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The Irish Bodhrán in Context Celebrating the Evolutions of a Modern Tradition

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The Irish Bodhrán in Context Celebrating the Evolutions of a Modern Tradition The Irish Bodhrán in Context Celebrating the Evolutions of a Modern Tradition By Kyle Forsthoff and Andrew Kruspe rom private kitchens and the back rooms can’t touch on every historical and performance KYLE FORSTHOFF, ANDREW KRUSPE, of pubs in the rural regions of the far aspect of the drum, by the end of our program west of Ireland to the stages of Carnegie you will understand the drum’s history JOHN SKELTON, GARRETT SMITH, MIKE CLEM FHall and Broadway, the bodhrán has and see how its construction, method of World Clinic/Performance become an icon of Irish culture and has been accompaniment, and application have changed Saturday 3:00 P.M. steadily growing in popularity the world over from approximately 1960 to the present. We due to its versatile capabilities. While the will be focusing on the use of the bodhrán in instrument is quite old, playing the bodhrán commercial recordings by musical groups, as or tipper, but the hand itself can also be used. has only been recognized as an art form for just that is where the instrument has flourished and The basic technique for striking the drum over fifty years. It is a percussion instrument where the vast majority of accessible resources involves a down-and-up motion that allows for that is certainly well known in our community lie. the application of several additional techniques of percussion enthusiasts, but we feel that it To illustrate the changing use of the drum to provide ornamentation (more detail on basic is an instrument that is still not well known in its traditional role as an accompaniment playing technique can be found in O’Mahoney, about. instrument for Irish traditional music, we will 1999). In our PASIC 2013 clinic we will aim to perform with the assistance of Mike Clem The drum is most commonly used to educate the audience about the ever-changing on guitar and banjo, John Skelton on flute, accompany melodic tunes used for social abilities of this instrument to function in its and Garrett Smith on fiddle. Each of these dancing. Like many folk instruments, the original context as a part of the Irish music players is a well-respected member of the Irish origins of the drum consist of a series of non- tradition. Over the years, the small number traditional music community, and we are very linear records and independent developments. of bodhrán-related articles in Percussive Notes grateful for their assistance in making our There is not space here to cover all of the and the few previous PASIC presentations presentation possible. details, but what we do know is this: The dedicated to the bodhrán have not presented The bodhrán is a member of the frame drum bodhrán was used to accompany flutes and the history, development, and context of family, most often played in a seated position tin whistles during the “Wren Boys” festivities the instrument within its own tradition as with the drum resting on the thigh. The drum on December 26, the feast day of St. Stephen, comprehensively as we intend to. While we is struck with a single short stick called a cipín where young men and boys would use these instruments in processions around their villages. It is unclear how long this tradition has taken place. Bodhráns and bodhrán-like frame drums were known to have been made and used in the performance of Irish traditional music both in Ireland and in the United States. Liam Ó Bharáin’s multi-part article in the journal Treoir states that drums were made and played in Ireland as early as 1917. In addition, bodhrán-like drums or large tambourines were used to Andrew Kruspe Kyle Forsthoff accompany the flute PERCUSSIVE NOTES 20 SEPTEMBER 2013 in U.S.-produced recordings of Irish traditional radio promoter and avant-garde composer players generally played straight time with little music in the 1920s. Seán Ó Riada created the group Ceoltóirí rhythmic variation, minimal tonal variety, and There are two main theories regarding the Chualann as part of a multi-fronted effort by little consideration given to the specific melody. origins of this frame drum: migration and the government of the Republic of Ireland to Beginning in the mid-1970s and proceeding local development. The migration theory revitalize interest in aspects of Irish culture through the mid-1980s, we begin to see a posits that the bodhrán as we know it made its across the nation, including the speaking of the shift in the sensibilities of the players and the way to Ireland from the Mediterranean basin Irish language and the playing of traditional capabilities of the instrument. Players such as over centuries of cultural exchange. Evidence music. In lieu of standard orchestral percussion Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh, Colm Murphy to support this comes from the similarities