75TH SEASON 

OF CONCERTS

DECEMBER 18, 2016 • NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
Danu. Photo by Kelly Davidson

PROGRAM

2:00 and 4:00 • West Building, West Garden Court

Danu

Nell Ni' Chroim'n, lead vocals and whistles

Benny McCarthy, button accordion

Oisin McAuley, fiddle and backing vocals

Eamon Doorley, Irish bouzouki and backing vocals

Donal Clancy, guitar and vocals

Ivan Goff, Uilleann pipes (Irish pipes) and flute

Aimee Farrell Courtney, bodhran (Irish drum)

Guest Irish step dancers

A Christmas Gathering: Feiie Na Notlag

Today's concert comprises traditional music arranged by Danu.

A selection from the following songs will be announced from the stage:

"The Wexford Carol"

"Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake"

"Oiche Chi'ufn/Silent Night''

"Christmas Eve Reel"

"The Holly It Bears a Berry”

"Slide/Reel Set"

"Polka Selection"

"The Parting Glass"

75th Season • 3
The Musicians

Hailing from Waterford, Cork, Dublin, and Donegal counties in Ireland, Danu is one of the

leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. The band formed in 1995 as part of Ireland's 

delegation to Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival in Brittany, France (an annual event that is the

biggest gathering of Celtic nations in the world). The debut album, Danu, was released by

the band in 1997 to huge critical acclaim, and in 1999 Danu signed a multi-album record 

deal with Shanachie Entertainment, with whom they subsequently released five albums and

a live DVD between 2000 and 2006. Over the past few years Danu has added two independent releases to their discography.

For over two decades Danu's virtuosi players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button

accordion, bouzouki, and vocals (Irish and English) have delighted audiences worldwide.

Winners of numerous awards from the BBC and Irish Music Magazine, Danu has toured

throughout Europe and North America with stops at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles

and Symphony Space in New York City. Danu takes audiences on a musical journey to

the ensemble's native Ireland, offering a moving and memorable concert experience.

Danu welcomes star vocalist Nell Ni Chroinm into the fold in 2016, marking the

beginning of an exciting new chapter in the band's legacy. Nell's multiple awards include

TG4 Traditional Singer of the Year 2012, and she was also the winner of the prestigious Corn

Uf Riada award in 2014, at the Oireachtas Festival.

Danu celebrates a traditional Irish Christmas with Feile Na Nollag. In Ireland, the

festival of Christmas has for centuries been celebrated by traditional Irish music and song.

There are many musical tributes that pay homage to early Irish traditions such as the Laden

Table, placing a candle in a window, and touring from house to house on St. Stephen's Day.

A Christmas Gathering: Feile Na Nollag is a Celtic music celebration that warms the heart.

4 • National Gallery of Art

Program Notes

"The Wexford Carol"

This very old Christmas carol has been a favorite in Ireland for many years. It is in English

and tells us about the holy story.

"Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake"

This is a very funny song all about the traditional Irish Christmas cake, which is the centerpiece of every Irish gathering at this time of year. Danu encourages everybody to join in on

the chorus to this song:

There were plums and prunes and cherries,

There were citrons and raisins and cinnamon, too,

There was nutmeg, cloves, and berries

And a crust that was nailed on with glue.

There were caraway seeds in abundance,

Such that work up a fine stomachache

That could kill a man twice after eating a slice

Of Miss Fogarty's Christmas cake.

"Oiche Chfum/Silent Night"

"Silent Night" is a song that is known the world over. We perform it as "Oiche Chfum" in the

Irish language and follow it into the English version, where we encourage everybody to join

in and sing along with us.

"Christmas Eve Reel"

"Christmas Eve Reel" is probably the most well-known Christmas tune in Ireland. It would

not be Christmastime for Irish musicians without "Christmas Eve" the reel.

"The Holly It Bears a Berry"

"The Holly It Bears a Berry" is a well-loved Christmas carol that comes from Ireland's Celtic

neighbors in Cornwall and has been performed by many great Irish singers over the years.

Danu encourages everybody to join in on the beautiful chorus:

And Mary she bore Jesus our Savior for to be,

And the first tree that's in the greenwood, it was the holly.

Holly! Holly! And the first tree that's in the greenwood, it was the holly!

"Slide/Reel Set"

This new instrumental piece by Danu is a lively set of dance tunes featuring some slides 

from County Kerry and reels from County Donegal. A great set to dance or clap along to!

"Polka Selection"

Irish polkas are mostly associated with the Munster region in Southern Ireland. The "Polka

Set" is a well-known dance that happens in Ireland when a group of musicians and dancers 

meet up.

"The Parting Glass"

This is one of Ireland's greatest farewell songs and is always sung at the end of the evening.

75th Season • 5
Upcoming Events of the SeventyFifth Season of The William

Nelson Cromwell and F. Lammot

Belin Concerts

Curtis on Tour

Complete Violin Concertos of Mozart

January 8,12:30 and 3:30

West Building, West Garden Court

Carlos Rodriguez, piano 

Peter Burroughs, tenor

"Washingtonians on Wednesdays”

Musical Migration

January 18,12:10

West Building, West Garden Court

Noah Getz, saxophone

Osman Kivrak, viola

Danielle DeSwert Hahn, piano

"Washingtonians on Wednesdays”

American works for saxophone,

viola, and piano

January 25,12:10

East Building Auditorium

Cuarteto Latimoamericano

Music by Leo Brouwer, Aaron Copland,

Alberto Ginastera, George Gershwin,

and Dan Roman

January 29, 3:30

West Building, West Garden Court

General Information

Admission to the National Gallery of Art

and all of its programs is free of charge,

except as noted.

The use of cameras or recording equipment

during the performance is not allowed.

Please be sure that all portable electronic

devices are turned off.

Concerts are made possible in part

through the generosity of donors to the

National Gallery of Art through The Circle. 

Reserved seating is available in recognition

of their support. Please contact the

development office at (202) 842-6450 or

circle@nga.gov for more information.

www.nga.gov

www.instagram.com/ngadc

www.twitter.com/ngadc

www.facebook.com/nationalgalleryofart

The department of music produced these

program notes. Copyright © 2016 Board of

Trustees, National Gallery ofArt, Washington

Cover Harry Bright, Coral Buntings and Their

Nest in a Holly Tree (detail), 1878, National Gallery 

of Art, Washington, Gift of John Nichols Estabrook

and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook

Back cover West Building, Constitution

Avenue entrance, viewed from Sixth Street NW,

1941, National Gallery of Art, Washington,

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