Visit Ireland - About Ireland: Musical Instruments Musical Instruments Genealogy Musical Instruments of Ireland Music has played and important role in Irish life for thousands of years. To gain a better appreciation of Irish music we have provided the following information on some popular instruments and the people who played them. ACCORDION Chromatic Button, Diatonic, Piano, Melodeon The Accordion is the bellows driven, free-reed family of instruments having chords and melody notes, developed in the early part of the 19th Century. The earliest accordions had a single row of ten buttons each controlling a valve, which controlled the airflow to a pair of metal reeds inside the instrument. These reeds were tined to a diatonic scale, using a layout similar to the harmonica. With each button two different notes could be obtained, one by 'pulling' the bellows another by 'pushing' the bellows. The in and out movement of the bellows changes the notes and adds the rhythm necessary for the dance tunes. The Accordion family is comprised of a variety of instruments known specifically as a Button Box, Diatonic Accordion, Piano Accordion and Melodeon.

Each instrument has a different sound and a variety of features, each played for different types and styles of music. Basically, for each instrument, the right hand plays the treble notes on the button keyboard or piano keyboard and changes switches on the grill. The left hand plays the bass notes and chords, plus changes switches and operates the air button (operates the valve that allows the bellows to open and close without making sounds). The Chromatic Button Accordion The Melodeon, also known as a Diatonic Button Accordion, was developed from the Harmonica in the early 19th Century. It has a single row of ten buttons on the right hand keyboard and two bass accompaniment buttons for the left hand. So that ornamentation could accompany the fiddle and pipes and to be able to play in additional keys, a second row of buttons was added, which are also diatonic. These additional keys were a semi-tone higher or lower from the original row. Instruments were made in key combinations of C/C#, C#/D, D/D# and D/C#.

By adding the second row of keys, it made the melodeon fully chromatic by providing the missing sharps and flats while preserving the push-pull technique and tone of the diatomic accordion. In the late 1800's the single row melodeon was introduced to Ireland. Its rhythmic qualities made it a good instrument for playing the dance tunes. It was inexpensive and easy to learn. It became a popular instrument for the women to play. Irish artists who play instruments of the Accordion family have included Joe Cooley, Jackie Daly, Mairtin O'Connor, Benny McCarthy of Danu, Dermot Byrne of Altan, Seamus Begley, Sharon Shannon and Johnny Connolly. BODHRAN (bow rawn) The Gaelic word for deaf is 'bodhar', whereby the Bodhran drum can be deafening. The Bodhran is said to be an ancient drum used in battle and parades, but only in more modern times has it been used as a musical instrument. There are several theories on its origin.

Sean O'Riada is given credit for incorporating it in his music, with Ceoltoiri Chualann, in the 1960's, bringing to the forefront for percussion. It has become the heartbeat in traditional Irish music. The Bodhran is a one sided drum, with a treated goatskin or other animal skin, stretched over a wooden frame approximately 18 inches in diameter. It is a percussion instrument, beat with a double ended wooden beater or tipper. The process of treating the skin is a trade secret of Bodhran makers. The early Bodhran had a cross bar on the back to keep the wooden rim from warping. The drum is held in one hand and struck with the other a beater or tipper. The skin of the drum is affected by the climate. Many times you will see the musician place a few drops of water on the skin to loosen to adjust the sound. A tunable Bodhran is now available. These can be tuned either with a key or a cam wheel adjuster to adjust the sound. Many musicians decorate their Bodhrans with Celtic symbols or a family crest.

The Concertina is a 'free reed' instrument whose origin is believed to be from the Chinese 'free reed' mouth organ. The concertina makes tones with reeds that are riveted over holes on reed plates, made from aluminum or brass. They can swing in and out of the hole making them a 'free-reed' instrument. There are many different types of Concertinas. The English Concertina was invented by Charles Wheaton around 1829, it is a chromatic instrument able to play full and half tones; it gives the same tone on push and pull. Carl Friedrich Uhlig invented the German Concertina in 1834. It has single tones on the right and left sides, later he added ten buttons on each side of the instrument. George Jones developed the German-Anglo Concertina in 1850. He combined the chromatic tones of the English concertina and the diatonic tones of the German concertina and included a third row of accidentals and additional redundant tones. In other words there were different tones on the push and pull of the instrument, which made the instrument more adaptable to a wider scope of music.

The German-Anglo Concertina was much better suited to playing the rhythmic Irish music. It was the German-Anglo concertina found it's way into many Irish homes. They were inexpensive and well suited for the ever-popular house dances. The music of the concertina in conjunction with the thump of the dancers feet made a lively sound. The concertina was very popular with the female musicians. Diverse styles of playing the where developed. The uilleann pipes influenced many concertina musicians. In Ireland, East Clare is the area most noted for fantastic concertina players. As in most towns each have developed their own styles of music, which are different from other parts of the country. This developed because in very early times the people were not as mobile as today and if they did not emigrate, they pretty much lived in the areas they were born. It wasn't until radio and records that you heard musicians from different areas play in their unique styles. Some East Clare concertina players that have gained international renown include Mrs. Elizabeth Crotty, Noel Hill and Mary McNamara. Mrs.

Elizabeth Crotty, (1885-1960) from Cooraclare in West Clare, was born into a musical family with her Mother playing fiddle and her sister playing concertina. Mrs. Crotty was one of the best-known Concertina players in the 1950's. She and her husband had a Public House in Kilrush where many a musician came and played. She played the concertina with great clarity and rhythm, not much ornamentation. She used a technique of playing the high part of the tune in double octaves. The tunes which made her famous were 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley' and 'The Reel with the Beryl". Mrs. Crotty along with her friend Mrs. Kathleen Harrington, who played the fiddle, were members of the Piper's Club in Dublin. Mrs. Crotty's fame grew as a result of recording sessions conducted by Ciaran MacMathuna and RTE. Her music was a favorite on his radio programs. Mrs. Crotty was a founding member and President of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in County Clare until her death in 1960.

