ABSTRACT
Now that we have covered both a historical introduction to Ireland and Irish America and their music, together with a brief survey of related musics in Scotland, Wales, and elsewhere in Western Europe, it is time to turn our attention fully to contemporary performance practice. This chapter focuses entirely on Ireland’s instrumental traditions; first, on the instruments themselves, then on the multiple forms in which Irish instrumental music occurs, and concludes with matters of style in playing Irish music. For many Irish instrumentalists, and also those who play Irish music at home and abroad, the instrumental music is the heart and soul of Irish culture; yet for those who sing, the songs are what it’s all about. For those who play the instruments, know the forms, and have the repertoire firmly in hand, it serves as a powerful link to a large network of players, regardless of one’s English language capability, finances, or proximity to Ireland. Generally speaking, ethnomusicologists agree that music is not an international language. However, Irish instrumental music spans multiple languages and contexts (note its presence in Japan, Russia, Brazil, and elsewhere, none of which use English or Irish as a lingua franca), and at the very least connects human beings for an evening session or a round of tunes in a kitchen. In other words, if you “speak” it, Irish instrumental music is an international language.
