I wonder how many times a music session has been described in literature. Take, for instance, this evocative description of a kitchen session I came across in the first chapter of Colm Tóibín's novel “The Blackwater Lightship” (publ. Picador)*.
“The music started in the kitchen while most of the guests were still at tables outside. The man with six-packs was playing guitar, his friend the flute, and the woman in the jeans and white top a fiddle. Their playing was casual, unselfconscious, almost loose; Helen knew that any move towards intensity would be frowned upon, or indeed mocked. The flute player was leading them, setting the pace; the music had a strange repetitive gaiety, and the players continued to give the impression that they were playing to please themsleves, or each other, but they were not looking for an audience, nor seeking to impress anybody. … others joined in the playing, another fiddle, a mandolin, a squeezebox … It reminded Hugh of home, of something that was hardly ever possible in Dublin.”
Later on, a singer or two joins in (singing in Gaelic), and then a bodhrán. Finally an eminent uillean piper arrives.
“.... Those who had been playing left their instruments down: this was, Helen knew, more than anything a world of hierarchies, and no one came near this player's reputation. They listened full of respect and deep interest in the technique, the movement of chanter and drone, the sense of control and release.”
* The novel is set in the early 1990s in an old house by the sea, exploring the strained relationships between members of a family as one of them is dying.
I can think of a few books with stories that include sessions
Tales from the West - Eddie Stack
Last Nights Fun - Cairon Carson
The Bodhran Makers - John B Keane
I also have a book "Travels in Ireland" from the 1930s which is an early travel book. It describes how the writer encounters two young players, concertina and fiddle on a bridge in Killarney, who are trying to rouse a street dance so that they can make some money - but the punters aren't biting. He asks what tune they are playing and they reply " The job of journeywork".
I remember a bunch of 7 or 8 of us 'also rans' sitting in the back room of the Hotel at the Girvan festival, many years ago, having a quiet wee Irish session to ourselves, while all the big names were lording it in the front room with all the sycophants.
Anyway, Jackie Daly came through past us, a couple of times, on the way to the loo & then all of a sudden he appeared with his box under his arm & asked if he might sit in with us!
Suddenly, none of us could think of any tunes to play, it was as if we were all suddenly & musically struck dumb... truth was of course, we just wanted to hear him play, plus we were all too feckin shy to make total eejits of ourselves in front of the great man!
Fair play to Jackie though for being the bigger man that day, but sadly we let him down!
So I'd give the piper in the story, the benefit of the doubt!
Since we're name dropping, me and a mate had a great tune in a house party with Jacky daily once. He gave us a lovely five part jig, can't remember the name of it.
When I was back in uni, one of my profs wrote a book that was full of sessions... Ireland, a Bicycle, and a Tin Whistle by David Wilson. It's his record of biking all the way around Ireland and stopping into sessions as he goes.
Dave, thanks for that suggestion. In my experience many books intended for children/teens are also very good reads for adults - bearing in mind that writing well for the younger age-groups is not a particularly easy writing skill to acquire (not that any writing ever is!)
" . . . if you take a bicycle, breathe in the air, and wander off into the side roads, you'd be closer to the spirit of the place.
You could learn traditional music by the book, sticking to the main notes; but if you take a tin whistle, breathe out the air, and wander off into the variations, you'd be closer to the spirit of the piece. Riding a bicycle or playing a whistle, the journey becomes more than a means to the end of reaching a destination; it becomes an end in itself, its own destination. "
David A. Wilson,
Ireland, a Bicycle
& a Tin Whistle
" Comhaltas Interruptus, " someone said with a snort. This music belongs in pubs and kitchens, not schoolrooms and competitions. It thrives on spontaneity, devilment, and irreverence: regimentation and green-jacketed respectability only stifle it. ~ p. 143 google books preview
I was thinking about writing a novel all about sessions. My plot was to be that a harmonica player met a bodhran player in a session whom he immediately hated. But, over time, the harmonica player got to quite like the bodhran player. But I couldn't make it work. There was no way that I could make this plot occupy less than a 65-year time span.
Forests of the Heart and The Little Country; both by Charles de Lint.
The latter even has some tunes, as sheet music, in the back of the book. At least my edition has.
