Seán Ó Riada

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Seán Ó Riada ( John Reidy ; born August 1, 1931 in Adare , County Limerick ; † October 3, 1971 in London ) was an influential composer and bandleader in the renaissance of traditional Irish music in the 1950s and 1960s, not least through his band Ceoltóirí Chualann , his compositions and radio broadcasts.

Stations

At first he played the violin and studied classical music in Cork . In 1952 he became vice director at Radio Éireann. The following year he married Ruth Coughlan and earned his living as a pianist in various dance bands . At the same time he studied composition with Aloys Fleischmann . In 1955 he left his family (son Peadar had just been born) and went to Paris. There he wrote avant-garde pieces. Over the next ten years he wrote orchestral pieces, so-called “nomos”, none of which were performed more than once.

Back in Ireland

His wife found him in poverty and with the help of relatives brought him back to Ireland. There he was then director of the Abbey Theater in Dublin for five years . At that time he changed his name from John Reidy to the Irish-language form Seán Ó Riada. As a classical composer, his strengths lay in music for theater and film . He wrote the music for a documentary by George Morrison Mise Éire (I am Ireland) in 1959, which is about the creation of the state of Ireland . This piece earned him national recognition and the opportunity to run his own radio show called Our Musical Heritage, promoting traditional Irish music in the Irish language.

music

From 1961 to 1969. Seán was head of the formation Ceoltoiri Chualann . Although they performed in dark suits and ties, they played traditional pieces. Seán played in this formation a. a. the bodhrán , an almost extinct percussion instrument. The other line-up: uilleann pipes , two violins, an accordion , flute, tin whistle , vocals, bones . He would also have liked to have a Cláirseach (old Irish harp) in the band. However, since these were hard to find, he played the harpsichord , which came closest to the sound of the Cláirseach. In Ireland it was customary to hear traditional music on solo instruments, so Ó Riada's way of arranging Ceoltóirí Chualann was new to the ears of the Irish.

The members of Ceoltóirí Chualann basically corresponded to those of the Chieftains founded by Paddy Moloney in 1962 , which were more successful.

From 1963 until his death he taught at University College Cork .

In 1964 Ó Riada moved to Cúil Aodha in the west of Cork County, an Irish-speaking area ( Gaeltacht ). He called the male choir "Cor Chúil Aodha" into being and turned to church music . His most famous composition was Mná na hÉireann (Irish Women), later interpreted several times by the Chieftains (including for the film Barry Lyndon ), by Kate Bush , Mike Oldfield , the Dubliners , Wolfetones, Christy Sheridan and others. v. a.

In his last years Seán rose to great fame, moved in political circles, but the alcohol kept bothering him and his wife Ruth. Ultimately, he developed cirrhosis of the liver and died of it in King's Hospital, London, on October 3, 1971, at the age of 40. His grave is in Baile Bhuirne , County Cork. At his funeral, Willie Clancy played the Uillean pipes.

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his death, Gael Linn released a 3-CD box under the title "Seoda an Riadaigh" with his film music "Mise Éire", "Saoirse?", "An Tine Bheo" and "Ceol na Laoi" , a selection of pieces with Ceoltóiri Chualann as well as the score from “Playboy of the Western World”, which has not yet been available on CD.

Discography

  • Ceolta Éireann (Songs & Airs of Ireland). Gael Linn Records, 1958; with Tomás Ó Súilleabháin
  • Mise Éire (excerpts, also “Saoirse?” And “An tine bheo”). Shanarchie Records 34004, 1992
  • Ó Riada's Farewell. Claddagh Records CC12CD, 1971
  • Ceol to Aifrinn / Aifreann 2. Gael Linn ORIARDACD02, 2006
  • Mise Éire (complete). Gael Linn ORIARDACD03, 2006
  • Seoda to Riadaigh (3-CD box). Gael Linn ORIADACD06, 2011
  • Seán Ó Riada's Orchestral Works (RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra / RTÉ Concert Orchestra). RTÉlyric.fm CD136, 2012
  • Port na bPucaí (solo recordings 1966 to 1971). Gael Linn, ORIADACD07, 2014

Recordings with Ceoltóirí Chualann

Web links

Commons : Seán Ó Riada  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Seán Ó Riada in: The contemporary music center Ireland
personal data
SURNAME Ó Riada, Seán
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Reidy, John (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Irish composer
DATE OF BIRTH August 1, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH Adare , County Limerick
DATE OF DEATH 3rd October 1971
Place of death London