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Art History
| Mythology | Sean-nós Singing |
Contemporary
Art | Anthropology of Art |
Teaching References
SEAN-NÓS SINGING
The purpose of this course is
not to teach singing but to teach
appreciation: to train the students ears
to hear the different kind of aesthetic
that informs traditional singing.
The words
"sean-nós" simply mean
"old style". As far as it can
be traced, this type of singing probably
goes back to the late 17th century. It is
possible that it is even older. It is a
style of singing that grew up beside the
art of story telling to fill the long
cold winter evenings beside the fire,
before there was television or radio to
dull our minds.
This style
of singing is relatively unknown in
Canada and the U.S. now, though the last
few years have seen a renaissance of the
style in Ireland. It is always
unaccompanied, often highly ornamented
and has a specific type of repertoire.
Interestingly
the style was brought to Canada by the
early settlers from Ireland and Scotland
and flourished here for some time in
areas like the Ottawa Valley and the East
Coast. Similar immigrant journeys brought
traditional song to the U.S.
The
purpose of this course is not to teach
singing, but to teach appreciation. I
will not teach a song unless someone
particularly wishes it, as it takes some
time to become accustomed to the
different style. Songs would have to be
taught one on one. Mostly I hope to help
people appreciate and understand this
unique art.
This
course is offered as a short overview of
an hour or two, listening to field
recordings of traditional singers from
different regions. My experience is that
many people enjoy learning about the
tradition, while few are interested in
learning to sing in this exacting style.
For those that do, I can help to give
them a start, but would recommend more
in-depth study with someone who grew up
in the tradition.
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