PrintEdward Bunting and The Belfast Harp Festival
Edward Bunting and the Belfast Harp Festival
Bunting was born in Armagh in 1773. He was a musical prodigy (genius) and was appointed substitute organist at the age of eleven in Belfast. He had a classical background in music but got his first experience and contact with Irish Music when he was appointed at the age of nineteen to take down the various airs played by the Harpers at the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792 .
A group of Belfast business men set up the Festival. Its purpose was (1) to revive an interest in harp music, (2) to collect the music of the harpers and (3) note their style of playing for future generations. What was hoped to be a revival proved to be a farewell to the old tradition. Eleven harpers attended (10 Irish and 1 Welsh). Seven were blind. The eldest, Denis Hempson (1695 -1807) from Derry, was 97. He was the only one to use the ancient way of playing with the fingernails.
By far the most important thing that happened at the festival was that Edward Bunting was employed to write down the music of the harpers and to make notes on their instrumental techniques. He dedicated the rest of his life to collecting and preserving Irish music. He published three volumes of music, collectively known as the Ancient Music of Ireland .
Janet Harbison organised a World Harp Festival in Belfast in 1992 to commemorate the bicentenary of the first festival.
Edward Bunting
Denis Hempson (Blind Harper)
Carolan's Concerto
Captain Francis O'Neill
O’Neill (1848 - 1936) is regarded as one of the foremost collectors of traditional music and song.He was a flute player himself and so had a deep understanding of the music.
He was Chief of Police in Chicago and recruited traditional Irish musicians into the police force.
He collected tunes and published the following collections:
1903 - O’Neill’s Music of Ireland containing 1,850 assorted pieces of music
1907 - 1,001 tunes
He also published books giving biographies of the musicians from whom he collected music.
In 1910 he published a book called Irish Folk Music - a fascinating hobby.
In 1913 he published one such book entitled Irish Minstrels and Musicians.
His collections are regarded as a very important reference for traditional Irish musicians .
« Prev Page Next Page »