To this day she is remembered with a festival named in her honor Eigse Mrs. Crotty Festival of Concertina Music held each year in Kilrush, West Clare. Noel Hill, from Caherea, County Clare, is today in the forefront for virtuosity in playing the concertina. He is a musician, teacher of the concertina and an authority on Irish music. He has recorded four albums and has accompanied several other artists on their recordings. Mary McNamara, from Tulla, East Clare, is from a musical family with her Mother playing piano and her grandparents playing fiddle and concertina, dancing was another part of the musical fiber. Mary is a solo concertina player as well as a teacher on the instrument in East Clare. She has two solo recordings. TIN WHISTLE The Tin Whistle or Penny Whistle is a cylindrical wind instrument, made of metal, wood, or plastic. It is primarily used in Irish and Scottish music. Other ethnic groups use it as well. There is a plastic mouthpiece and six finger holes. Usually it comes in the key of D. Many tin whistles are inexpensive, but high-end whistles are available.

The tin whistle is relatively easy to learn and has become a favorite with main fledgling musicians. There are a variety of commercial materials available to learn to play the whistle. The tin whistle is similar to a recorder and has been in existence for about 200 years. It is sometimes referred to as a 'fipple flute'. Some world class whistle players include Mary Bergin, Joanie Madden of Cherish the Ladies, and Micho Russell. UILLEANN PIPES The Uilleann Pipes (pronounced ill un) have been in existence in some form as far back as the fifth century. Since the 18th century they have replaced the harp as the national instrument. A full set of Uilleann pipes consist of a bag, bellows, chanter, 3 drones and 3 regulators. A practice set does not include the drones or regulators. In playing the Uilleann (old Irish for elbow), the musician is seated with a bellows strapped to his elbow. This enables him to pump air into the bag, which flows through to the chanters. There are finger holes on the front of the chanter and a thumbhole on the back. The melody is played through the chanter.

The drones provide accompaniment in bass, baritone or tenor to the chanter and the regulators provide chordal accompaniment. The sound of the pipes is sweet and mellow but can also be wild and exhilarating, depending on the musician. In earlier times and number of pipers were blind. Music was one of the few professions a blind person could find employment. Many of them made their own pipes. Depending on the time in history, many pipers played for the autocracy and became known as 'gentlemen pipers'. The ordinary person made their own pipes from available woods and performed for their family and neighbors. Towards the end of the 19th century the living conditions became very desperate in Ireland. With people struggling to survive music was not a priority. Therefore, many pipers became destitute and went by the wayside. During the Irish music revival of the 1960's there were only a few Uilleann pipers on the scene, the legendary Willie Clancy, Leo Rowsome, and Seamus Ennis.

Willie Clancy (1918-1973) from Miltown Malbay, County Clare was born on Christmas Eve, and was the son of Gilbert Clancy and Ellen Killeen. It was a musical home, with Gilbert playing the concertina and flute. Prior to Willie Clancy's birth, the blind piper Garrett Barry would stay at the Clancy home for several months at a time. Garrett Barry was big influence on Gilbert Clancy. Gilbert Clancy encouraged his son Willie to become a musician at an early age. Willie Clancy learned the tin whistle and later the flute. He was twenty years old when he received his first pipes and was influenced by the traveler piper, Johnny Doran. By his 29th birthday, he competed in the Oireachtas and took first place with his uilleann pipes. Willie Clancy was a master carpenter working in Dublin when he joined Leo Rowsome's band for radio broadcasts. Later he traveled to London where the Irish music scene was better than in Ireland. Here he played with Bobby Casey, Seamus Ennis and Mairtin Byrnes. He moved back to Ireland in 1957, married and continued playing music.

He had a very large repertoire of tunes and folklore, many musicians enjoyed playing with him. Along with the Uilleann pipes, Willie Clancy was an excellent flute player and singer of songs. Willie Clancy had a huge influence on future pipers and the music in County Clare. Upon his untimely death, a music school was set created. It is internationally recognized and attended by players from around the world. Leo Rowsome (1903-1970) from Dublin was born into a musical home. His father William, Grandfather Samuel and uncles Tom and John were all uilleann pipers. His father made pipes and Leo was an expert reed-maker and pipe-maker. Leo Rowsome taught at the College of Music in Dublin for 50 years. He played on Radio Eireann in 1920 with Seamus O'Mathuna on fiddle and Nelius Cronin on flute. This exposed the music to a far-reaching audience and there were many requests for him to play at concerts and fesh's across the land.

Again in the 1930's Rowsome played on Radio Eireann in a piper's quartet with Eddie Potts, Tom Rowsome and Michael Padian and many others including Willie Clancy. In the 1940's Rowsome along with Tommy Reck and Sean Reid revived the 'Piper's Club' in Dublin. This was a place where musicians of all instruments, could learn and exchange with other musicians. Out of this venue, developed Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in 1951. Leo Rowsome for almost forty years dominated uilleann pipe playing; he set the standards and style at the time. He mastered the regulators; the feature of the pipes that allows chords to be played by pressing keys on a set of three additional pipes arranged parallel to the drones across the knee. He also had a recognizable chanter style. His grandson Kevin Rowsome marks the fifth consecutive generation of uilleann pipers. Seamus Ennis (1919-1982) from Jamestown, Finglas, County Dublin, was born into a musical home. His father James, played many instruments including the uilleann pipes, along with being a champion dancer.

It was his Father who had the most influence on Seamus. From the cradle he was lulled to sleep by the sound of the pipes. Throughout his youth many musicians visited the Ennis home. His Father was part of a trio that played and broadcast on Radio 2RN. Seamus Ennis was educated in the Irish language. Early in his work life he was employed in the printing trade. When the Second World War broke out, he went to work for the Irish Folklore Commission as a 'folk-music collector'. He gathered and achieved music from the West Coast of Ireland as well as the Scottish Gaeltacht until 1947. While in Scotland he secured a position at Radio Eireann as an Outside Broadcast Officer. His programs were 'Music Stand' and 'Folk Songs from the West'. He had the opportunity to record Willie Clancy, Bobby Casey, Sean Reid, Martin Talty and Micho Russell. These broadcasts reached a large audience. The music of various regions was played. Many listeners heard these different styles for the very first time. In 1951 he moved to London and worked for the BBC, recording the folk culture of England, Scotland Wales and Ireland.

His program there was 'As I Roved Out'. In 1958 he moved back to Ireland and did free lance work with Radio Eireann and also presented programs on Teilifis Eireann, the new TV station. During the 1960's he traveled around Ireland playing music. During the early 1970's he formed a group 'The Halfpenny Bridge Quartet' with Liam O'Flynn on uilleann pipes, Tommy Grogan on accordion and Sean Keane on fiddle. His style of playing the pipes was unique and easily recognizable because of his tone, technique, and variations. He often played slow airs along with a singer and dance music. He played pipes made by Coyne of Thomas Street in Dublin (circa 1800). Seamus Ennis was an important figure in Irish music. He was an accomplished musician and promoted Celtic music. Through his efforts much Celtic music was preserved which may have otherwise been lost.

The Irish harp (aka Gaelic harp, Celtic harp or Clarsach) is the official symbol of Ireland Home → Irish Symbols → The harp of Ireland The Irish harp, though not as popularly well-known around the world as the shamrock for being an Irish symbol, is the official emblem of Ireland. This status dates back several centuries and the instrument's history tells much about the history of the island. The Harp of Erin, from an 1855 engraving. Today, a representation of the traditional harp is to be found on the Presidential Seal and on many official documents, on passports, on the flag of Leinster (but not the national flag), on Irish euro coins and as a logo for a number of prominent state-supported organisations such as the National University of Ireland. As one of the national symbols of Ireland the harp is also used extensively by businesses and other corporations wishing to convey 'Irish-ness'. Guinness bottle labels are perhaps its most famous gig while a heavily stylised harp puts in an appearance on the tail fins of budget carrier Ryan Air. There are a number of names for the Irish harp.

It is also known as the Celtic harp, the Gaelic harp, the clàrsach (in Scotland) or the cláirseach (in the modern Irish language). Purists might argue some minor points of difference, but to the layman, these terms are synonymous. The history of the Gaelic harp. While its earliest origins are lost, the Irish harp has a certain history dating back at least 1000 years. Brian Boru, the last High King of Ireland (d 1014), is said to have been an accomplished player, but while he is attributed with all manner of skills for which there is no evidence, surviving 12-century annals refer to the Celtic harp being the only music played during the Crusades. Gaelic harp on 5c Euro coin. At this time, the Gaelic harp was revered in Celtic culture (and all over Europe). It was de rigeur for Scottish and Irish kings and chieftains to have their own resident harper who, in turn, enjoyed high status and special privileges. The musician's main duties were to accompany poetry recitations or the singing of psalms.

While they may have composed their own music, they did not write them down. The English monarch Henry VIII declared himself King of Ireland in 1531. Such was the fame and prestige of the county's harp, it was chosen as the official national symbol of Ireland and stamped onto the coinage of Henry's new realm. The Celtic social order was on the wane by this time and as the decades pass, harpers lost much of their status, and their numbers declined. Some become travelling musicians, playing their harps and singing, because rich patrons no longer retained them. In many ways, the harp's success became a problem. Still very much recognised as a symbol of Ireland and Irish pride, the Gaelic harp became an emblem of resistence to the Crown and England. As such, it was banned at the end of the medieval period and the old Celtic harp tradition began to die out. By the 18th century, the Scottish clarsach had disappeared. A century later, the Irish harp, too, was extinct.

Fortunately, a group of harpers had been lured to Belfast in 1792 for a traditional harp festival where the musician and folk music collector, Edward Bunting wrote down the music they played and the terminology of the harpers.. This was the first time traditional Gaelic harp music had been recorded on paper and it is thanks to Bunting that these genuine Celtic tunes were not lost forever. Characteristics of the Celtic harp The traditional Irish harp's distinguishing features are its use of wire (usually brass) strings and its resonating chamber carved from a single log (traditionally willow). The highly tensioned strings are played with fingernails, producing a very clear sound. Today, many Irish harps use gut or synthetic string and the construction of the chamber is also significantly different. Rather than being hollowed out from one piece of wood, the soundbox is more likely to be fabricated from sawn pieces of wood glued together which creates a different sound. Traditionally-constructed Irish harps also tend to be smaller than modern models. Surviving examples of ancient harps Less than a dozen Celtic harps survive from the medieval (pre-1700) period.

The oldest is the one on which the 'official' national emblem of Ireland is based: the Trinity College Harp. Also known as the Brian Boru or O'Neill harp, this 15th century Irish harp is on display in the Long Room of Trinity College, Dublin. Two other medieval harps are preserved in the Museum of Scotland: The Queen Mary harp (15th century) and the Lamont harp (date uncertain). The flag depicts the Irish harp. The Guinness Harp The Irish harp emblem was first used by the Dublin brewery of Arthur Guinness back in 1862 when it appeared on the label of the company's bottle of stout. Just eight years later, it was registered in London as the brewery's trademark. The emblem is based on the famous Trinity College harp (see Surviving Examples, in main text), but it has undergone many changes of style over the years and today's version is hugely simplified with just 6 strings. The biggest difference between the Guinness harp and the Irish harp that serves as the official symbol of Ireland is that the brewery's harp faces to the right while the State's Irish harp faces left.

