Irish Music Stories Podcast

When you’re making an instrument, you’re forming something that can be used to design a melody. Or a musical life. This episode follows a precious flute’s unexpected journey. And flute makers Patrick Olwell and Eamonn Cotter, piper Colleen Shanks, and fiddle players Bob Childs and Pat O’Connor talk about what it’s like to carve an approach as musicians and craftspeople. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org. ___________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: Lynn Stewart, Karin Kettenring, Julia Richards, the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, John Sigler, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss, Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Bob Suchor, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, and Chris Murphy

Irish musicians, and writers, and home makers can all benefit by learning some rules and technical skills—and by allowing a little spontaneity and flexibility. But how much great technique do you need? Does that get in the way of the magic? In this episode, Nathan Gourley, Brendan Mulholland, and Sharon Murphy reflect on the alchemy of order and spontaneity: how rule following and rule breaking can make for a great journey; but how a total lack of plan can derail everything. _________________

For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org ___________________

Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: Michael Taylor, Edward O’Dwyer, Adele Megann, Peter Crimmin, the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, John Sigler, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss, Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Bob Suchor, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, and Chris Murphy

Boston producer Brian O’Donovan made a lot of space for Irish music and culture. He was dedicated to sharing it widely.  And though he presented music on formal stages and through his WGBH broadcast “A Celtic Sojourn,” casual, public Irish music sessions were ever important and enduring for him. This beloved leader lifted up traditional music. And he elevated the practice of ‘just going to the local pub’ into an act of radical community building. _________________

For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org. ___________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, John Sigler, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Suezen Brown, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss, Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Bob Suchor, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, and Chris Murphy

Could traditional music sessions exist without listeners? Are the non-playing listeners in public spaces important for tune players? Here’s a brief podcast adaptation of a video response to this intriguing little question! _________________

For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org. ___________________

Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: 

the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, John Sigler, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Suezen Brown, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss, Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Bob Suchor, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, Chris Murphy, Sharon Murphy, and Kerryleegh Hildebrandt

Communities. Forests. Families. All of these different ecosystems contain a lot of different components that weave and work together. And as people, plants, and pests carry on and creep around, rich and sometimes unlikely collaborations emerge. In this episode, with the help of Karine Polwart, Colin Farrell, and Steve Nardone, I’ll explore how friends, neighbors and families can blend; how humans and trees need and inspire one another; and how we also rely on birds, bees.. and rats. _________________

For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org.

___________________ Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters:  the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, John Sigler, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Suezen Brown, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss, Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Bob Suchor, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, and Chris Murphy

In part one of the Fruitful Fells, we met modern and 19th century activists dedicated to making beauty available to current and future humans. In this episode, we learn how our heroes saved acres of woods and bushels of old ballads, and we follow enduring struggles in the crusade for preservation. As always, there’s plenty of beautiful music woven into these conversations with guests Mike Ryan, Alison Simcox, Douglas Heath, and Karl Alexander. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org ___________________

Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: Gavin McNutt, Sharon Murphy, Brian Unitt, Ken Krause, the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, John Sigler, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Suezen Brown, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss, Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Bob Suchor, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, and Chris Murphy

There are little creatures, trees, ponds, and pedestrians all over the earth. And there are bushels of ballads about the charms of nature. And while there are ecological activists like Mike Ryan and 19th century Elizur Wright, and song collectors like Francis Child and Olive Dame Campbell who are out to enjoy and save the critters and the old songs… there are others who are less interested in preservation. This two-part story on the creation of Massachusetts’ Middlesex Fells Reservation takes a look at how trees, pedestrians, bikers, motorists, music collectors, and geese intersect. And sometimes collide.

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For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org.

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Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters: Laura Johnson, Steve Wilson, Michael Stoner, the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, John Sigler, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Suezen Brown, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss, Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Bob Suchor, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, and Chris Murphy

The weekly Irish music session is a specific niche affair, with a particular code of conduct. Gift giving also has its own rules, at least it has in the past. As older customs like traditional Irish music and wedding anniversary gifts have moved to the new world, have things adjusted? Does modern session behavior reflect wider social trends? Etiquette experts Barry Foy and Zina Lee walk me down the aisle of session (and wedding gift) etiquette, just a year before Barry’s Field Guide to the Irish Session celebrates its silver anniversary.

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For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org.

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Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters:  April Eight Songs & Stories Podcast, the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, Mike Lagana & Barb Moore, Joe Martin, Melissa Peabody, John Sigler, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Suezen Brown, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss,  Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Lynn Hayes, Bob Suchor, Brian Benscoter, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, and Chris Murphy

New inventions and technology can make life—and Irish music—more convenient, more accessible, and sweeter…. and more complicated. This episode examines a few innovations like the washing machine, the personal computer, and to the electric bicycle—though you’ll have to go to Episode 18-Wax Cylinders to the World Wide Web for extensive chat about recording technologies… and also Episode 40-Irish Tunes in the Key of C-19.

There are also plenty of Irish tunes here that mention tech and innovations. (Because whether or not you’re actually thinking about short and long clicking sounds, if you call a tune The Telegraph, it’s still a reference to what was once a remarkable new way to transmit messages.)

For SHEET MUSIC, downloadable recordings, and videos of all the ORIGINAL TUNES in this episode, please visit the Original Tunes Page. _________________ For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org. ___________________

Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters:  Linda Gore,  Michael Stoner, Randall Semagin, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Suezen Brown, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss,  Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Lynn Hayes, Bob Suchor, Brian Benscoter, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, Chris Murphy, and the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast

Lunch routines, laundry, kid art supplies, spoons, and teacups are details of domestic life that don’t usually make it into the photo albums, or the tune titles. But they shape lives. And in the midst of the thousands of jigs and reels out there, the simple (and profound) cup of tea.. and the basket of turf are represented. Here’s a meditation on tunes with prosaic titles and the stimulating stories behind them.

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For playlists, transcripts, links to videos, companion essays, sheet music to original tunes in this episode, and to contribute to this project, please head to IrishMusicStories.org.

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Thank you to everybody for listening. And a special thank you to this month’s underwriters:  Jocelyn Codner, Karin Kettenring, Ron Kral, Isaiah Hall, David Vaughan, Susan Walsh, Matt Jensen, John Ploch, Tom Frederick, Paul DeCamp, Suezen Brown, Jonathan Duvick, Gerry Corr, Mike Voss,  Sean Carroll, Isobel McMahon, Lynn Hayes, Bob Suchor, Brian Benscoter, Finian McCluskey, Rick Rubin, Ken Doyle, Chris Armstrong, Ian Bittle, Chris Murphy, and the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast