions influenced their subsequent personal history.
The "incipient madness" quote provoked me to speculate thus.
I hope this doesn't happen - years ago there was a UK series called "Seven-Up", monitoring the lives of selected people from childhood in this way. It must have hag-ridden them. In some cases I believe it did.
Nonetheless, the thought that the Highlands are filling up with a century's worth of Michael Jacksons and Baby Janes from the competition hothouse is a troubling one. They must be nearing critical mass.
In my teens, in the 1970s, I recall an adjudicator's comment re a group with which I played in a competition - "The absence of a snare drum made this group sound thin".
Well, in one sense he had a point. Had we had a snare drum we would have sounded thick.
I am somewhat ambivalent about competitions. Excellence is all to the good, if preparations for competitions actually fostered same, but I have on occasion seen people win for performance featuring technical pyrotechnics that destoryed rhythm and phrasing.
Competitions for playing trad....never did see the need. In fact I often think that I must be one of a small number of players who was never an 'All Ireland Champion'. There seems to be thousands of them. Then again I also belong to a small number of people who never played GAA for their county.......there also seems to be thousands who did.....Come to think of it I came first in a swimming race once and won thirty shillings but I was only in it for the money.
Thousands are ex-All Ireland Champions
Thousands are ex-county GAA players
Everyone knew all along Jade Goody was a saint
Nobody ever bought a Gary Glitter record
Nobody voted for Blair in 1997
We always loved the WW2 generation to bits
I compete in the Mod fiddle competition and the standard varies from the ones who shouldn't have left home to the ones who really know what they're doing. Usually in this type of competition you only hear a tune once or twice if your unlucky.
Competitions where the music is set are nightmares, however if the competitors can choose their own pieces they usually have an interesting and varied selection.
I am of the opinion that all music competitions should be banned. Unfortunately, this would probably only drive them underground and make them stronger.
But you can get some great craic around them.
At our local CCE branch we had the kids "competition" a few weeks back. Out of around 40 kids only two played the same tune as each other, and very few played tunes that they had learned through the branch.
I was delighted, when the first branch competition was held for the kids about 4 years or so ago the same three or four tunes were heard all night.
I'm not really a fan of compeitions, but this was a good night with a very good atmosphere.
The dangers of folk music competitions
The dangers of folk music competitions
Found in the Scottish Gaelic Magazine "Comunn Gaidhealach" (1905). The passage occurs in a rather spirited review of the Inverness Mod.
"It was indeed, so remarkably good that we pitied rather than
envied the judges who had to decide between
the merits of more than half-a-dozen singers
whose performance was simply splendid. The
favourite song of soloists was, "Thug mi Gaol
do'n Fhear Bhan," and it was very well ren-
dered by most of the singers, yet we fear many
in the audience, hearing singer after singer
giving this song with the same pronunciation,
rate of movement, shades of expression and to
the same setting, felt alarmed lest the monotony
of it all would induce incipient madness which
might lead to dangerous results!" (p176)
# Posted on July 20th 2009 by DrSilverSpear
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
I once judged a set dance competition ( I now refuse such invites ,never again ) with 7 teams ,6 teams did two figures from the kerry set and only knew those two figures. The seventh team danced the Caladonian and asked me which of the 6 figures did I want them to dance .
Easy choice on who won.
# Posted on July 20th 2009 by bazouki dave
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
I wonder if any TV producers, scientists, sociologists etc. etc. have ever latched on to a group of clone competitors in this sort of scene and followed them through life, reporting on each one of them in intimate detail at seven-year intervals or something and speculating on the extent to which their experience of these competitions influenced their subsequent personal history.
The "incipient madness" quote provoked me to speculate thus.
I hope this doesn't happen - years ago there was a UK series called "Seven-Up", monitoring the lives of selected people from childhood in this way. It must have hag-ridden them. In some cases I believe it did.
Nonetheless, the thought that the Highlands are filling up with a century's worth of Michael Jacksons and Baby Janes from the competition hothouse is a troubling one. They must be nearing critical mass.
# Posted on July 20th 2009 by nicholas
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
In my teens, in the 1970s, I recall an adjudicator's comment re a group with which I played in a competition - "The absence of a snare drum made this group sound thin".
Well, in one sense he had a point. Had we had a snare drum we would have sounded thick.
I am somewhat ambivalent about competitions. Excellence is all to the good, if preparations for competitions actually fostered same, but I have on occasion seen people win for performance featuring technical pyrotechnics that destoryed rhythm and phrasing.
# Posted on July 20th 2009 by Sean Lead Liath
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
Competitions for playing trad....never did see the need. In fact I often think that I must be one of a small number of players who was never an 'All Ireland Champion'. There seems to be thousands of them. Then again I also belong to a small number of people who never played GAA for their county.......there also seems to be thousands who did.....Come to think of it I came first in a swimming race once and won thirty shillings but I was only in it for the money.
# Posted on July 20th 2009 by Free Reed
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
Thousands are ex-All Ireland Champions
Thousands are ex-county GAA players
Everyone knew all along Jade Goody was a saint
Nobody ever bought a Gary Glitter record
Nobody voted for Blair in 1997
We always loved the WW2 generation to bits
The past is very malleable, my friend!
# Posted on July 21st 2009 by nicholas
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
Was never an All-Ireland anything
Never played GAA outside of school PE classes
I won a box of chocolates in a swimming race once!
# Posted on July 21st 2009 by RockyRoader
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
I compete in the Mod fiddle competition and the standard varies from the ones who shouldn't have left home to the ones who really know what they're doing. Usually in this type of competition you only hear a tune once or twice if your unlucky.
Competitions where the music is set are nightmares, however if the competitors can choose their own pieces they usually have an interesting and varied selection.
# Posted on July 21st 2009 by Euan W
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
I am of the opinion that all music competitions should be banned. Unfortunately, this would probably only drive them underground and make them stronger.
But you can get some great craic around them.
# Posted on July 23rd 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
If folk music competitions are outlawed, only outlaws will have folk music competitions. Mark my words.
# Posted on July 23rd 2009 by Bob himself
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
#1 - The first rule of the Mod is, you do not talk about about the Mod.
#2 - The second rule of the Mod is, you DO NOT talk about the Mod.
#3 - If someone says stop, it's 'cause you're crap.
#4 - Three tunes to a set. Strathspey, march and reel.
#5 - One set at a time.
#6 - No bodhrans.
#7 - Sets will go on as long as they have to.
#8 - If this is your first time at the Mod, you have to sing a song in a language you can't speak.
# Posted on July 23rd 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
If Helena Bonham Carter was one of the judges, I'd do just about anything.
# Posted on July 23rd 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
Yes, just love those "startled rabbit caught in the headlamps" eyes. And the "dragged through a hedge backwards" hair.
# Posted on July 24th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: The dangers of folk music competitions
At our local CCE branch we had the kids "competition" a few weeks back. Out of around 40 kids only two played the same tune as each other, and very few played tunes that they had learned through the branch.
I was delighted, when the first branch competition was held for the kids about 4 years or so ago the same three or four tunes were heard all night.
I'm not really a fan of compeitions, but this was a good night with a very good atmosphere.
- chris
# Posted on July 24th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork