The Irish standard., 1914-10-10
Buntings Labors for Irish Music

!; for Irish Music /:
!
he had played at Russells trial that
no use was made of his manuscripts
collected at so much cost and trouble.
His collection of two hundred Gaelic
lyrics was laid aside and never
printed or used by Bunting.
Moore's First Book of Melodies.
There was, however, another rea-
son to account for the fact that the
Gaelic poems were put aside. In
1909 Thomas Moore published the
first volume of Irish Melodies" The
airs were largely drawn from Bunt-
ing's first volume published in 1894,
but the exquisite lyrics which ac-
companied them struck a new note
in English literature. Shelly has al
luded to Moore as one of the mourn
ing shepherds in his famous elegy
for Keats.
From her wilds Ierne sent
The sweetest lyrist of her saddest
wrong,
And love taught grief to fall like Mu-
sic from his tongue.
The melodies won instant success
and had an enormous sale. Bunting,
who had a new collection ready for
the press, felt that the wind had been
taken from his sails. It occurred to
him that an effort should be made to
rival Moore by publishing certain airs
in the coming collection of songs
with English words. He went over
to London and applied to Thomas
Campbell, author of "Hohenlinden"
and "Ye Mariners of England" and
in vain tried to stir him up to rivalry
with Moore. Campbell was lazy or
Indifferent. and only gave some three
songs to Bunting.
Belfast was not destitute of poets.
DR.. brennan, the poet of the UNITED
Irishmen," still fourished, and Miss
Mary Belfour, a school mistress of
superior taste and accomplishments.
had a facile skill in versifying. These
and Others produced some passable
songs for Bunting's old airs. Moore,
however, out-distanced them easily.
and Bunting's collection furnished
him with more material to work on.
He produced volume after volume of
Irish Melodies" collaborating with
Sir John Stevenson, Dublin organ
list, who arranged them with accom-
paniments quite out of keeping with
the character Of the ancient Irish
music.
Moore's own rendering of the
songs in London drawing-rooms.
however, popularized them in fash
ionable and literary circles. His
singing was of the most sentimental
character, melting all hearts, so that
strong men were seen to weep.
Bunting's Admiration for Moore.
Bunting admired the poets work
and paid it a generous tribute in the
introduction to his final collection,
published in 1910. but he regarded
Stevenson's arrangements of the mel
odies with horror. and was naturally
not at all pleased at the fact that the
fruit of his labors should go to build
up another mans name, whilst he
toiled in comparative obscurity. max
ing little profit by his publications.
He married a worthy and helpful
wife, and had gone live in Dublin
(where he was appointed organist to
an important church) when his last
volume was published.
| A reference to Moore's Diary (see
his life by Lord John Russell) shows
US the poet. as late as 1871. looking
through Bunting's last published
collection in fear and trembling lest
it should contain any melodies which
he would feel bound to use for his
songs. He was pleased by the fat
tering allusion to his lyrical powers
in the Introduction, and writes:
considering the thorn have been
in poor Bunting's side by supplant-
ing him in the one great object of his
life. the temper in which he now
speaks of my success is not little
creditable to his good nature and
sense. Some years since he was rath.
er termagant on the subject"
The National Bard's Tribute to
Bunting.
Moore openly acknowledged his
debt to Bunting in the 1871 edition
Of his collected works. where hi
wrote in the preface: There can be
no doubt that to the zeal and indus
try Of Mr.. Bunting his country IL In