Double
Strung
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| Please click here for Anne-Marie O'Farrell profile & discography |
| Please click here for Cormac de Barra profile & discography |
Contemporary
duos performing erudite repertoires on the Irish harp are
a rarity. Loitering in their company for an entire album
is akin to navigating a path back in time, but with one foot
still firmly planted in the present. Cormac De Barra and
Anne-Marie O’Farrell have let enough grass grow beneath
their feet to ensure they’re keenly attuned to one
another’s stylistic idiosyncrasies. They’ve chosen
to stretch what could have been a cosy Carolan repertoire
to embrace the European classical tradition, all the while
mining the nethermost regions of their instruments, so that
their reading of Carlos Salzedo’s Chanson dans la Nuit
is a revelatory melding of creative energy and lateral thinking.
A collection that promises to lure classical, traditional
and contemporary music lovers harpwards.
- George Brabazon and Planxty Hewlett
- Recuerdos de la Alhambra
- An dTiocfaidh Tú Abhaile Liom & Pot
Chúil Aodha
- Passacaglia for Two Harps
- The Humours of Ballyconnell & The Graf
Spey
- Caisleán Uí Néill
- Song of the Chanter & Allistrum’s
March
- The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
- Chanson de la Nuit
- Miss McDermott & Lady Gethin
- The Gander in the Pratie Hole & The Queen
of the Rushes
- Farewell to Music
- The Tailor’s Twist & The Spey in Spate
Sleeve Notes
1. George Brabazon & Planxty Hewlett.
T.O.Carolan ,arr A.M.O'Farrell/De Barra
Two musical toasts reflecting Carolan's fondness for enjoying whiskey
in the company of his friends and patrons.
2. Recuerdos de la Alhambra- Francisco
Tarrega, transcribed by A.M.O'Farrell
This well-known guitar piece transcribes well for the harp and evokes
a memory of the 14th century Moorish Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain.
3. An dTiocfaidh Tu Abhaile Liom? & Port
Chuil Aodha, trad,arr. O'Farrell/De Barra
Cormac learned this pair of jigs from his brother, flute player Eamonn
De Barra. The title of the first tune means' Will You Come Home with
me?' and Cuil Aodha is a town in the West Cork Gaeltacht.
4. Passacaglia for two harps .A.M.O'Farrell
Bach's Passacaglia in C minor for organ BWV582 inspired this treatment
of a ground bass by the French composer Raison, performed here on two
Irish harps.
5. The Humours of Ballyconnell & The
Graf Spey. trad,arr.O'Farrell/De Barra
Cormac learned the first of these two reels from the eminent harper Janet
Harbison, and the second from Maire Ni Chathasaigh. It shows our indebtedness
to the oral tradition of dance music on the Irish harp initiated by these
two fine musicians.
6. Caislean Ui Neill. trad,
arr C.De Barra (Solo by Cormac)
A song of unrequited love and broken promises often sung by Cormac's
grandmother and harp teacher, Roisin Ni Sheghdha, to whom this track
is dedicated.
7. Song of the Chanter & Allistrum's
March. trad. arr.O'Farrell/De Barra
These marches are both originally from the Bunting Collection. Allistrum's
March was composed in 1647 for the Scottish highlander Alasdair MacAllistrum
who fought the English alongside the Irish at the Battle of Knockinoss.
8. The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.
G.F.Handel. arr. A.M.O'Farrell
This is an arrangement for two Irish harps of the lively orchestral sinfonia
which announces the arrival of the Queen of Sheba in Handel's oratorio
Solomon(1748). The main theme is borrowed from an aria in Giovanni Porta's
opera Numitore.
9. Chanson dans la Nuit. Carlos
Salzedo
Better known as a solo piece, this setting as a duet by the composer
illustrates the many colourful effects which he pioneered in his harp
writing. It is in three parts which describe awakening from a dream,
the apparition of a Spanish dancer in the middle section, and slowly
falling asleep once more. With characteristic attention to detail, the
composer opens the piece with a bar's rest.
10. Miss MacDermott & Lady Gethin. T.O'Carolan
arr. O'Farrell/De Barra
The first of these airs is also known as the Princess Royal and is found
in the Bunting collection. Little is certain about the second tune but
it is attributed to Carolan.
11. The Gander in the Pratie Hole & The
Queen of the Rushes. trad .arr O'Farrell/De Barra
We learned these two jigs from the inspirational harper Mairie Ni Chathasaigh.
Go raibh maith agat, a Mhaire!
12. Farewell to Music. T.O'Carolan.
arr O'Farrell(solo by Anne-Marie)
This arrangement explores the harmonic possibilities in this beautiful
melody, and is a musical reflection on loss. In its original form, it
is said to have been Carolan's final composition.
13. The Tailor's Twist and the Spey in
Spate. trad. arr O'Farrell/De Barra.
The first of these tunes is a hornpipe passed onto Cormac by his uncle
Sean O Tuama and the second is a Scottish tune which Anne-Marie learned
from the wonderful harpist Catriona McKay. The third part of this melody
was composed by Anne-Marie.
Credits
Engineered and mastered by Fionan de Barra
Recorded in Dublin December 2004 to May 2005 except tracks 1&11
taken from Barco and track 7 from Le Peuple Magique (Francoise Cornwell
of Coop Briz)
Anne-Marie plays a 38-string Salvi Livia Irish harp and Salvi Diana pedal
harp.
Cormac plays a 38-string Salvi Egan Irish harp (supplied by Holywell
Music Ltd, London),
Salvi Aurora pedal harp and Salvi Aida Irish harp.
Photography & sleeve design by Tim Jarvis.
| Instruments: | Harp |
| Genre: | Classical |
| Format: | CD |
| Our Ref: | A0234 |
| MCPS: | ------- |
| Label: | Anne-Marie O'Farrell / Cormac de Barra |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Origin: | Ireland |
As Ireland's foremost harp duo Cormac and Anne-Marie have been playing together for over a decade. Their presentations reflect the marriage of Ireland's oral musical heritage and the classical tradition. Highlights of their Irish performances include an appearance at the Beo Festival in the National Concert Hall and the World Harp Congress in Dublin. International performances include recitals at the European Harp Symposium in Amsterdam and Lyon, and the inaugural concert of the Irish Cultural Centre, Paris. They have made numerous appearances on radio and television in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe.
Dublin born Anne-Marie O'Farrell studied harp with Nancy Calthorpe, Helen Davies, Sheila Larchet Cuthbert and Mercedes Garvey. She holds diplomas in many instruments and a first class honours MA in composition. She also teaches harp at Kylemore College Music Centre in Dublin. Her unique levering techniques on the Irish harp and her commitment to the development of its repertoire have led to performances throughout Europe, the USA, Scandinavia and Japan. As harpist, composer and pedagogue she is regularly invited to present at international festivals.
Cormac De Barra comes from a family of traditional Irish musicians and singers and first studied harp with his grandmother in Dublin. He also studied concert harp in the USA leading to performances and radio/TV appearances in Ireland,France and as far away as Japan and Australia. He is currently touring with Moya Brennan, the voice of the world-famous group, Clannad, and with Barco, a family trio of Cormac and his brothers Fionan and Eamonn. He has also been touring with singer and actress Hazel O'Connor since 1998.