Ancient Irish Airs and Dances - Book Review

American Music Teacher, August-Sept, 2003 by Sandra Stewart

edited by George Petrie. Dover Publications, Inc. (31 E. 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501), 2002. 137 pp., $12.95. Intermediate.

Ancient Irish Airs and Dances is a collection of 201 traditional Irish folk tunes, airs, reels, jigs and laments, often with descriptive and humorous titles such as "Biddy, I'm Not Jesting" and "Hag, You've Killed Me." While the tides are not the popular titles we recognize today, playing through these delightful pieces gives an immediate sense of familiarity, brought on by their lyrical tunes and upbeat dance rhythms. Each selection has been arranged as a piano solo with melody and accompaniment. All the material comes from an out-of-print work from the nineteenth century, The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland. The present Dover edition offers both the music scholar and the lover of Irish music a rare look at a large sampling of this historical musical genre.

Set in traditional keyboard notation, the melodies are presented in the right hand in single-note, parallel thirds and chordal textures. Accompaniment is provided in a variety of patterns; broken chord patterns often reach over an octave. There are relatively thin textures throughout, although a few are in four-part hymn style. The editing includes dynamic markings and pedal indications but no fingerings. These arrangements by F. Hoffmann are diverse, fun to play and accessible to the intermediate-level pianist. The book also may be used for sight-reading purposes in song form.

Vocalists with keyboard skills will enjoy this collection as well; however, there are no words given for the songs. Adding a text might have given more insight into the mood or meaning of the tunes and should be considered for a second edition. For example, the song "Dear Eileen, I'm Going to Leave You" is written in minor with a molto lento tempo, but our curiosity is only peaked; why is he leaving, and is it a parting forever? Lyrics aside, this collection is a fine addition to any pianist's library and is a testament to the tradition of the Irish airs and dances. Reviewed by Sandra Stewart, Jacksonville, Florida.