The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1874-09-27
{ Montreal Harp.

Irish Music.
fMontreal Harp
Nought can make the pulses beat or hearts blood
Like the soft and dulcet cadence of proud old
Irish song
We need not be ashamed or afraid to
compete with any other nation in the musi
cal department. No country is SO prolific
in exquisite melodies as Ireland. They
stand unparalleled, towering above those
of any other lard. y
Who has not heard the "Harp that once"
the "Coolin," the "Last rose of SUMNER"
the "AIeeting of the waters,n
the "Ministrel Boy" or other soul-Inspiring
airs, without thrill of pleasure, if not of
rapture, coming over his spirit and preva-
ding all his faculties with heartfelt emo
tion not soon to be foTgotten.-They rank
with the compositions of Mozart, Haydn or
Handel, with the fire and measured echoes
of German and Italian music. The pre-
fatory symphony of one of the best COM
positions of Haydn, the German composer,
was taken from "Dhonla ma Grena," an
old Irish air. Handel said he would rather
be the author of "Aileen Aroon," one of
Moore's productions, than the most ex-
auisite of his musical compositions, inelu-
ding. we suppose, his oratorio of ''The Mes
siah," which he wrote under the inspiration
of Dublin audience, by whom he was re-
ceived with unbounded enthusiasm after
he came from London, where he nearly
starved for want of patronage. More than
the applause of the theatre, the phrase of
his operas, fantasies and overtures, on
which his fame as a composer depended,
he preferred to be the author of an Irish
melody. 1t requires musical genius to ap-
preciate a masterpiece. HandePs genius
made him love the beauty of the air. 1t
fell with spirituaiized, elastic pleasure on
the great masters ears. He felt the gem
was there, the soul of song that requires no
over wrought variations, no meretricious
aids to heighten the fine emotions produced
on the enraptured spirits by it's intrinsic
merit.
ireland has truly earned the title, els
land of Song" In early days her bards
were the most honored of men. Favors
were bestowed on them, too. They sat at
the right hand of the king at the festive
board, and the ancient sumptuary law ac-
corded them privileges as were accorded to
mono others except those of princely rank
The warrior who had signalized himself
by his prowess on the field of battle, who
returned crowned with the laurels of vic
tory, who was received with the accama-
tions of an admiring people, did homage
to the bard, as he alone could make his
fame immortal, since the Irish peoples
great characteristics was a love for song.
In latter days when Eng gland with tyranny
scarcely paralleled in the history of bar
barous nations, strove to prevent the Irish
race from being educated, they were kept
familiar with the history of their bleeding
country by the chronicles of the bards.
Her sons rushed to battle to the beautiful
strains of the harp. and the most valiant in
battle were generally the most skilful on
the instrument, "that once through Taras
halls its soul of music she'd"
Music was universally cultivated, and it
was mainly instrumental in keeping alive
,rl trtt in, fta LAM
When England endeavorcd to suiugate
the Irish, knowing the firm hold music had
on that uuconQuered and unconquerabte
race, she sought to root 1t out OF the land
by means of the most horrible in history.
Her soldiers burned our churches and re-
cords they did all in their power to wipe
out our traditions with barbaric hate they
tore the strings of our loved harp asunder;
they silenced the peals of the organ, and
banished the CHORAL worship to forest
gloom. silent cavern and rocky shore and
the Gregorian. so holy and calculated To
raise the soul tO heaven, was no Longer to
be heard within the borders Of unhappy
Erin. Thus the harp, strIngless ana
silent,
Now hangs mute on Tara's wall
As If that sou were fed"
There is an inspiration in Irish music.
Though moss-covered with age, lt stlil
bears the fragrance and beauty of youth
Its strains are unrivalied; coming d0Wn
through the path of time, it becomes dearer
to us as the suns rays increase in heat
while passing through the clouds. To its
enlivening and soul-stirring strains, falling
on the fiery Irish heart like sparks OF
electric fire, the Irish soldier has rushed on
the foe with the dauntlessness, unsurpassed
by mortal men in the annals of war.
By the waters of Babylon the Hebrews
sat down and wept when they thought of
90 nv tho nf Gs atfAn0e.- lnE L
happier lands,n wreathed with the dazzling