Music, musicians and sessions are woven naturally into the stories, they do not feature prominently. Good books. Charles de Lint brings modern life and mythical things together very well, without bending either. And he lets the mythical, mystical side of music sneak in, too.
Yes indeed,Trevor-I've been very taken with the quality of quite a few books aimed at the younger age range.
On a less edifying note I think there's also a brief description of a session in Tony Parson's self-serving book which describes a journey in Ireland with a domestic appliance.
It's a long time ago since I read it but I suppose it just about qualifies as literature.
I'm trying to remember if there's any mention in Flann O'Brien's work.
Robert Jordans unfinished fantasy series called the Wheel of Time has lots of sessions mentioned in it in it and the hero Rand Althor plays the flute , its not an essential part of the plot however.
Unfortunetly he died after writing 11 books in the expected 15 part series So I will never know how it finished
There are some interesting music and Irish themes woven into "The January Dancer," by Michael Flynn, which I read this year. An interesting sci fi book, by a lesser known, but definitely not lesser talented, writer, who is a heck of a nice guy.
The Wheel of Time would have been significantly shorter and by the end, made a lot more sense if it had been about a bunch of grumpy Irish traditional musicians complaining about bodhrans and piano accordions taking over their sessions rather than a bunch of blokes complaining about the "bad guys" taking over the world.
Nicholas, your reference to Godot reminds me that about the only involvement I had with drama at school was when the English teacher listed me as the stand-in for Godot in Beckett's play. It was weeks before I (and others) got the joke!
In Arthur O'Neill's memoirs as published in THE Carolan book--off base can't check name-- O'Neill describes a session in Streamstown House, near Achonry Co. Sligo at which over 40 people played including some of the big house family --the Irwins of Streamstown-- and a rake of musicians from the surrounding countryside which is still famous today for flute players like Harry McGowan and the late Sonny McDonagh, Peter Walsh etc.
This is from 'At Swim-Two-Birds' by Flann O' Brien
'Oh it was all the fashion at one time,you were bloody nothing if you couldn't do your Walls Of Limerick.And here too were my men with the fiddles and the pipes playing away there at the reels and jigs for further orders.Do you know what I mean?
Oh I know what you're talking about all right,said Shananhan,the national music of our country,Rodney's Glory,the Star Of Munster and the Rights Of Man.
The Flogging Reel and Drive The Donkey,you can't beat them said Furriskey'
The Session in Literature
The Session in Literature
I wonder how many times a music session has been described in literature. Take, for instance, this evocative description of a kitchen session I came across in the first chapter of Colm Tóibín's novel “The Blackwater Lightship” (publ. Picador)*.
“The music started in the kitchen while most of the guests were still at tables outside. The man with six-packs was playing guitar, his friend the flute, and the woman in the jeans and white top a fiddle. Their playing was casual, unselfconscious, almost loose; Helen knew that any move towards intensity would be frowned upon, or indeed mocked. The flute player was leading them, setting the pace; the music had a strange repetitive gaiety, and the players continued to give the impression that they were playing to please themsleves, or each other, but they were not looking for an audience, nor seeking to impress anybody. … others joined in the playing, another fiddle, a mandolin, a squeezebox … It reminded Hugh of home, of something that was hardly ever possible in Dublin.”
Later on, a singer or two joins in (singing in Gaelic), and then a bodhrán. Finally an eminent uillean piper arrives.
“.... Those who had been playing left their instruments down: this was, Helen knew, more than anything a world of hierarchies, and no one came near this player's reputation. They listened full of respect and deep interest in the technique, the movement of chanter and drone, the sense of control and release.”
* The novel is set in the early 1990s in an old house by the sea, exploring the strained relationships between members of a family as one of them is dying.
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: The Session in Literature
er.....thank you for sharing that with us ?
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by Red Robin
Re: The Session in Literature
I can think of a few books with stories that include sessions
Tales from the West - Eddie Stack
Last Nights Fun - Cairon Carson
The Bodhran Makers - John B Keane
I also have a book "Travels in Ireland" from the 1930s which is an early travel book. It describes how the writer encounters two young players, concertina and fiddle on a bridge in Killarney, who are trying to rouse a street dance so that they can make some money - but the punters aren't biting. He asks what tune they are playing and they reply " The job of journeywork".