In 1960, with the Irish harp device already so synonymous with Guinness, the company named its very first lager 'Harp'. The Guinness Storehouse is one of Dublin's top attractions. The Storehouse was originally built by Arthur Guinness and Co Ltd for use as a fermentation house. After a series of adaptations, the building was no longer suitable for modern brewing processes and it closed its doors in 1986. But just over 14 years later, those doors were thrown open again to welcome visitors. The Guinness Storehouse has gone on to become one of the top three attractions of Dublin. Irish Musical Instruments Celtic Harp Foremost among the traditional instruments of Ireland is the harp, the symbol of the Irish Republic, and also of that country's most popular beverage - Guiness Stout! The harp is a truly ancient instrument, with a history spanning almost 5,000 years. It has been used in Ireland for well over 1,000 years, surviving periodic doldrums of persecution and social upheaval. Queen Elizabeth I, who saw harpers as foci of local resistance to her rule, bid Lord Barrymore "hang the harpers wherever found and destroy their instruments".

The queen was a tough critic. The Irish wire-strung harp used by the earliest harpers began dying out around the turn of 19th century, supplanted in part by the gut-strung harp, and in part by the European pedal harp that was invented about this time. This break in the tradition means that players of modern reconstructions of the Irish wire-strung harp use a technique that would probably have sounded quite foreign to their 18th century counterparts. The modern Irish harp stands about 4 feet high, and has 34 strings, as opposed to 47 strings on the modern orchestral harp. The so-called Neo-Irish harp, strung with gut or nylon, is the most popular. It's tone is soft, like water dripping into a crystal bowl. Contrast this with the penetrating, fuzzily resonant, bell-like tones of the wire-strung harp. Reed Instruments Before proceeding with my summary of Irish traditional instruments, I'd like to take a moment or two to discuss an integral part of many wind instruments. The reed is a narrow, thin piece of wood, plastic or metal that vibrates when air is blown past it.

Reeded instruments include the clarinet, oboe, saxophone and harmonica. Wind instruments that do not use reeds include the flute, recorder, tin whistle and trumpet. Reeded instruments are either "wet reed" or "dry reed" instruments. Wet reeds are moistened by the breath of the musician. Wind instruments that use some means other than the musician's breath to move air are dry reed instruments. Most reeded wind instruments used in traditional Irish music are dry reed instruments. Uilleann Pipes Bagpipes, while not quite as ancient as the harp, have been played in Ireland three or four hundred years longer. The bagpipe features a bladder made of leather that is inflated through a pipe by the breath of the musician. The inflated bag is held under the arm and pressed with the elbow to force air through several reeded pipes that are attached to the bag. The musician plays by alternately covering the various holes on one of the pipes, called the chanter, producing the melody. The remaining pipes are drones, each tuned to a single note, that provide a continuous background tone. Bagpipes were used mostly in armies to provide marching music.

In Ireland the war pipes were gradually supplanted by the Uilleann (pronounced "illyun") pipes, which were invented sometime in the 16th century. This instrument is smaller and quieter than the war pipes, with a greater range: two octaves, as opposed to one for the war pipes. Uilleann pipes are not blown; instead, air is provided to the bag by means of a bellows that is held under the opposite arm and is worked with the elbow (hence the name Uilleann, or "elbow", pipes). A neat little animated image that shows a piper playing can be seen on the Ceol Rince web site, which also provides some pipe tunes in midi format. A full modern set of Uilleann pipes has seven reeded pipes: the chanter, with its two octave range; bass, baritone, and tenor drones that can be turned on or off at need; and three regulators, which are chanters fitted with keys like those on a flute, and can be used to produce various chords. The Uilleann pipes are the most complex and versatile of all the bagpipes.

A Piper A piper in the street today Set up, and tuned, and started to play, And away, away, away on the tide Of his music we started; on every side Doors and windows were opened wide, And men left down their work and came, And women with petticoats colored like flame, And little bare feet that were blue with cold, Went dancing back to the Age of Gold. And all the world went gay, went gay, For half an hour in the street today. Fiddle Fiddle,n. An instrument to tickle human ears by friction of a horse's tail on the entrails of a cat. from The Devil's Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce Despite Bierce's rather puckish definition, most fiddles these days are strung with steel instead of gut or nylon. This difference, along with variations in technique, is all that really distinguishes the fiddle from the violin. It was first used in Irish music in the 17th century, and has remained a popular fixture of Irish music ever since. Many distinctive regional styles have cropped up over the centuries, the most popular today being the quick-paced bowing of Donegal, although the music of other counties have also made their mark.

Tin Whistle & Flute The high, shrill notes of the tin whistle have long been a fixture of traditional Irish music. It is cheap to make and simple to play, and produces a wonderful music that is by turns lively or plaintive. Most tin whistles, or "penny whistles", as they are sometimes called, are metal cylinders, sometimes tapered, with a mouthpiece and six holes, or "stops". They've been used in Irish music since at least the 18th century, replacing the bone whistles that had been used from time immemorial. Flutes have been about in various designs for centuries. The modern flute, with its pure, mellow tones, was the invention of a 19th century musician named Theobald Boehm, who made his flutes from silver instead of wood, enlarged the holes and equipped them with padded stops. However, Irish musicians tend to prefer older style wooden flutes with six open finger holes, as they feel it gives a tone more appropriate to their style of music. Bodhrán & Bones The bodhrán (pronounced bow-rahn) is a member of a class of percussion instruments known as "frame drums".

