MUSICIANS
Hibernian Rhapsody
Carl Hession Piano, harpsichord.
Michelle Lally Voice.
Derek Hickey Accordion.
Tim Edey Guitar.
Frankie Gavin Flute, fiddle.
Additional musicians
Eugene Killeen Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, drums,
programming.
Patricia Kelly Strings.
Rick Epping Harmonica.
Daniel Healy Trumpet.
Ciara Murphy Flute.
Producers Carl Hession
/ Eugene Killeen.
Associate producer Frankie Gavin.
Arrangements Carl Hession (except where otherwise indicated).
Recorded, mixed and mastered at The Sound Room,
June 2005 September 2006 by Eugene Killeen.
Thanks to Edel McLaughlin at the traditional music archives
for her valuable
research and help with the sleeve-notes.
Artwork inspiration is from La Rousse Encyclopaedia of music.
Album cover design Killeen / Hession.
Photography David Doyle.
Technical support Ronan McDonagh / Tommy Moran.
Track Notes
1. Tico Tico. arr. Killeen
/ Hession.
Derek Hickey accordion. Frankie Gavin fiddle.
Eugene Killeen percussion, drums and keyboards. Tim
Edey guitars.
Written in 1917 by Zequinha de Abreu, and originally entitled
Tico Tico no Farelo, this Brazilian tune has been recorded
by countless artists, among them Fintan Stanley and Dermot
Byrne. This recording features fleet-fingered virtuoso Derek
Hickey who makes light work of the tunes technical challenges.
Appropriately, for a Latin-American tune, we have included
driving rhythm guitars, drums, and a feast of percussion instruments.
2. A Mozart Celebration. composed by Gavin / Hession.
arr. Hession
Frankie Gavin Fiddle. Carl Hession Piano. Patricia
Kelly strings.
This work was commissioned by Lyric F.M. to celebrate the
250th anniversary of Mozarts birth. The rondo from Eine
kleine Nachtmusik is the basis of the composition, though
we have references to other Mozart masterpieces throughout
the work.
3. The Wild Goose. arr. Hession / Killeen.
Michelle Lally vocal. Tim Edey guitar. Eugene
Killeen Rhodes, synthesizers, drums. Derek Hickey
accordion. Patricia Kelly strings. Jackie Murphy
harmonies.
This song was recorded by Kate Rusby on her 1999 album Sleepless.
It is classed as traditional, and associated with Scottish
folk music. Although the arrangement is quiet close to the
original recording,Michelle gives the tune her own distinctive
interpretation.
4. The Shaskeen Reel. arr. Hession.
Patricia Kelly strings. Carl Hession harpsichord.
Frankie Gavin fiddle.
One of the most famous tunes in traditional dance music, the
Shaskeen Reel was collected by O Neill in his Dance
Music Of Ireland, and was recorded by legendary Sligo fiddle-player
Michael Coleman in 1921. Here the tune is given a Baroque
setting, beginning with a fugue and moving on to develop both
parts of the tune. Carls creative string writing is,
once again, much in evidence.
5. Lord Mayo. arr. Hession.
Carl Hession piano. Patricia Kelly strings.
Lord Mayo was one of Turlough OCarolans patrons,
and the blind harpist often played for him and his friends
at Castle Bourke,Mayos residence. The air has been recorded
by Sean ORiada on his album ORiada, as well as
by Donna Long on Cherish The Ladies. Supported by a light
string accompaniment, Carls piano takes centre-stage.
6. The Barndance Set. arr. Hession.
Rick Epping harmonicas. Frankie Gavin fiddle.
Carl Hession piano.
The two tunes here are loosely known as barndances. The first
is a composition of Gavins, and arose out of an impromptu
session in Norway some time ago. It was a logical choice for
inclusion on this album, and a fine addition to Gavins
collection of original tunes. The second piece, Poll HaPenny,
is classified as a hornpipe, and has been recorded by Ronan
Browne, whose playing is much influenced by that of Co. Clare
fiddle-player Bobby Casey. Printed versions of this tune can
be found in Pat Mitchells The Dance Music Of Willie
Clancy, as well as in ONeills Dance Music Of Ireland.
Frankie and Rick give a terrific rendition of both tunes,
with the blues element to the fore in Poll HaPenny.
7. Both Sides Of The Tweed. arr. Hession.
Michelle Lally vocal. Frankie Gavin fiddle.
Tim Edey guitar. Eugene Killeen Rhodes, synthesizers,
bass.
A composition of Dick Gaughans, this song has been recorded
by Capercaille, with Karen Matheson on vocal. The lyrics plead
for political and social harmony between Scotland and England,
and the song could be described as
8. The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba (in Galway). arr.
Hession.
Frankie Gavin fiddle. Derek Hickey accordion.
Carl Hession harpsichord, bass. Eugene Killeen
drums.
Born in 1685, the same year as J.S. Bach, Handel is probably
most famous for his Messiah which was first performed in Dublin
in 1742. The Queen Of Sheba is a sinfonia from his opera Solomon
(1749) and while it has been given a trad treatment
here, the accompaniment is faithful to its original Baroque
setting, with the harpsichord providing a continuo line characteristic
of 17th century keyboard technique.
9. Ar Éirinn Ní Neosfainn Cé hí.
arr. Edey.
Tim Edey guitar.