instruments, Ó Riada promoted the bodhrán (both with the group De Dannan), and Tommy in construction of frame drums from North by playing one in the group, later handing Hayes (Stockton’s Wing) featured techniques Africa and the Middle East (tar, riq, bendir, playing duties off to Peadar Mercier. In 1963, where the hand holding the drum is used to etc.) and Southern Europe (tamburello and several members of Ceoltóirí Chualann formed apply pressure to the skin in different ways, tamorra). The local development theory the Chieftains as a side project, with early thus achieving tonal variation. They also proposes that the bodhrán developed albums featuring bodhrán playing by Dave created accompaniments that deviated from the independently in Ireland as a frame drum or Fallon and Peadar Mercier. Kevin Conneff straight-time approach used earlier, breaking as a drum improvised from agrarian tools. joined the group in 1976 following Mercier’s up the rhythms and using syncopations. The The first part of this theory points to several retirement and continues to play in the group recent addition into the tradition of chordal paintings and old manuscripts that show to this day. and rhythmic accompaniment instruments or tell of a bodhrán-like drum used in the During this first era of modern bodhrán such as the guitar and bouzouki also began performance of folk music. The second part performance the drums tended to be large, to have an effect on playing styles. At this of this theory suggests that this drum was almost always had crossbars or wire both for time makers began building drums without improvised for use as a musical instrument structural support and for holding, and were crossbars, both out of lack of necessity and to with skin-bottomed trays that were previously devoid of any sort of tuning systems. The skins allow the players more freedom of movement used for winnowing grain and/or washing and on these early drums were thick goatskins that with their tonal hand. storing produce. had typically undergone only rudimentary Skins generally remained of similar quality, After 1960 the history of the bodhrán skin processing techniques. One craftsman although we do see the introduction of becomes clearer. We will use this date as a sort who gained a reputation as a bodhrán maker Lambeg skins around this time. Lambeg skins of fulcrum-point, dividing the period from at this time was Charlie Byrne, whose drums are very thin goatskins specially treated for use 1960 to the present into four main eras of are still highly prized to this day for their deep, on the large Lambeg drums primarily used development and performance. In that year, haunting sound. During this era bodhrán in Northern Ireland. Seamus O’Kane began PERCUSSIVE NOTES 21 SEPTEMBER 2013 making drums with used Lambeg skins in of the Irish music tradition. It is important to Ireland’s ‘Native Drum’.” Percussive Notes, vol. 49, 1978 and is also credited with inventing the note that many of the players and makers we no. 3 (May 2011), 38–41. internal tuning system that is a common design will discuss fit into more than one era and/or O’Mahoney, Terry. “The Irish Bodhrán.” Percussive element on nearly all modern bodhráns. are fully capable of playing in more than one Notes, vol. 37, no. 2 (April 1999), 34-40. From the mid-1980s through the mid- particular style. Schiller, Rina. The Lambeg and the Bodhrán. Belfast: 1990s bodhrán playing and making continued We will be performing often during our Queen’s University Press, 2001. to improve in large strides. Makers including presentation in order to demonstrate particular Vallely, Fintan. “Hunting for borr-án.” Presentation Darius Bartlett and Brendan White developed concepts and ideas so that you can get a given at the Craiceann Bodhrán Summer School– more advanced skin processing techniques sense of how the music sounds and how that Inis Oirr, County Galway, Ireland, June 2012. to achieve a wider tonal range, drum sizes sound has changed over time. To enhance generally began to decrease with 12- to 16- our presentation, we have created two pdf Kyle Forsthoff has given clinics and taught inch diameter drums becoming popular, tape documents that you are free to download bodhrán workshops throughout the Midwest was used on the outer edge of the skin to mute from the following URL: http://www. while performing with Liam’s Fancy, John high overtones, and tooled internal tuning betterthanitsounds.com/pasic.html. Skelton, and others. He lives in Rhode Island. systems became prolific. While players such as For those who may not have much Mel Mercier, Donnchadh Gough (Danú) and familiarity with Irish Traditional Music, Andrew Kruspe performs and records on the Frank Torpey (Nomos) were expanding the the first document will give you a basic bodhrán with several ensembles and performers traditional roles and possibilities of bodhrán overview of Irish Traditional Music as a throughout the southeastern United States.
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