ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to provide a truer picture of the poet's assuredness and skill as a song-writer by examining every aspect of the discipline. The mixture of evocative traditional airs and Thomas Moore's atmospheric lyrics proved irresistible and the Irish Melodies were instantly successful and remained so for years to come. One of the most important aspects of the Melodies was their ability to 'melt the soul' through live performance, as the opening quotation from The Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review reveals, and to speak to every listener on a personal level. In terms of Melodies' social impact, they eventually reached far and wide, exceeding all expectations and influencing people of many nationalities, from the gentry down to most humble. Moore may have been signed off as a political icon but his songs remain as fresh and fascinating today as when they were written.