I think I have more
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by portnasaol
Re: The Session in Literature
That piper sounds like a right selfish t w a t.
I love the description of "a strange repetitive gaiety" though.
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: The Session in Literature
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/14357/comments#comment295923
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by dafydd
Re: The Session in Literature
Not necessarily the pipers fault though Llig.
I remember a bunch of 7 or 8 of us 'also rans' sitting in the back room of the Hotel at the Girvan festival, many years ago, having a quiet wee Irish session to ourselves, while all the big names were lording it in the front room with all the sycophants.
Anyway, Jackie Daly came through past us, a couple of times, on the way to the loo & then all of a sudden he appeared with his box under his arm & asked if he might sit in with us!
Suddenly, none of us could think of any tunes to play, it was as if we were all suddenly & musically struck dumb... truth was of course, we just wanted to hear him play, plus we were all too feckin shy to make total eejits of ourselves in front of the great man!
Fair play to Jackie though for being the bigger man that day, but sadly we let him down!
So I'd give the piper in the story, the benefit of the doubt!
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: The Session in Literature
Since we're name dropping, me and a mate had a great tune in a house party with Jacky daily once. He gave us a lovely five part jig, can't remember the name of it.
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: The Session in Literature
That would be one tune once daily, with five parts, llig, would it?
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by Duijera Dubh
Re: The Session in Literature
"Last Nights Fun - Ciaran Carson"
There are sessions included in that book? Fancy that!
I like the house session in Catriona (or perhaps Kidnapped) where Alan Breck and his host duel on the pipes.
And the bit in Grapes of Wrath where Steinbeck describes a camp session and how people crowded in closer to hear the guitarist who could finger-pick
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by Bren
Re: The Session in Literature
THE NEW POLICEMAN
Kate Thompson
Greenwillow Books
Fantasy
ISBN-10: 0061174270
ISBN-13: 9780061174278
448 pages
It's primarily for children/teens but I found it a good read too.
More info is at: http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/0061174270.asp
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by biggus dave
Re: The Session in Literature
When I was back in uni, one of my profs wrote a book that was full of sessions... Ireland, a Bicycle, and a Tin Whistle by David Wilson. It's his record of biking all the way around Ireland and stopping into sessions as he goes.
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by gretchen
Re: The Session in Literature
Dave, thanks for that suggestion. In my experience many books intended for children/teens are also very good reads for adults - bearing in mind that writing well for the younger age-groups is not a particularly easy writing skill to acquire (not that any writing ever is!)
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: The Session in Literature
Is this the jig Jackie played w/5 -parts ?
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/31
# Posted on May 9th 2009 by Random_notes
Re: The Session in Literature
" . . . if you take a bicycle, breathe in the air, and wander off into the side roads, you'd be closer to the spirit of the place.
You could learn traditional music by the book, sticking to the main notes; but if you take a tin whistle, breathe out the air, and wander off into the variations, you'd be closer to the spirit of the piece. Riding a bicycle or playing a whistle, the journey becomes more than a means to the end of reaching a destination; it becomes an end in itself, its own destination. "
David A. Wilson,
Ireland, a Bicycle
& a Tin Whistle
" Comhaltas Interruptus, " someone said with a snort. This music belongs in pubs and kitchens, not schoolrooms and competitions. It thrives on spontaneity, devilment, and irreverence: regimentation and green-jacketed respectability only stifle it. ~ p. 143 google books preview
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by Random_notes
Re: The Session in Literature
I was thinking about writing a novel all about sessions. My plot was to be that a harmonica player met a bodhran player in a session whom he immediately hated. But, over time, the harmonica player got to quite like the bodhran player. But I couldn't make it work. There was no way that I could make this plot occupy less than a 65-year time span.
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by Steve Shaw
Re: The Session in Literature
I think there was a novel like that already. It was called 'Cry, the Beloved Country,' by Alan Paton.
Except instead of music, it involved a murder.
Well, murder...bodhran. Close enough.
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by jwvansteenwyk
Re: The Session in Literature
Forests of the Heart and The Little Country; both by Charles de Lint.
