Can anyone make any suggestions or point to any fiction (or poetry, even) that includes, involves, alludes, or revoles about Celtic sessions, the music, people, or trads? It doesn't even have to be specifically sessions, but any Irish music.
I can recall one oddball mystery by R.A. MacAvoy called "Twisting the Rope" which was a bit of a let-down after her "Tea With a Black Dragon." It featured a touring Celtic band.
Firstly, I'm slightly confused ... as a half-Cornish Welshman born in Plymouth, but now living on the Welsh-English border in Herefordshire ... (OK, I suppose I would be. Confused, that is.)
Do you mean Celtic? Or Irish?
If you mean celtic, and assuming that includes Scots, try a suggestion of mine from a previous thread - "Kidnapped" by Robert Louis Stevenson. And its sequel, Catriona, come to that.
I suppose there's the blindingly obvious James Joyce references ... Mind you, that's in the bit where they're already completely p*ssed, and the book gets a bit hazy round about there ...
Annie Proulx wrote a novel called "Accordion Crimes", about the passage of an accordion through various hands in America; but I have not read it, and don't know if Irish sessions feature.
I wonder what percentage of the autobiographies of famous musos is fiction.
I never finished "Accordion Crimes," too grim for my taste, there is a lot of misfortune that falls upon owners of that poor thing.
There was a science fiction story about a bar that got teleported to different planets, and there was a house band in the story that apparently played a lot of session stuff among their repetoire. I think it was called "Cowboy Feng's Space Bar" or something like that, and I think it was written by Stephen Brust (sorry about the feeble memory).
In my mind, there is not enough fiction that features music...
I loved "Accordion Crimes". As Al says, misfortune befell many of the owners of the accordion; the less generous among you might say "serves 'em right". However most of the ways in which they went to meet their maker are darkly humourous and had me in stitches.
To settle a point, no there weren't any Irish owners/players mentioned in the book.
Fun fantasy novel about a rock singer who gets caught up in a fairy war. Features elves on pipes and all sorts. I think the writer is a in a folksy sort of band.
The teleporting bar sounds like something Spider Robinson would do. He's not a bad guitarist from what I've seen. Something of a filker.
The closest I've ever written music into a story was "Digger Don't Take No Requests" about a busker on the moon. (LOW PORT, Meisha Merlin Press), and "Mary Call" based on the Joan Baez song back in a college lit rag.
Huh, and I sit here and realize that I forgot all about the anthology "Stars" which features stories based on the songs of Janis Ian. Okay, moving away from Celtic and trad, but still...
There's a children's picture book by Bob Graham, I believe it's called "Benny." It's about a tap dancing dog, who eventually finds his way into a family of Irish musician types. He dances with the daughter, who is a step dancer. The rest on the family plays tunes.
It ain't Irish, but one of the best inclusions of music in fiction has to be Patrick O'Brian's description of Aubrey and Maturin's violin and cello playing in the series that started with Master and Commander. I seem to remember that at one point in the series, there was a critique from the forecastle regarding the odd (ie classical) music that emitted from the captain's cabin. Since the music we play in sessions is more of a direct descendent of the people's music played in the forecastle by the seamen, I found this quite amusing.
"The Bogman" by Walter Macken is one of those depressing books about rural Irish farm life. The main character plays the melodian and the music plays a role in the plot.
Not ITM, but I used to enjoy Manly Wade Wellmans' short stories about a travelling folk-singer with his silver-strung guitar ( very useful against vampires and other ghouls ).
Liked the Spider Robinsin reference earlier, too.
Mick Maloney has a book out called "Far From the Shamrock Shore" which tells the story of Irish immagration to America through words and song. Comes along with a CD. I found a copy at my local library and was worth checking out.
Celtic session music in fiction
Celtic session music in fiction
Howdy,
Can anyone make any suggestions or point to any fiction (or poetry, even) that includes, involves, alludes, or revoles about Celtic sessions, the music, people, or trads? It doesn't even have to be specifically sessions, but any Irish music.
I can recall one oddball mystery by R.A. MacAvoy called "Twisting the Rope" which was a bit of a let-down after her "Tea With a Black Dragon." It featured a touring Celtic band.
Cheers!
--jdteehan
# Posted on December 13th 2006 by jdteehan
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Firstly, I'm slightly confused ... as a half-Cornish Welshman born in Plymouth, but now living on the Welsh-English border in Herefordshire ... (OK, I suppose I would be. Confused, that is.)
Do you mean Celtic? Or Irish?
If you mean celtic, and assuming that includes Scots, try a suggestion of mine from a previous thread - "Kidnapped" by Robert Louis Stevenson. And its sequel, Catriona, come to that.
# Posted on December 13th 2006 by ethical blend
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Many of Charles de Lint's works.
http://www.sfsite.com/charlesdelint/
# Posted on December 13th 2006 by Tracie
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
"Father's Music" by Dermot Bolger
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by Wurzel
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
and Banish Misfortune - I think that's Bolger also
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by Rudall the time
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
"Haunted Ground" by Erin Hart.