This beautiful slow air was written by Earnán de Regge
and has been recorded by many artists including The Dubliners,
Aylish Kerrigan and Con Greeney. Tim plays the tune with a
delicate rubato and uses some unusual harmonic structure and
voicings. A truly fine interpretation from one of the great
modern guitarists of the traditional idiom.
10. Eleanor Rigby. arr. Hession
Frankie Gavin fiddle, flute. Carl Hession piano.
Daniel Healy trumpet. Patricia Kelly strings.
This well-known Beatles tune dates back to 1966. A feature
of the original song was the sympathetic string arrangement,
written by George Martin. In this setting, the song is treated
as a single jig, one of the most popular dance-forms found
in Irish music.
11. Badinerie / The Rambles of Bach. arr. Hession.
Frankie Gavin fiddle. Derek Hickey accordion.
Carl Hession harpsichord. Patricia Kelly strings.
Badinerie is the final movement from Suite No. 2 in B minor.
Bachs music has been given unusual interpretations from
time to time, notably Walter Carlos synthesized arrangements
and Jacques Loussiers jazz treatments. Here we present
a trad setting of the
12.Down By The Glenside. arr. Hession / Killeen.
Michelle Lally vocal. Tim Edey guitar. Patricia
Kelly strings. Frankie Gavin flute. Eugene Killeen
Rhodes, synthesizers.
This song was written by Peadar OCearnaigh, an uncle
of Brendan Behan, and a poet / songster and soldier in the
Irish National Revolution (and the man who also composed the
Irish national anthem, The Soldiers Song). The song
is also known as The Bold Fenian Men, a reference to the Fenian
movement which supplanted Young Ireland in the 1860s. The
arrangement is in a modern, semiclassical style, resembling
an art song, and with a plaintive and sympathetic vocal by
Michelle.
13. Sporting Galway. composed and arranged by Carl Hession.
Frankie Gavin fiddle. Carl Hession piano, harpsichord,
bass. Patricia Kelly strings. Eugene Killeen
drums.
A newly composed three-part reel, featuring an introductory
section that moves from 7/4 time to 8/4, and interspersed
with touches of Baroque harpsichord, which return after the
second playing of the reel.
14. From Jig To Jigs. arr. Hession
Frankie Gavin fiddle. Rick Epping harmonica.
Carl Hession piano.
This track is based on the slip jig Moll Roe, and two single
jigs,Will You Come Home With Me and The Woods Of Limerick.
In its dance-form, the slip jig is very graceful, though less
popular in its tune-form to the single jig. The combination
of fiddle and harmonica creates a wonderful sound, especially
in the hands of such competent musicians. Moll Roe has a few
different titles, and was recorded on Irish Pipers, Vol.II.
Will You Come Home With Me and The Woods Of Limerick are associated
with Willie Clancy and Martin Connolly.
15. Inishbofin. composed and arranged by Carl Hession.
Patricia Kelly strings. Carl Hession keyboards.
Ciara Murphy flute.
Inishbofin, off the north-western shores of Connemara, is
a tranquil place that has managed to retain all its island
traditions. This piece was written for full orchestra, but
is here given a chamber setting, and features Ciara Murphy,
a former pupil of Carls at Coláiste Iognáid,
Galway.
16. The Broom O The Cowdenknowes. arr. Hession
/ Killeen.
Michelle Lally vocal. Frankie Gavin Flute.Tim
Edey guitar. Eugene Killeen Rhodes, synthesizers.
Jackie Murphy harmonies.
This song was published by John Playford in 1651 and subsequently
used in The Beggars Opera. Cowdenknowes mansion and
estate is just south of Earlstown in Berwickshire. Frankies
haunting flute introduction sets up another fine vocal track,
with Jackie Murphy from Co. Carlow on backing vocals.
17.Goldsmiths Lament. arr. Hession.
Frankie Gavin fiddle. Patricia Kelly strings.
Carl Hession synthesizers. Eugene Killeen hammered
dulcimer.
This beautiful slow air, written by accordionist Séamus
Shannon, is a lament for the poet Goldsmith. Although a recent
composition, the piece has the same greatness and rich melodic
structure found in the big songs from the tradition.
18.Hard Times Come Again No More. arr.
Hession / Killeen.
Michelle Lally vocal. Daniel Healy trumpet.
Carl Hession organ. Frankie Gavin fiddle. Eugene
Killeen synthesizers, drums. Patricia Kelly
strings.
A Stephen Foster song, written in 1854 around the time he
began arranging his most popular tunes (such as this one,
and Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair) for guitar accompaniment.
This version has an emphatic military-band feel, featuring
Daniels brass-parts, as well as snare and side-drum
elements, while Michelles vocal underlines the solemnity
of the setting.
19. Roseland Barndance. arr. Hession.
Derek Hickey accordion. Frankie Gavin fiddle.
Tim Edey guitar. Carl Hession piano.
This barndance was written by the legendary Boston accordion
player Joe Derrane, and recorded, with Carl, on Joes
1996 album Return To Inis Mór. The title is a reference
to Roseland Studios in Moate, Co.Westmeath, where that album
was recorded. (The town of Moate is named for the remarkable
mound of Móta Gráinne Óige which rises
beside it). A feature of the tune is the chromatic movement,
especially in the third part, which illustrates Joes
skill, as a composer (and as a performer).