The best are made from a sheet of treated goatskin stretched over a wooden frame. The older models had frames made of green wood and were liable to warp, so a crossbrace was added. Modern versions are often made of laminated woods that are less prone to this fault, although the crossbrace is often included to provide a handle for beginners. The instrument is held in one hand and played with a beater in the other. Styles of beaters vary, but it is commonly a wooden rod about 7 inches long, held in the center so that the player can strike the drum with either end. A decorative design of some sort will often be painted on the drum-head. The tone of the bodhrán depends on its size and method of manufacture. The homemade bodhrán used by Davey Fallon for the Chieftans I recording had a higher tone than most I've heard since (he'd also built cymbals into the rim in the manner of a tambourine, which he was prevailed upon to tape down for the recording). A modern bodhrán of standard size, about 18 inches in diameter, provides a deeper, rumbling resonance. Some bodhrán are also equipped with tuning screws.

Differences in manufacture also affect the sound of the instrument - craftsman have developed their own special techniques, particularly regarding the treatment of the goatskin drum-head, and by and large they don't share them. Another percussion instrument used in Irish music are the "bones". These are typically laths of wood or bone (the ribs of sheep are common for the latter), which are held between the fingers and tapped together. Spoons have served as substitutes of expedience, from time to time. Concertina In the early 19th century, Charles Wheatstone invented the symphonium, a brass-reeded instrument that was a precursor of the harmonica. In 1844 he modified it so that the air that powered the instrument was provided by a bellows, and the concertina was born. It was a generally popular instrument in the 19th century, and was even used in orchestras from time to time, but has been pretty much defined as a folk music instrument ever since. The concertina and the accordion, an instrument that works on a similar principle, are often used in Irish folk music. Other Instruments Irish folk music is a living tradition, not a museum music, and as such continues to evolve.

Other instruments that have become popular in Irish music include the guitar, stand-up bass, the banjo, and the Irish bouzouki, the latter a modification of the Greek bouzouki. Derek Bell, who plays harp and keyboards for the Chieftans, plays an instrument he calls a tiompán, or tympan. The tympan is an ancient Irish instrument related to the dulcimer. Little is known about the instrument, as its use died out in the 17th century, shortly after the fiddle made its arrival in Ireland. What Bell plays is actually a hammered dulcimer. The instrument has a number of strings, usually twelve, stretched over a hollow, trapezoidal sound box made of wood, with a bridge at either end, and a set of tuning keys behind one of the bridges. The strings are struck with hand-held "hammers", evoking bell-like tones. Bell insists that this is the tympan of old, and who can say he is wrong with any authority? I have also heard keyboards, mandolins, harmonicas, and bongos used in arrangements of Irish folk music from time to time.

I won't even try to guess what might be used in the future. Tim Eagen Civilization.ca - Crossroads of Culture - Musical Instruments Violin from Lac St. Charles English, French, Scottish, Irish and European Immigration (17th to 19th centuries) One of the most prevalent musical instruments in Canada from the earliest days of settlement was the violin. Small and portable, this versatile instrument found a home in the musical life of all social strata, from the formal balls of colonial administrators and military officers, to the dances and songs of fur traders, farmers and fishermen. Immigrants from France, Scotland, Ireland, Britain and Germany all brought their own repertoire and playing styles to Canada. The violin became the instrument of choice for dance music in both English and French communities of the 17th and 18th centuries, and it continued to be used in this context in rural settings until the 1960s. "Fiddling" has a continuous history in Canada, and continues to be one of our strongest traditions. This violin [above, right], from Lac St. Charles, Quebec, was made in Canada between 1875 and 1921.

Hardanger fiddle In addition to the French Canadian, Scottish, Métis, and Anglo-Canadian styles of fiddling, later immigrants from the Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Hungary and other areas of Europe also brought their own fiddling styles, instruments and traditions to contribute to the mix. One of the most beautifully decorated fiddles in the museum's collection is this Norwegian Hardanger fiddle [left], built in 1928. The Hardanger fiddle is distinguished from the regular violin partly by its decoration, but also by its sympathetic1 strings, added for resonance, that run below the fingerboard. Its repertoire consists of folk songs, dances and bridal marches. Norwegians immigrated in substantial numbers to Canada in the late 19th century, settling on the prairies and in coastal British Columbia. Other instruments used to accompany dance in early Canadian immigrant communities included the harmonica and button accordion. In addition to its importance in French Canadian folk traditions, the button accordion became very popular in Newfoundland, where it was the preferred instrument for dance music. Perhaps the greatest icon of Scottish traditional music culture in Canada, the highland bagpipe came to Canada with the earliest immigrants from Scotland, who settled in Nova Scotia and Upper Canada.

As a martial instrument, the highland bagpipe was used in the 18th century in Scottish regiments in Nova Scotia and Quebec. The bagpipe continued to be used as an instrument of war in the 20th century, when pipers rallied troops on the battlefield in both World Wars. This instrument [below] belonged to Pipe Major Sam Scott, a member of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, who played these pipes for Canadian troops in France during World War II. Koziol Highland pipe-bands have continued to thrive in Canada with the formation of civilian bands and the establishment of local, national and international pipe-band competitions. Although bagpipes are strongly associated with Scottish and Irish music here in Canada, they are also present in music cultures of European immigrants from Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Yugoslavia and Poland. The Polish bagpipe [above], known as koziol, a bellows-blown instrument from Wielkopolska, was traditionally used to accompany dance. Zampogna Another example of a European bagpipe is the zampogna, from Southern Italy or Sicily. The zampogna was an outdoor instrument, played on religious holidays and civic celebrations.

This example [right] was brought to Canada by Italian immigrant Michele Trozzolo, who settled in Toronto. He subsequently learned how to make similar bagpipes himself, and he has sold his instruments in North America and countries abroad, including Italy. Immigrants from Poland, the Ukraine, Hungary, Italy and other countries in Eastern and Western Europe, and some from Asia as well, began to arrive in large numbers in the late 19th century, bringing many new musical instruments and traditions with them. Bandura Ukrainians were the most numerous of the European immigrants who began to settle on the prairies at this time. By World War I, 170,000 Ukrainians had moved to Canada, most of them establishing homesteads in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Today, there are over 1 million people of Ukrainian descent in Canada, making them the 9th largest ethnic group in Canada. Over the years, the many Ukrainian arts councils, dance troupes and community organizations across Canada have contributed to the perpetuation of traditional Ukrainian culture in Canada.

