I didn't really understand the Gaeilge meaning of Geantraí until I asked this board. It was defined for me and I'm happy to understand it now. So, all of a sudden I like this board. The petty people pissing on whomever they like is just part of the atmosphere. I'm no saint myself, and this isn't church, so on with the anonymous aggression I suppose (says ScratchYourArse).
Lán Faoi Cheoil is a good gimmick program where the likes of Jeremy Irons learns to play a polka on fiddle. Dearbhla Lennon the dancer picks up the concertina and is playing a reel in six months time, proving that rhythm and listening gets you the farthest with this music. I think the show inspires interest the way Des Bishop does for the language. More gimmicks I say.
Another good program is Ceolchuairt where a pair of Dublin brothers, for example, encounter India with Irish music being their ticket around the place. There's a song Ronán Ó Snodaigh sings with a boy street musician that is absolute magic.
Abair Amhráin is like a good Wikipedia article with snippet examples of Irish songs in Irish and English, and I had heard a lot of them before, but taken together as presented on the show, you realize how diverse and wonderful sean-nós can be.
Sé Mo Laoch is the best in my opinion as it presents men and women who may not be superstars, but who have contributed to Irish music in a variety of different ways, or who embody a soulfulness that is peculiar to this world.
There are also documentaries that completely revolutionized my way of understanding Irish music, such as the one on Séamus Goodman. That piper collected a body of West Kerry music from 150 years ago before the polkas and slides came to define Kerry. Beautiful strange tunes are presented, but the historical context one piper talking on the program gave was especially fascinating. He played Lucy Campbell as it is played today firstly, and then Lucy Campbell from 150 years ago as Goodman transcribed when it was closer to the Scottish original. The evolution of the reel into its current complex Irish version is a lesson in the evolutionary aspect of tradition.
Are there other programs on the music I've missed?
Well done SYA, this is a great and informative post. There are some more brilliant programmes on TG4 due over the Christmas/New Year period which I'll post when I can find the RTE Guide. Without doubt this has to be the TV station of the year (for people who enjoy Irish entertainment anyway) and long may it continue.
Yes very informative scratch, some great programs. I would like to add that before the knockers, begrudgers and know-it-all's start posting, that TG4's primary function, is to further the Irish language and culture throughout the island of Ireland.
I see a program coming up on Francie Mooney @ 22.00 on New Year's Day followed by a Cairedas Na BhfFidleiri an Cheolchoirm (concert) should be worth a look. Indeed theres some program on Oilean Thorai (Tory Island) 21.00 same day should be worth a look too.
"Yes very informative scratch, some great programs. I would like to add that before the knockers, begrudgers and know-it-all's start posting, that TG4's primary function, is to further the Irish language and culture throughout the island of Ireland"
"Sé Mo Laoch is the best in my opinion as it presents men and women who may not be superstars, but who have contributed to Irish music in a variety of different ways, or who embody a soulfulness that is peculiar to this world."
Someone asked if the programs can be got on the web, and indeed many can, by going to http://www.tg4.ie and looking for the "TG4 Live" link, or just put in:
As promised, I'll just list a few of the TG4 programmes that caught my eye in the RTE Guide (there are lots of other good ones but these are the ones most trad related):-
1) 10.30pm (tonight, Wednesday) - Faoi Lán Cheoil; this is one of the last programmes in the series where various celebrities learned to play a traditional instrument in a few months such as actor, Jeremy Irons who took up the fiddle under the tuition of Caomhaoin Ó Raghallaigh.
2) 5.40pm (Christmas Day) - Steip; highlights from the 2008 Oireachtas in Cork which will no doubt include some of the great Sean Nós dancing.
3) 9.00pm (Christmas Day) - Geanntraí na Nollaig; 55 minutes of trad entertainment from Campbell's Tavern in Galway.
4) 8.25pm (St Stephen's Day) - Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem in their 1990 reunion concert in Belfast.
5) 11.10pm (St Stephen's Day) - Galtymore, Damhsa and Deoraí; may not be too much trad content but it holds much nostalgia for those of us who danced or played there.
6) 7.50pm (Saturday, 27 Dec) - Faoi Lán Cheoil; this is the final programme in the series.
7) 8.50pm (Saturday, 27 Dec) - More highlights from the 2008 Oireachtas in Cork.
8) 10.00pm (Sunday, 28 Dec) - Geanntraí with Frankie Gavin fromTigh Hughes in Spideál.
On the 29th I might be included in the following program playing with three others. TG4 came to SF to film a Christmas special in early November.
