It was just 15 months ago when Ireland
seemed the center of the cultural universe as Culture Ireland announced the opening of Ireland’s most significant foray of the arts
called “Imagine Ireland 2011”at New York City’s
center for artistic creation, Lincoln
Center.
What is hard to imagine after the numerous highly creative and successful
efforts that criss-crossed the U.S. throughout the year in all genres is that
the small but effective government unit of seven employees is under siege now,
or should I say being “rationalized” in a misguided attempt to save a few euro
in administration through consolidation.
It is truly ironic considering that one of the pillars of that opening salvo in
2011 was a stage show offering featuring “The Masters of Tradition” music from
the traditional arts sector.
The mission of Culture Ireland
since its inception in 2005 was to organize a more transparent path to promote
Irish artists in all disciplines, and provide both employment and encouragement
for their respective art forms.
If it could entice audiences to return to Ireland and experience it in a
variety of venues as cultural tourism, then that would be a real bonus and the
ultimate rationalization.
And in the music sphere, nothing could tick all the boxes like the ensemble put
together by the Clare fiddling genius Martin Hayes, who is the understated and
inspired impresario of the “Masters of Tradition” festival hosted by West Cork
Music (www.westcorkmusic.ie) in
Bantry.
Each year in August over five days traditional music is served up as the main
course at the courtly Bantry House Manor and a church in the town square, with
the beautiful West Cork scenery all within easy day trips for visiting
tourists.
Hayes organized a sample overseas performance troupe that first appeared at the
Sydney Opera House in 2010 for a six-gig jaunt this April. Four legs were
in the East Coast in New York, Boston, Philadelphia
and the D.C. area.
I caught the Sunday evening show at the marvelous Zellarbach Theatre at UPenn’s
Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, just the
type of venue that Culture Ireland seeks for its artists abroad.
Along with Hayes and Dennis Cahill, his long-time musical partner, Hayes’s cast
included singer Iarla O’Lionaird, piper David Power and a current performing
trio in fiddler Cathal Hayden, guitar/vocalist Seamie O’Dowd and accordion
player Mairtin O’Connor.
Over 600 people attended the Sunday night show in Philadelphia and saw and heard a dazzling
demonstration of the old and new approach to traditional Irish music skillfully
blended by masters in their own world of Irish music.
The overall concept is very simple and spare, yet the execution and performance
far exceeds those modest parameters in the hands of these very talented artists
who deserve the wider stage at this point of their careers.
We will return to a review of the show and its significance in next week’s
column after further cogitation and assessment of its first presentation in America,
because in my opinion it is an approach to Irish music that will be revisited
in many ways hereafter.
Irish Central
http://www.irishcentral.com/story/ent/from_the_hob/masterful-show-created-by-martin-hayes---videos-148504155.html