The national instrument of the Ukraine is the bandura, a lute with a shallow oval body, a short, fretless neck and many strings (up to 30) running over the neck and across the body of the instrument. The bandura is used to accompany solo or group singing. This example [left] was built in 1962 in Ontario by Mr. Peter Stepowy, who is said to have built over 100 of these instruments. One of the most popular Ukrainian instruments used both as a solo instrument and to accompany song and dance is the tsymbaly (sometimes also spelled cymbaly), a hammered dulcimer. Related forms of this dulcimer with similar names can be found in Romania, Greece, Poland, Hungary, and the Baltic countries. In Hungary, a larger form of this dulcimer, known as the cimbalom, is often played as a solo concert instrument. The example below has 35 courses2 of strings.

Cimbalom In addition to the Europeans who settled on the Canadian prairie in the late 19th century, immigrants from Iceland made the area around Lake Winnipeg their home, forming a self-governing colony known as "New Iceland" near Gimli, Manitoba. The Icelandic langspil below was made shortly after 1900 by Benedikt Arason, a farmer who lived south of Gimli. It is a fretted and bowed zither with 2 strings, a softwood rectangular resonator and hardwood scroll. Although largely replaced in practice by the violin, the langspil is valued among Icelandic-Canadians as a symbol of traditional Icelandic culture. Kokle A large number of plucked zithers have come to Canada (and to the Museum) from countries around the Baltic Sea. Migration from these areas (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, for example) began early in the 20th century, but peaked after World War II, when many of the Balkan states were reabsorbed into the Soviet Union. Plucked zithers are versatile instruments, capable of assuming a solo role or serving to accompany singers and other instrumentalists.

Small zithers like these could be transported easily from the homeland, but sometimes they were made by talented craftsmen here in Canada. This beautiful Latvian kokle [above], for instance, is constructed of Canadian maple with a spruce soundboard. It has 13 metal strings and is beautifully carved. In Latvian folklore, the kokle, endowed with magical power, can charm all animals. A related instrument from Lithuania is the kankles. This example [below], made by V. Kulpavicius, has 18 metal strings, and is decorated with floral and geometric designs. Kannel Finally, this Estonian kannel [above], with oak frame and plywood soundboard, has 46 strings, and dates from the late 1930s to early 1940s. Asian Migration to Canada: Chinese, Japanese, South Asia, Korean and Vietnamese (late 19th century to late 20th century) The wave of immigration to Canada in the late 19th century included some Asians as well as Europeans.

Chinese men came as migrant workers, employed first in the gold fields of the Fraser River Valley, then in the construction of the transcontinental railway in the 1880s. Approximately 17,000 Chinese men immigrated to Canada during that time, mostly settling in the Fraser Valley and Cariboo areas of British Columbia. Today, over 1 million people of Chinese origin live in Canada, congregating mostly in large urban centers in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. From the earliest days of Chinese settlement in Canada, music played an important social role in Chinese-Canadian communities. In addition to providing much needed entertainment, a link with the homeland, and a context for socialization, many music societies and clubs raised funds for social relief in Canada and China. Cantonese opera, a popular form rather than an elite tradition, became a focus for such activity. By the 1870s, three Cantonese opera societies were already in existence in Victoria, B.C. Opera companies like these continue to thrive today, serving both community events and occasions for multicultural display to the broader non-Asian society. The instrumental ensembles of Cantonese opera include a number of string, percussion and wind instruments. Some of these instruments are shown below.

Huqin is a general name for Chinese fiddle. Most huqin have 2 strings and the bow is inserted between the strings. There are many varieties used in genres of Chinese opera, including the gaohu, made of bamboo with a tubular resonator, and the erhu, a larger version made of hardwood, sometimes with a hexagonal or octagonal resonator. Dizi, also known as the di, is a transverse flute made of a single tube of bamboo. Many sizes and varieties exist in China. The yangqin is a hammered dulcimer, adapted from the Middle Eastern santur which was introduced into China at the end of the Ming Dynasty. It is trapezoidal in shape and is played with light bamboo beaters. The yangqin is especially popular in Cantonese ensembles. Yueqin The yueqin is a plucked lute with a short neck and circular body made of wood. Its name translates literally as "moon qin" because of its large circular shape. Four strings in two double courses are tuned a fifth apart, and 8 to 12 bamboo frets are glued onto the neck and upper soundboard.

This example [above] was brought to Canada in 1900 from China. Cantonese opera performances in Canada and China also frequently employed some Western instruments in the ensembles. The violin and saxophone were two of the most common Western instruments to be used. Japanese immigrants to Canada also began to arrive in the 19th century; by 1900 more than 4,000 Japanese were living in British Columbia, working as labourers, fishermen and farmers. According to the 2001 Canadian census, more than 85,000 people of Japanese descent are now living in Canada, with the largest numbers residing in British Columbia and Ontario. Aside from the very visible tradition of taiko drumming which has gained popularity across the country in recent decades, traditional instruments such as the shakuhachi, koto and shamisen are known, taught and seen in contemporary performances in urban centers across Canada. Shakuhachi The shakuhachi is a notched, end-blown flute made of bamboo. It is simply constructed, but difficult to play.