~~
8.30pm Féilte i San Francisco
The Féilte team recorded this programme in San Francisco with plenty of music and chat from Irish people living in this vibrant city. Presenter Aine Lally heads for The Plough and The Stars pub where she meets Cork musicians Eoin Ó Riabhaigh, Hammy Hamilton and Christy O’Connell. Aine also meets with the lesser know members of the famous Black family Frances and Mary’s brothers Shay and Michael. As expected within the Irish community in San Francisco there’s a strong connection with traditional music and a local woman Nikki Ragsdale performs a sean-nos song for us.
Anyone here have a handle on how to access TG4 archives on a Mac? My system (MacBook Pro, OS X - Leopard, running either Firefox or Safari) won't recognize the stream format, which seems to be standard Windows Media Player. Firefox is using Flip4Mac, the Windows Media Player add-on. I'd appreciate any help you can give me.
Scratch ~ I had to go looking for this thread. Just found it.
Thanks for the mention of the brothers in India on Ceolchuairt.
The street busker is amazing. He really puts everything he has into the music.
Many thanks!
I don't understand--if you have "Flip4Mac" it should work fine. I use Safari as my browser-of-choice, though, so maybe it's a Firefox issue. I'm watching "Geantrai" right now (or, rather, listening, rather painfully, while Sharon Shannon and her distinctly non-trad "big band" are murdering some vaguely trad-sounding tune with their drum kit and electric guitars--I'm waiting for the good stuff, posting in the meantime). Flip4Mac has been updated recently, I know--I had to install the update to continue watching TG4. You might "Google" on Flip4Mac again and look for the latest edition, etc.
Music on TG4
Music on TG4
I didn't really understand the Gaeilge meaning of Geantraí until I asked this board. It was defined for me and I'm happy to understand it now. So, all of a sudden I like this board. The petty people pissing on whomever they like is just part of the atmosphere. I'm no saint myself, and this isn't church, so on with the anonymous aggression I suppose (says ScratchYourArse).
Lán Faoi Cheoil is a good gimmick program where the likes of Jeremy Irons learns to play a polka on fiddle. Dearbhla Lennon the dancer picks up the concertina and is playing a reel in six months time, proving that rhythm and listening gets you the farthest with this music. I think the show inspires interest the way Des Bishop does for the language. More gimmicks I say.
Another good program is Ceolchuairt where a pair of Dublin brothers, for example, encounter India with Irish music being their ticket around the place. There's a song Ronán Ó Snodaigh sings with a boy street musician that is absolute magic.
Abair Amhráin is like a good Wikipedia article with snippet examples of Irish songs in Irish and English, and I had heard a lot of them before, but taken together as presented on the show, you realize how diverse and wonderful sean-nós can be.
Sé Mo Laoch is the best in my opinion as it presents men and women who may not be superstars, but who have contributed to Irish music in a variety of different ways, or who embody a soulfulness that is peculiar to this world.
There are also documentaries that completely revolutionized my way of understanding Irish music, such as the one on Séamus Goodman. That piper collected a body of West Kerry music from 150 years ago before the polkas and slides came to define Kerry. Beautiful strange tunes are presented, but the historical context one piper talking on the program gave was especially fascinating. He played Lucy Campbell as it is played today firstly, and then Lucy Campbell from 150 years ago as Goodman transcribed when it was closer to the Scottish original. The evolution of the reel into its current complex Irish version is a lesson in the evolutionary aspect of tradition.
Are there other programs on the music I've missed?
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by ScratchYours
Re: Music on TG4
Great post!
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by D BUG!
Re: Music on TG4
Its not on anymore I dont think - but do you remember The Pure Drop?
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by bb
Re: Music on TG4
my favourite episode of this show-there are lots of other good ones:
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=l73wqJALQYo
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by pipewatcher
Re: Music on TG4
Well done SYA, this is a great and informative post. There are some more brilliant programmes on TG4 due over the Christmas/New Year period which I'll post when I can find the RTE Guide. Without doubt this has to be the TV station of the year (for people who enjoy Irish entertainment anyway) and long may it continue.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Bannerman
Re: Music on TG4
Yes very informative scratch, some great programs. I would like to add that before the knockers, begrudgers and know-it-all's start posting, that TG4's primary function, is to further the Irish language and culture throughout the island of Ireland.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Bernie
Re: Music on TG4
I see a program coming up on Francie Mooney @ 22.00 on New Year's Day followed by a Cairedas Na BhfFidleiri an Cheolchoirm (concert) should be worth a look. Indeed theres some program on Oilean Thorai (Tory Island) 21.00 same day should be worth a look too.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by CelticMissed
Re: Music on TG4
Can any of the TG4 programmes be got on catch - up, or on the web ?
