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Altan
Altan are an Irish folk music band formed in County Donegal in 1987 by lead vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and her husband Frankie Kennedy. The group were primarily influenced by traditional Irish language songs from Donegal and have sold over a million records.
The group were the first traditional Irish group to be signed to a major label when they signed with Virgin Records in 1994. The group has collaborated with Dolly Parton, Enya, The Chieftains, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, and many others.
Here's one particular set I really like that I haven't heard elsewhere!
An Gasur Mor / Bunker Hill / Dogs Among The Bushes (Medley)
Here's their YouTube Channel - way too many good tunes for me to start listing all of them!
...take your time and explore their albums!
- Emily
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Sorry, I just have to share another 2 Sets - forgot how great these are!
I love, but haven't played, "Mother's Delight" yet, but Altan does a wonderful medley of it.
Mother's Delight (Medley) - LOVE the tune at 2:06!
And, a beautiful Strathspey & 2 Reels that I find worth learning up to speed!
Bog An Lochain, Margaree Reel, The Humours of Westport
Sneaking in one last tune that's like dreaming - which is what I should be doing right now. (lol)
Aingeal an Oilean (Island Angel)
...I will have to find time to learn some of these.
- Emily
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I've really been taken by the Altan version of this tune - slow & melancholy.
Dobbin's Flowery Vale
I found the chords to learn for this beautiful Altan tune at ChordU.
Chords for Altan's - Dobbin's Flowery Vale
I found MANY versions of sheet music for this tune that sounded nothing like it.
Here's one at Musescore.com that does!
Dobbin's Flowery Vale - Sheet Music
...just the kind of music I can curl up with as Winter gets closer.
- Emily
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Yep, swore I wasn't going to buy anymore TUNE BOOKS! 😖
Yeah, I have no will-power... just couldn't resist this one - so much more than just the dots! 🤗
Altan: The Tunes - 222 of them, harmonic arrangements, folklore & photos... what more could I ask for?
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Some great tunes there Emily and I hadnt heard any of them before either, too be honest though playing any of them apart from the slow Air would be dangerous for me, my fingers would end up in knots.
You probably have but I will mention it anyway, heard the book of invasions by Horslips, if not I think you would love it, it is Irish sort of soft rock , with a traditional twist that details the Tuatha de Dannans invasion of Ireland and the associated legends, Slan la maigh is on there as part of a tune sideways to the sun about the defeat of the Tuatha, and their banishment to the underworld, were they became the fairies of Irish legend
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Sorry Emily I didnt explain very well, horslips are an Irish band, their music deals with ancient Irish myths and legends. The book of invasions itself is an ancient Irish text that details the many invasions of Ireland from foreign surces ove the centuries, such a vikings, but in the book there is a story about the tuatha de dannan, who invaded Ireland and fought battles wi the Fir Bolg the local inhabitants, the Tuatha landed on top of a mountain in Moytura, then used magic to defeat the fir bolg, their king nuadhad an arm made of silver that functioned like a real arm, they brought the seven treasures with them, the sword of light which belonged to lugh of the long arm, cauldren of Dagda, which was never empty and the stone of deztiny which would cry out when a true king was crowned, and still exists today, there are others as well. Here is a tune frrom the album book of invasions.
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If your interested this is the book of invasions dealing with the tuatha, most Irish mythology such as leprechauns and faires come from the tuatha period, in fact there are still sacred thorn trees in Ireland were people leave gifts for the fairies, and once they even diverted a motorway round a sacred black thorn fod fear of annoying the fairy folk .
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Thanks!
Really appreciate the Book of Invasions link - love the history & folklore.
Altan has approached tunes in so many different ways - love they explore speed & rhythm, have songs mingled among instrumentals, and instrumentation is varied.
Love the contrast of these 3 reels - An Gasúr Dána, An Ghirseach Dholba & Ríl na mBreac Beadaí.
Have had my eye on several slip jigs lately...
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