The Fiddle Music of Connie O'connell
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THE FIDDLE MUSIC OF CONNIE O'CONNELL Sheila Randles Masters of Arts University of Limerick Supervisor: Dr. Micheal 0" Suilleabhain Submitted to the University of Limerick, May 1998 ABSTRACT OF THESIS Title: The Fiddle Music of Connie O'Connell Author: Sheila Randles This is a study of an Irish traditional fiddle-player, Connie O'Connell, from Cill na Martra, Co. Cork. Connie has been strongly influenced by the main musicians of Sliabh Luachra, an area which encompasses the West Cork and East Kerry border. In particular, he has been influenced by the renowned fiddle-players of the region - Denis Murphy, Padraig O'Keeffe and Julia Clifford. Today, he is widely considered amongst the traditional music community as one of the present-day exponents of this style, and is well known for his extensive repertoire. This thesis examines the fiddle music of Connie O'Connell within the context of the Sliabh Luachra fiddle tradition. It also examines the extent to which that tradition has changed and how this change is manifested in Connie's music. The Introduction outlines my reasons for embarking on this project. It also details the approach adopted in examining Connie's music and the manner in which his position within the Sliabh Luachra fiddle tradition has been evaluated. Chapter One is a brief biographical study of the musician in context. His repertoire is examined in Chapter Two and is related to that of his predecessors. The notion that polkas and slides are the dominant tune-types in Sliabh Luachra is challenged in this chapter. Aspects of melodic and rhythmic variation are examined in detail in Chapter Three, while Connie's bowing style is also discussed here. In Chapter Four, opposing views on regional and individual styles are discussed and attention is drawn to the fact that in Connie's playing both the regional and the individual find mutual expression. .. Appendix A contains sixty-three tunes transcribed by the author from the two principal recording sessions in October 1992 and November 1992. Seven additional transcriptions are included for the purpose of examining Connie's bowing style. These are the result of a video session which took place in October 1993. Transcriptions of tunes played by Padraig O'Keeffe, Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford are also included for comparative purposes. The manner in which these tunes are laid out is explained in this same Appendix. The transcriptions are indexed in a variety of ways in Appendices B, C, D and E. In Appendix B, the tunes are listed in the order in which they were played on the above recording dates. In Appendix C, they are indexed according to tune-type. In Appendix D, the tunes are indexed according to regional source. In addition, where an alternative title has been discovered for certain tunes, a number in bold print follows the relevant tunes in this appendix. The source of these alternative tune titles is explained in Appendix E. CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5 INTRODUCTION 6 Musical Performance as a Research Tool 12 CHAPTER ONE: MUSIC AND PLACE: CONNIE O'CONNELL IN CONTEXT 16 Geographical Background 16 Musical History 19 Connie as Teacher 28 Connie as Composer 28 CHAPTER TWO: REPERTOIRE 33 Tunes for listening, tunes for dancing 35 The Evidence of Recordings 43 A Changed Society - Sliabh Luachra and its transition 48 The Clare Influence 58 The East Galway Influence 61 The Sliabh Luachra Influence 62 Summary 66 CHAPTER THREE: PITCH, RHYTHMIC VARIATION AND BOWING IN THE MUSIC OF CONNIE O'CONNELL 67 Pitch 68 TheR~ @ 'Hold' - 'The roll after the note' 72 'The roll within the note' and 'the roll after the note' 73 Droning 77 The Open String Drone 79 Double Stopping 83 Stopped Strings 84 Delayed Set Accented Tones 86 Grace Notes 88 Summary 90 Rhythmic Variation 90 The Triplet 91 1. The Monotone Tripletffhe Cran/ The Treble 93 2a. The Ascending Triplet 97 2b. The Descending Triplet 99 3. The Cut Cran 101 Syncopation 102 Pitch and Rhythmic Variation within the context of a single tune 105 Rhythmic comparisons between Denis Murphy and Connie O'Connell 107 Summary 111 Bowing 111 Grouping of notes per bow 112 Bowing Rhythms 115 2 Recurring Bowing Patterns 121 Summary 125 CHAPTER FOUR: REGIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL ASPECTS OF THE lVIUSICOF CONNIE O'CONNELL 127 BIBLIOGRAPHY: 136 DISCOGRAPHY: 142 TAPEOGR-\PHY : 145 APPENDIX A: MUSIC TRANSCRIPTIONS 147 Notation of Rolls 151 Unbowed transcriptions 1-63 154 Bowed transcriptions 64-70 233 APPENDIX B :. A LIST OF THE TUNES PLAYED BY CONNIE O'CONNELL IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WERE PERFORMED 242 APPENDIX C: INDEX OF TUNES ACCORDING TO TUNE-TYPE 246 APPENDIXD: CATEGORISATION OF TUNES ACCORDING TO 251 REGIONAL SOURCE APPENDIXE: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO CERTAIN TUNES LISTED IN APPENDIX D 256 3 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1 Donie Nolan, Connie O'Connell and Johnny O'Leary in Hennessy's pub in Miltown Malbay (© McNamara, 1997). 2 Map of CiII na Martra, Co. Cork. 3 Location of Cill na Martra in relation to Sliabh Luachra. 4 Thady Willie O'Conor outside his well known dancehall in Gniomh go Leith, where Johnny O'Leary and Denis Murphy regularly played for sets. (Picture taken from the article, 'Going to the Hall', The Journal of Cumann Luachra, 1(4), p.6). 5 Denis Murphy, Julia Clifford and Johnny O'Leary playing for the sets. (Picture taken from 'Musical Sliabh Luachra', The Journal of Cumann Luachra, 1 (1), p.I 0). 6 Table representation of tune-types in the principal commercial recordings of Sliabh Luachra music. 7 The renowned travelling fiddle-player Tom Billy Murphy (1879-1944) of Ballydesmond, formerly Kingwilliamstown. (Picture taken form 'Twinned Vision - A tribute to Tom Billy', The Journal of Cumann Luachra, l (1), p.14). 8 Padraig O'Keeffe (1887-1963), in a familiar pose. (Picture taken from the sleeve of the CD recording The Sliabh Luachra Fiddle Master Pddraig O'Keeffe, taken by Liam Clancy on a recording expedition with Diane Hamilton in Sliabh Luachra in 1955). 9 A list of the dancehalls in Sliabh Luachra (taken form the article 'Going to the Hall', The Journal of Cumann Luachra, 1 (4), IQ-l1). 10 Examples of 'hold' and 'flow' in the music of Connie O'Connell. 11 'The Boys of the Lough' (Transcription 23). 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following for their assistance, advice and insight on this thesis: Connie O'Connell, for his insight into the music of Sliabh Luachra, the music of Clare and his own music. The O'Connell clan, especially Mrs. O'Connell, who was always so welcoming on my visits to Cill na Martra. Dr. Mfcheal 6 Suilleabhain for his guidance and patience in seeing this thesis completed. Dr. John Morgan O'Connell, for his guidance in the latter stages of this work. Nicholas Carolan and all the staff in The Traditional Music Archives in Merrion Square who were always so helpful. Barbara Durack, Programme Archivist in RT.E .. Paula Dundon and Colette Moloney whose assistance was invaluable. Sandra and Niall Keegan for their generosity and help. Mags O'Sullivan. Michael Fernstrom. Christy McNamara. The Music Department, U.c.c., the Audio Visual Department, U.c.c., the Computer Department, U.c.c.. The National Museum of Ireland. Fr. D. O'Connor, PP, Cill na Martra for his insight into the history of the parish. Johnny O'Leary, and his wife Lil, for a most enjoyable and enlightening afternoon in Rathmore in March, 1995. Seamus Mac Mathiina. Paul McGettrick, for the constant help with any computer related problems that arose - and indeed there were many! Colm McGettrick. Susan Crummy and Eileen O'Brien, for their guidance in SCORE. Meadhbh and David, who were incredibly supportive during the Summer of '95. Mairead O'Regan, Meadhbh and Mary O'Leary who helped with the typing. Ger, for all his help and support. The FitzgeraJd's for their hospitality. Geraldine, Fiona and Mary ShieI. Jarlath Deignan. Larry and Mary Murray. All the gang in Cork. Padraig and my five sisters. Particular thanks must go to my mother and father for their constant support, encouragement and patience for the duration of this project. 5 INTRODUCTION It was not until I attended University College, Cork, that my attention was drawn to the art of traditional fiddle-playing. It was compulsory that first year students take a traditional instrument as part of their traditional music studies. Since I had a grounding in classical violin and viola playing, it was only natural that I opted for the fiddle. I was privileged to have as a fiddle tutor Connie O'Connell of CiIl na Martra, Co. Cork - a musician noted for his stylistic integrity and for the quality and breadth of his repertoire (see illustration 1). Not only was I impressed with his skills as a teacher - imparting the musically and often technically elusive 'secrets' of traditional fiddle-playing to a classically trained musician is no mean feat - but I was also fascinated by the sweetness of his playing, the lyricism of his music and the never-ending supply of tunes! During my four years as an under-graduate, fiddle classes took place every Monday morning in the Music Department in the college. Three classes were organised in order to cater for the beginner, the intermediate musician and finally, the more advanced player. Each class usually consisted of four students. The beginners' class was generally reserved for those who had never played the fiddle either in a traditional or in a classical capacity until then. The intermediate class comprised students who were relatively proficient as classical players but with little or no experience in traditional fiddling, and those who had a grounding in traditional fiddling but who, as yet, did not qualify for the advanced class.