Leitrim's Hidden Treasure
McNamara Family
Drumlin Records - LHT 1
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Leitrim's Hidden TreasureMcNamara Family
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The rich musical tradition of South Leitrim stretches back through several generations.
The area has produced an extensive and varied repertoire of tunes and many excellent
musicians over the years, but none better than the talented McNamara Family.
In this album they display an extraordinary virtuosity and technical brilliance which every traditional musician dreams of, but few of them achieve. They have chosen the music with great care and their playing reflects a tremendous sense of place and a great love and deep understanding of the musical heritage of their native place. Their innate ability to interpret it is evident in every note they play.
What makes this album so special is that it contains pure, honest to God, heartfelt music played for the love of it, without compromise or any concession to silly gimmickry. The lovely, steady, unhurried tempo, the sweetness and warmth of tone and the elegance of the playing are easily and immediately recognisable.
Another refreshing and exciting feature of this album is that a number of tunes in it are recorded for the first time. There are also some very unusual and interesting settings of some better known tunes, all of which illustrate the great wealth of music that has survived in South Leitrim, and is now being so beautifully presented to us here by these tremendously talented musicians who have very few equals for style and repertoire.
A truly delightful album.
Paddy Ryan
1. Reels: The Holly Bush/Leitrim's Greig's Pipes/The Cornhill/The Old Dudeen (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
2. Slip Jigs: The Barony Jig/The Leitrim Quickstep/Moll Roe (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
3. Hornpipes: Old Man Quinn/The Shaskeen (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
4. Reels: Miss Dunbarr/Green Fields of America/The Reels of Tully/The Musical Priest (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
5. Air/Jig/Piece: Síle Ní Ghadhra (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
6. Jigs: Tandragee/The Mouse in the Cupboard/Larry the Beer Drinker (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
7. Air/Hornpipe/Reel: The Bold Soldier Boy/Logier's /Miss Gunning's Rant (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
8. Reels: Michael Creamer's/The Humours of Tooma (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
9. Hornpipe: Morgan's (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family
10. Reels: The Tramp's Reel/Cut the Sod (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
11. Jigs: The Unfortunate Rake/The Humours of Ballinagarry (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
12. Hornpipe: The Low Level/Flood's (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
13. Reels: Greig's Pipers/The London Lasses/The Nine Points of Knavery (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
14. Jigs: The Humours of Glynn/Grier's #249 (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
15. Hornipipes: Grier's #16/Chief O'Neill's Visit (Trad. Arr McNamara Family)
16. Reels: O'Connell's Reel/The Mountain Lark/The Cloone Reel/Bernie McKiernan's Dream (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
17. Reels: Miss Simple's Reel/The Humours of Bolton Street/ Bring Her to the Shelter/Miss Gunning's (Trad. Arr. McNamara Family)
What better way to express common purpose in a family than through the medium of music. And if the music embraces material handed down from generation to generation then the statement made is seen in its broader context. Wherein lies the strength of a family making music together? Is it in the highly tuned telepathic responses of its members, or in the unobtrusive generation bonding, or in shared spirituality, or simply in strong family pride? Whatever the reason the result speaks for itself in this fine album from the McNamara family of Aughavas an area of Leitrim steeped in traditional music.
It is clear that much work has gone into its making as shown by the wide choice of material, the search for interesting tune settings, variation in instrumentation from track to track and the attention to detail in capturing an authentic sound. Careful tempo settings ensure that each piece is given time to breathe freely and express its own characteristics, a welcome change from some of the present day offerings.
This album makes an important statement about the strength of our tradition and the ability of a talented family to demonstrate that our music can continue to be refreshed and renewed without having to leave that tradition.
Charlie Lennon
This page was last updated on 28th March 2000 by Paula Roche
npupipes@iol.ie