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by soft black stars
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
If you are willing to stretch your definition of "fiction" to a "collection of 31 interconnected essays":
Last Night's Fun by Ciaran Carson
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by John Galt
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
http://www.vogelein.com/
by whistle/bodhran player Jane Irwin
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by _Steph_
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
I suppose there's the blindingly obvious James Joyce references ... Mind you, that's in the bit where they're already completely p*ssed, and the book gets a bit hazy round about there ...
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by ethical blend
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
"The New Policeman" by Kate Thompson
Avi
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by improziv
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
This is sort of in the region.
"The Bodhran Makers" by John B Keane
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by Tassiebodhran
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Ireland a bicycle and a tin whistle
http://www.amazon.com/Ireland-Bicycle-Whistle-David-Wilson/dp/0773513442
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by Lint - upon - Tweed
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Or you can try this one as well
http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Mad-Music-Sliabh-Luachra/dp/1860230970
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by Lint - upon - Tweed
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
William Butler Yeats perhaps??
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by Lint - upon - Tweed
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
The LIving Note by Peter Wood is all about this, as is the amazingly beautiful and poetic I Could Read the Sky by Timothy O'Grady.
If any of you have not read these, see if you can persuade Santa to put them in your stocking. They add a lot of context to 20th century Irish music.
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by kris
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Annie Proulx wrote a novel called "Accordion Crimes", about the passage of an accordion through various hands in America; but I have not read it, and don't know if Irish sessions feature.
I wonder what percentage of the autobiographies of famous musos is fiction.
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by nicholas
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Thanks for the great suggestions, both here and off-list.
I always have a rough time writing stories featuring music. I'd like to see how others approach it.
Cheers!
--jdteehan
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by jdteehan
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
I never finished "Accordion Crimes," too grim for my taste, there is a lot of misfortune that falls upon owners of that poor thing.
There was a science fiction story about a bar that got teleported to different planets, and there was a house band in the story that apparently played a lot of session stuff among their repetoire. I think it was called "Cowboy Feng's Space Bar" or something like that, and I think it was written by Stephen Brust (sorry about the feeble memory).
In my mind, there is not enough fiction that features music...
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
I surprised no one has mentioned "A piper in Brazil" by John Faulker. Lots of tunes and a cute plot line.
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by I_Fel
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
oops- its James Donal Faulkner
here's an amazon site
http://www.amazon.com/Piper-Brazil-James-Donal-Faulkner/dp/1411668111
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by I_Fel
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
I loved "Accordion Crimes". As Al says, misfortune befell many of the owners of the accordion; the less generous among you might say "serves 'em right". However most of the ways in which they went to meet their maker are darkly humourous and had me in stitches.
To settle a point, no there weren't any Irish owners/players mentioned in the book.
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
The War for the Oaks by Emma Bull.
Fun fantasy novel about a rock singer who gets caught up in a fairy war. Features elves on pipes and all sorts. I think the writer is a in a folksy sort of band.
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by SL*
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
The teleporting bar sounds like something Spider Robinson would do. He's not a bad guitarist from what I've seen. Something of a filker.
The closest I've ever written music into a story was "Digger Don't Take No Requests" about a busker on the moon. (LOW PORT, Meisha Merlin Press), and "Mary Call" based on the Joan Baez song back in a college lit rag.
Huh, and I sit here and realize that I forgot all about the anthology "Stars" which features stories based on the songs of Janis Ian. Okay, moving away from Celtic and trad, but still...
Cheers! and thanks again
--jdteehan
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by jdteehan
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Someone wrote a novel about Carolan, and a play was written about the Northumbrian piper Jimmy Allen.
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by nicholas
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
There's a children's picture book by Bob Graham, I believe it's called "Benny." It's about a tap dancing dog, who eventually finds his way into a family of Irish musician types. He dances with the daughter, who is a step dancer. The rest on the family plays tunes.
# Posted on December 14th 2006 by seisflutes
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Conan's right there were no Irish players mentioned in Accordion Crimes, which is why I hesitated on that one. Nonetheless, its a great read.
# Posted on December 15th 2006 by Lint - upon - Tweed
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
It ain't Irish, but one of the best inclusions of music in fiction has to be Patrick O'Brian's description of Aubrey and Maturin's violin and cello playing in the series that started with Master and Commander. I seem to remember that at one point in the series, there was a critique from the forecastle regarding the odd (ie classical) music that emitted from the captain's cabin. Since the music we play in sessions is more of a direct descendent of the people's music played in the forecastle by the seamen, I found this quite amusing.
# Posted on December 15th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
"The Bogman" by Walter Macken is one of those depressing books about rural Irish farm life. The main character plays the melodian and the music plays a role in the plot.
# Posted on December 15th 2006 by patrick cavanagh
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Various of the Borderlands series of urban fantasy. Elves, NASCAR, renaissance faires and British and Celtic traditional music. Morris dancing, too.
# Posted on December 15th 2006 by Tracie
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Not ITM, but I used to enjoy Manly Wade Wellmans' short stories about a travelling folk-singer with his silver-strung guitar ( very useful against vampires and other ghouls ).
Liked the Spider Robinsin reference earlier, too.
# Posted on December 16th 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Celtic session music in fiction
Mick Maloney has a book out called "Far From the Shamrock Shore" which tells the story of Irish immagration to America through words and song. Comes along with a CD. I found a copy at my local library and was worth checking out.
# Posted on December 17th 2006 by Lint - upon - Tweed