In Japan it has been used for different kinds of music, but often is associated with Zen Buddhism because of its use by wandering Buddhist priests (kumoso) in the 18th century. A solo repertoire for use in meditation was developed during this time, and this repertoire continues to be popular today, even though the shakuhachi is no longer considered exclusively (or even primarily) a religious instrument. Koto The koto, a plucked long zither, is another traditional Japanese instrument with a significant profile in Canada. Organizations such as the Koto Ensemble of Greater Vancouver, established in the late 1950s, have marked a resurgence in popularity of traditional Japanese music and culture, particularly on the West coast of Canada. The koto is normally placed on the floor, the performer kneeling in front of the instrument to play it. Its 13 strings are plucked with the right hand, while the left hand presses on strings to alter their pitch. Once an instrument of the elite in Japan, the koto spread into the middle classes beginning in the Tokugawa period, and by the 19th century, it was found in private homes throughout Japan. It is an instrument played by both men and women.

South Asians3 comprise the second largest population of Asian immigrants to Canada, eclipsed only by the Chinese. Most came to Canada after the Second World War, when there was a demand for more labour, and discriminatory legislation against Asian immigration was abolished. Today, over 700,000 people of South Asian descent live in Canada with large populations in urban Ontario and British Columbia. South Asians in Canada have maintained their traditions of classical music and dance, establishing schools and performing groups in major cities across the country. A good number of skilled performers of this music reside in Canada, and there are many performances of Hindustani and Karnatik music and dance in major cities across Canada throughout the year. Perhaps the best known instrument from Hindustani (North Indian) music is the sitar. The sitar is a plucked lute with a long neck attached to a hollow gourd which acts as a resonating chamber. There are four melody strings, three drone strings used for rhythm and 12-20 sympathetic strings which are allowed to vibrate freely. Approximately 19 frets are placed along the neck; these are movable and adjustable according to the raga.

A related instrument is the vina, commonly found in Karnatik (South Indian) music. The vina, also known as the "Saraswati Vina" is one of the oldest instruments in India. Ancestors of the vina are found in bas reliefs on temples from the 6th and 7th centuries, but it is thought to date back to the time of the Natyasastra (a major treatise on music dated sometime between the 2nd century BCE and the 2nd century CE). The vina is very similar to the sitar, but it does not have sympathetic strings, and it is made entirely of wood. Its 24 frets are set into wax, and it is held semi-horizontally when played. The neck of the instrument shown below ends in a carved dragon's head that has been covered in gold leaf, and the balance gourd, located at the top of the instrument, has been beautifully decorated. Sarod One other common solo instrument from Hindustani music culture is the sarod. Unlike the sitar, the sarod is unfretted.

The fingerboard is covered with a smooth sheet of metal, and the player slides his or her finger along the smooth surface of the fingerboard to produce the necessary slides and transitions in pitch. This instrument [above] is between 100 and 200 years old and was derived from Afghani rabab. There are four or five metal playing strings, three to five drone and rhythm strings, and 11-16 sympathetic strings. South Asian classical musics normally consist of three components: melody, drone and rhythm. The most common drone instrument, used in both Hindustani and Karnatik musics, is the tambura (also known as the tanpura), a tall, plucked lute, about 3 ½ to 5 feet long. The longest part is its hollow neck which ends in a bowl-shaped large gourd covered with a piece of wood. The tambura has 4 strings tuned to important pitches of the raga. It is held vertically and is strummed continually throughout the performance, providing the drone. Mrdangam The mrdangam is a double headed barrel drum used in Karnatik music.

It is made of wood, with tuned, composite drum heads that are used to provide the tala, or rhythmic framework for the music. A similar barrel-shaped drum used in some genres of Hindustani music culture is known as the pakawaj, but the most common percussion instrument in North Indian music is the tabla. The tabla is actually a pair of drums played with the hands (one hand per drum). The higher pitched wooden drum is called the dahina (also daya) and the metal drum which provides the lower pitches is called the baya. The tabla is used for many kinds of music, accompanying vocal and instrumental genres, kathak dance and devotional music as well. In recent years, the tabla has become prominent as a solo instrument and also has been featured in many mixed World Music ensembles. Baya Koreans are more recent arrivals in Canada compared to South Asian, Chinese, or Japanese immigrants. Most Korean immigration occurred in the decades following the Korean War (1950-53). Today approximately 101,000 people of Korean descent live in Canada, and more than half of them are in Ontario. Changgo The museum possesses a number of beautifully decorated traditional Korean instruments.

Perhaps the most important of these in Korean music culture is the changgo. Similar to the Japanese tzuzumi, the changgo is a double headed hourglass shaped drum, and it is the main percussion instrument of Korean music. The body is hollow, made from a single piece of wood that is usually painted and sometimes also decorated. Its two circular heads are mounted on metal hoops and laced together across the body of the drum. The changgo is usually placed horizontally in front of the player, who is seated. The left head is struck with the performer's open hand and a bamboo stick is used on the right head, resulting in distinct timbres. This drum is used in court and folk genres, and has its own solo repertoire in samullori, a recent ensemble composed entirely of percussion instruments. In the decades since World War II, many immigrants have come to Canada as refugees, fleeing the political upheavals of their own countries. The conflict in Southeast Asia, which reached a crisis in the 1970s, caused many in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos to leave their homelands to settle in Western countries, including Canada.

Between 1979 and 1991, over 140,000 Vietnamese refugees landed in Canada. Over 40% of them settled in Ontario, but large populations can also be found in Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta. Dàn dáy One of the main traditional instruments of Vietnam is the dàn dáy, a plucked lute, which is said to be found only in Vietnam. It has a trapezoid-shaped body, three strings, high frets and a very long neck, and is used to accompany singers. Formerly only played by men, the dàn dáy is considered a powerful instrument that was given to humans by the immortals. The second dàn dáy in the museum's collection is an example of the way in which traditional instruments can be adapted to meet new needs in new contexts. In this case, the instrument has been modified by the addition of electric pick-ups to make it more suitable for popular repertoire. Arabic, African and Caribbean Immigration Oud Immigration from Arabic countries across the Middle East began in the late 19th century, but has been steady only since the 1960s.