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by stringpicker
Re: Music on TG4
"Yes very informative scratch, some great programs. I would like to add that before the knockers, begrudgers and know-it-all's start posting, that TG4's primary function, is to further the Irish language and culture throughout the island of Ireland"
Hear hear, Bernie. I couldn't agree more.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by fiddlestrings
Re: Music on TG4
"Sé Mo Laoch is the best in my opinion as it presents men and women who may not be superstars, but who have contributed to Irish music in a variety of different ways, or who embody a soulfulness that is peculiar to this world."
Spot on.
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by skip canlon
Re: Music on TG4
Out of lurkdom...
Someone asked if the programs can be got on the web, and indeed many can, by going to http://www.tg4.ie and looking for the "TG4 Live" link, or just put in:
http://www.tg4.tv/
and there's a menu of archived programs, or you can watch the "live" stream from TG4, if you can remember to catch the show you want to watch.
Great stuff, and very handy for those of us who live in an Irish music wasteland (like south Arkansas).
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Paddypip
Re: Music on TG4
As promised, I'll just list a few of the TG4 programmes that caught my eye in the RTE Guide (there are lots of other good ones but these are the ones most trad related):-
1) 10.30pm (tonight, Wednesday) - Faoi Lán Cheoil; this is one of the last programmes in the series where various celebrities learned to play a traditional instrument in a few months such as actor, Jeremy Irons who took up the fiddle under the tuition of Caomhaoin Ó Raghallaigh.
2) 5.40pm (Christmas Day) - Steip; highlights from the 2008 Oireachtas in Cork which will no doubt include some of the great Sean Nós dancing.
3) 9.00pm (Christmas Day) - Geanntraí na Nollaig; 55 minutes of trad entertainment from Campbell's Tavern in Galway.
4) 8.25pm (St Stephen's Day) - Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem in their 1990 reunion concert in Belfast.
5) 11.10pm (St Stephen's Day) - Galtymore, Damhsa and Deoraí; may not be too much trad content but it holds much nostalgia for those of us who danced or played there.
6) 7.50pm (Saturday, 27 Dec) - Faoi Lán Cheoil; this is the final programme in the series.
7) 8.50pm (Saturday, 27 Dec) - More highlights from the 2008 Oireachtas in Cork.
8) 10.00pm (Sunday, 28 Dec) - Geanntraí with Frankie Gavin fromTigh Hughes in Spideál.
Have a great Christmas all.
Nollaig shona dhaoibh go léir!
# Posted on December 24th 2008 by Bannerman
Re: Music on TG4
On the 29th I might be included in the following program playing with three others. TG4 came to SF to film a Christmas special in early November.
~~
8.30pm Féilte i San Francisco
The Féilte team recorded this programme in San Francisco with plenty of music and chat from Irish people living in this vibrant city. Presenter Aine Lally heads for The Plough and The Stars pub where she meets Cork musicians Eoin Ó Riabhaigh, Hammy Hamilton and Christy O’Connell. Aine also meets with the lesser know members of the famous Black family Frances and Mary’s brothers Shay and Michael. As expected within the Irish community in San Francisco there’s a strong connection with traditional music and a local woman Nikki Ragsdale performs a sean-nos song for us.
# Posted on December 27th 2008 by Phantom Button
Re: Music on TG4
Anyone here have a handle on how to access TG4 archives on a Mac? My system (MacBook Pro, OS X - Leopard, running either Firefox or Safari) won't recognize the stream format, which seems to be standard Windows Media Player. Firefox is using Flip4Mac, the Windows Media Player add-on. I'd appreciate any help you can give me.
# Posted on December 27th 2008 by Feadaire
Re: Music on TG4
Scratch ~ I had to go looking for this thread. Just found it.
Thanks for the mention of the brothers in India on Ceolchuairt.
The street busker is amazing. He really puts everything he has into the music.
Many thanks!
# Posted on December 28th 2008 by Ben Steen
Re: Music on TG4
I don't understand--if you have "Flip4Mac" it should work fine. I use Safari as my browser-of-choice, though, so maybe it's a Firefox issue. I'm watching "Geantrai" right now (or, rather, listening, rather painfully, while Sharon Shannon and her distinctly non-trad "big band" are murdering some vaguely trad-sounding tune with their drum kit and electric guitars--I'm waiting for the good stuff, posting in the meantime). Flip4Mac has been updated recently, I know--I had to install the update to continue watching TG4. You might "Google" on Flip4Mac again and look for the latest edition, etc.
Good luck.
# Posted on December 28th 2008 by Paddypip