The Irish Harper Volume Two:
24 Pieces by Turlough O’Carolan Arranged for the Irish Harp

by Máire Ní Chathasaigh

 

Second Edition published July 2022. (First published 2001.) 

The Irish Harper Volume Two: 24 Pieces by Turlough O’Carolan Arranged for the Irish Harp
by Máire Ní Chathasaigh

TURLOUGH O'CAROLAN was the most famous of all the Irish harper-composers of his day, and his music is the most popular ever composed for the harp in Ireland. It affords a lot of scope to the creativity of the individual performer and arranger, since only Carolan’s melodies survive. This book contains Máire Ní Chathasaigh's original arrangements (with suggested fingering) of 24 of Carolan’s beautiful tunes, informed by her knowledge both of the native Irish harp tradition and of baroque forms; a brief biography of Carolan; historical notes on the pieces; and performance guidance.

The book was first published by Old Bridge Music in 2001. It has been amended, updated and given a new cover for the Second Edition, published in July 2022.

The arrangements originally appeared on Máire’s 1994 CD with Chris Newman, The Carolan Albums.
Extracts from reviews of this companion recording:
"A masterpiece of virtuosity... A must for any folk-related collection"
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

"If Máire wasn’t around, Irish harping would be so much the poorer. Her work… could be described as an attempt to restore the harp to its true voice… Unfussy, with all the spaces left empty and resonating, the long arm of the music reaches back into a noble tradition” THE IRISH TIMES

“Faultlessly played, with consummate skill and a perfect understanding of the grace and elegance of the music… Breathtaking. Máire’s… deep understanding of the music, combined with technical skill and passion mark her out as the foremost modern interpreter of Carolan” TAPLAS (Wales)

“A delight... The sheer excellence... sets standards which should be aspired to not only in this field but throughout folk music.” FOLKWRITE

“No one else could have done justice to such a project”
FOLK NORTHWEST

"Magnificent... in a plethora of Carolan records, this is the best”
FOLK ON TAP

“The playing of this duo exhibits a virtuosity and balance of expression combine with a simple elegance which has a reviewer running to the thesaurus in search of superlatives. Enchanting, expressive, a remarkable piece of work" TYKES NEWS

Full reviews here.

ISBN 978-1-873077-02-3 ISMN 979-0-708208-00-6 (Print edition)
ISBN 978-1-873077-03-0 ISMN 979-0-708208-01-3 (Digital edition)

44 pages.

Standard: Intermediate to Advanced.

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