Most Arabic immigrants have settled in large urban centers, such as Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa and in these cities community organizations and performing groups often promote traditional music and dance. Two well-known traditional instruments that are found throughout the Middle East are the oud and the darabukka. The oud (also known as "ud") is a short-necked plucked lute, the ancestor of the European lute. Its body is pear shaped, and its rounded back is made from strips or "ribs" of hardwood. The three sound holes on the flat surface of the body often are highly decorative. Five courses of strings are the most common, but other configurations are possible as well. The instrument at left is an "ud arbi" from Tunisia. It has a narrow body and an oak soundboard. The oud is a feature of Tunisian classical music, used in the nouba or suite of instrumental and vocal music. The darabukka is a single headed goblet shaped drum, common to most countries in the Middle East. It is made of wood, metal or pottery, and is usually held on the leg or hip and played with both hands.

Traditionally the head is made of animal skin, but today many darabukkas have mylar, or plastic heads, since they are easier to tune and retain their pitch with changes in humidity and temperature. It is used in both classical and popular musics. The instrument below is a ceramic darabukka from Egypt. Stoneware darabukka These stoneware darabukka [above, right] are made here in Canada by Tony Bloom of Canmore, and Martin Breton of Quebec. African immigrants to Canada have been small in number until recent years, when larger waves of immigrants from French-speaking areas of Africa have begun to settle in the province of Quebec. As part of the global "Francophone" culture, musics from these African countries have found a home in Quebec society and are highlighted regularly in many public performances throughout the year, such as "Nuits d'Afrique", "Rhythme du monde", "Vues d'Afrique", the Montreal Jazz Festival and regular shows at clubs like Balattou. Among the many traditional instruments brought to Canada from these African countries is the kora. The kora is a 21-stringed, acoustic instrument, played somewhat like a harp.

The body of the kora consists of half a large calabash gourd covered with cowhide and pierced through with a long wooden pole that acts as a neck and tailpiece. Kora strings are fitted by leather bands to this pole. Once made of twisted antelope or cow hide, kora strings today are nylon (usually fishing line) which are more durable and provide a brighter sound. A kora requires special attention to the type of strings, the quality of leather, and the quality of gourd. Koras are the instruments used by griots, hereditary professional singers, instrumentalists and verbal artists, who enjoyed the patronage of kings and have played an essential role in preserving oral histories and genealogies of their countries. A number of griots from Mali and other West African countries have settled in Quebec where their kora playing continues to develop in new directions. Steel pan drums Almost 400,000 Caribbean immigrants are living in Canada, and the vast majority of them have come from the English speaking countries of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Guyana. The largest communities may be found in Ontario, particularly in the cities of London, Toronto and Kingston.

Caribbean music has a strong presence in Canada, especially in Toronto. The popular "Caribana" festival, one of many carnival celebrations held across Canada and currently the largest, draws an estimated one million visitors and residents each year. One of the most distinctive and well-known instrumental ensembles from a Caribbean country is the steel pan ensemble, from Trinidad. Associated with carnival in Trinidad, the steel pan also has been included recently in the elementary school curriculum in Toronto, an example of how instruments associated with specific countries and ethnic groups are moving into mainstream Canadian society. Conclusions: The instruments presented here are testimony to the long and varied history of immigration to Canada. As treasured artifacts, instruments and the music performed on them have served many important roles within immigrant communities, enabling immigrants to recall their cultural heritage (or, for the younger generations, to learn about it) reaffirming and/or negotiating cultural identity and communicating it to others, and reinforcing solidarity within the community. These instruments also may take on new roles outside of the immigrant community, as they move into mainstream Canadian or even global music culture. As vehicles for communication, musical instruments will continue to have social and cultural significance for all Canadian communities.

Notes 1 Sympathetic strings resonate along with the main strings, but are not played directly. 2 A "course" of strings represents two parallel strings played together that are usually tuned in octaves or in unison. 3 South Asia is comprised of the Asian countries south of the Himalayas, including Bangladesh, British Indian Ocean Territory, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Bibliography The harp – national emblem of Ireland | Ireland Calling Store The harp – national emblem of Ireland The harp is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world and also the national emblem of Ireland. It is believed the harp was introduced to pre-Christian Europe by the Phoenicians who brought it over from Egypt as one of their international trading goods. The oldest surviving Celtic harps date back to the 15th century but the music of the harp has been an important emblem to Ireland since the 10th century. Spirit of the country In the days of the old chieftains harpists were held in high regard. Stories were often told to the music of the harp and it encompassed the spirit of the country.

Harpists used to travel the country of Ireland performing their folk songs and stories for the public. The most famous of these was the blind harpist, Turlough O’Carolan. His compositions are still popular today through the work of groups like The Chieftains and Planxty. Farewell to Music and Concerto performed by Triona Marshall from the Chieftains The harp was a seen as a threat to the British In the 16th century the music of the harp was seen as such a threat that The British Crown attempted to crush the Irish Spirit by ordering all harps to be burnt and all harpists executed. It was almost 200 years before the music of the harp was freely enjoyed in Ireland once again. In 1792, a festival was set up in an attempt to bring back the almost extinct tradition of the harp. Only 10 harpists attended. A young organist named Edward Bunting was hired to notate the harp music at the festival. Most of the music was lost forever Bunting’s transcripts are the oldest records of traditional Celtic harp music in existence as it was the tradition to hand down the music orally through the generations.

Sadly, with the harp being banned for so long, most of the music was lost. Today the image of the harp as a national symbol of Ireland is almost as well recognised as the shamrock. It appears on the Irish Euro coins and is the logo for Guinness, considered by many to be Ireland’s national drink. Store

Question: What is the national instrument of Ireland?
Answer: Harp