The latter even has some tunes, as sheet music, in the back of the book. At least my edition has.
Music, musicians and sessions are woven naturally into the stories, they do not feature prominently. Good books. Charles de Lint brings modern life and mythical things together very well, without bending either. And he lets the mythical, mystical side of music sneak in, too.
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by Peer Boehm
Re: The Session in Literature
Yes indeed,Trevor-I've been very taken with the quality of quite a few books aimed at the younger age range.
On a less edifying note I think there's also a brief description of a session in Tony Parson's self-serving book which describes a journey in Ireland with a domestic appliance.
It's a long time ago since I read it but I suppose it just about qualifies as literature.
I'm trying to remember if there's any mention in Flann O'Brien's work.
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by biggus dave
Re: The Session in Literature
Think that was a different Tony, biggus.
Of course there's always McCarthy's Bar by the late Pete McCarthy, which opens with a description of a wild session in an Irish pub - in Prague
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by Bren
Re: The Session in Literature
Steve Shaw - I think Samuel Beckett got it down to an hour or two and called it "Waiting For Godot"...
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by nicholas
Re: The Session in Literature
I don't remember a session in Beckett's play.
;)
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by Random_notes
~
perhaps they were waiting to play a session;
Sesame Street - Monsterpiece Theater "Waiting for Elmo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksL_7WrhWOc&feature
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by Random_notes
Re: The Session in Literature
Lazyhound - I really liked the passage. Thanks! I'm going to search out the book.
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by Jeremy Hughes
Re: The Session in Literature
Robert Jordans unfinished fantasy series called the Wheel of Time has lots of sessions mentioned in it in it and the hero Rand Althor plays the flute , its not an essential part of the plot however.
Unfortunetly he died after writing 11 books in the expected 15 part series So I will never know how it finished
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by bazouki dave
Re: The Session in Literature
There are some interesting music and Irish themes woven into "The January Dancer," by Michael Flynn, which I read this year. An interesting sci fi book, by a lesser known, but definitely not lesser talented, writer, who is a heck of a nice guy.
# Posted on May 10th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: The Session in Literature
Ah yes,Bren:Tony Hawks is the one I should have credited.
Mind you,I don't care that much for Parsons either.
# Posted on May 11th 2009 by biggus dave
Re: The Session in Literature
The Wheel of Time would have been significantly shorter and by the end, made a lot more sense if it had been about a bunch of grumpy Irish traditional musicians complaining about bodhrans and piano accordions taking over their sessions rather than a bunch of blokes complaining about the "bad guys" taking over the world.
# Posted on May 11th 2009 by TheSilverSpear
Re: The Session in Literature
In Search of the Craic
One Man's Pub Crawl Through Irish Music
by Colin Irwin.
Lots of sessions in there.
# Posted on May 11th 2009 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: The Session in Literature
Nicholas, your reference to Godot reminds me that about the only involvement I had with drama at school was when the English teacher listed me as the stand-in for Godot in Beckett's play. It was weeks before I (and others) got the joke!
# Posted on May 11th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: The Session in Literature
In Arthur O'Neill's memoirs as published in THE Carolan book--off base can't check name-- O'Neill describes a session in Streamstown House, near Achonry Co. Sligo at which over 40 people played including some of the big house family --the Irwins of Streamstown-- and a rake of musicians from the surrounding countryside which is still famous today for flute players like Harry McGowan and the late Sonny McDonagh, Peter Walsh etc.
# Posted on May 11th 2009 by awwilko
Re: The Session in Literature
"enlisted me as the stand-in"
# Posted on May 11th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: The Session in Literature
This is from 'At Swim-Two-Birds' by Flann O' Brien
'Oh it was all the fashion at one time,you were bloody nothing if you couldn't do your Walls Of Limerick.And here too were my men with the fiddles and the pipes playing away there at the reels and jigs for further orders.Do you know what I mean?
Oh I know what you're talking about all right,said Shananhan,the national music of our country,Rodney's Glory,the Star Of Munster and the Rights Of Man.
The Flogging Reel and Drive The Donkey,you can't beat them said Furriskey'
# Posted on May 12th 2009 by dafydd