• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Spellbinding Music

Genre-bending & spine-tingling

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Contact

Ensemble Ériu: Jurna

November 21, 2013 By guillaume

“Ensemble” is a great word choice: it conveys the idea of a group of musicians playing in the field of either classical, contemporary or jazz music, while in the Irish context, composer Seán Ó Riada’s band Ceoltóirí Chualann introduced the idea of ensemble playing in traditional Irish music in the early 1960s.

The music of the Ensemble Ériu project encompasses all of the above. Developed by concertina player Jack Talty and double bass/flute player Neil O’Loghlen and supported by a cast of 8 musicians (clarinet, marimba & drums, fiddle, viola, guitar, keyboards, trombone and voice), the collective sets out to explore the melodic intricacies of the traditional Irish repertoire in a very organic and experimental fashion, slowly meandering through traditional tunes and new compositions over six sets of 5 to 9 minutes long. Ensemble Ériu have just released their self-titled début album on 30th September 2013 last on Raelach Records.

Ensemble Ériu (2013)
Ensemble Ériu (2013)

The repertoire of Ensemble Ériu is rooted in the music of County Clare but it is also equally grounded in acoustic jazz music or in the post-classical minimalism of contemporary musicians like Steve Reich for instance. The inclusion of the marimba in the ensemble’s line-up hints maybe at the American composer’s influence – the latter has composed extensively for the instrument over the last 50 years for several projects and ensembles with various instrument permutations. And then it is interesting to note that Steve Reich experimented with the melodica in the mid-1960s, a reed instrument whose sound is very close to that of the concertina.

All these elements coalesce beautifully in “Jurna”, the opening track of the album. Following a three minute introduction “drawing on the hypnotic repetition” of the minimalist approach, concertina and fiddle launch into “The New Custom House” reel before recalling the introductory motif in the coda. Ensemble Ériu’s contemporary and minimalist take on Irish music cleverly elaborates on the fact that traditional Irish music is circular and repetitive by nature, and that at the same time,

Some of the minimalist patterns and ideas were influenced by the idiomatic phrasing or melodic variations of people like Micho [Russell] and [Bobby] Casey for example.

Jack Talty in conversation with Tony Lawless – Trad Connect

Throughout the whole album, it is so refreshing to hear a bass line introducing a reel or a jig, the sound of the concertina alongside the marimba and the clarinet, the drone of the trombone echoing the bass notes of the concertina or the last song of the album flirting with ambient drone music.

Lend an ear, this is a wonderful musical experiment.

You May Also Like:

  • Ensemble Ériu: Imbas
    Ensemble Ériu: Imbas
  • Saileog Ní Cheannabháin: Roithleán
    Saileog Ní Cheannabháin: Roithleán
  • Ensemble Ériu: Stargazer
    Ensemble Ériu: Stargazer
  • Cuar: Roscanna
    Cuar: Roscanna
  • Martin Hayes & Brooklyn Rider: The Butterfly
    Martin Hayes & Brooklyn Rider: The Butterfly
  • Martin Hayes Quartet: The Blue Room
    Martin Hayes Quartet: The Blue Room

Filed Under: Contemporary, Ireland, Modern Classical, Traditional Tagged With: concertina, double bass, ensemble, Ensemble Ériu, marimba

Subscribe to Spellbinding Music

Never miss a post and subscribe to Spellbinding Music via email. Receive weekly and enchanting musical updates straight into your inbox - and it's free!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About

Spellbinding Music is a blog which curates contemporary, modern classical, roots, electronic, jazz and folk music…and everything in between. ... [Continue Reading]

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Most Read this week

Follow via Email

Search

Recent Posts

Saffronkeira with Paolo Fresu: In Origine: The Field of Repentance (2020)

Saffronkeira with Paolo Fresu: In Origine: The Field of Repentance

Paolo Fresu & Daniele Di Bonaventura - Altissima Luce (2019)

Paolo Fresu & Daniele Di Bonaventura: Altissima Luce

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Ultan O’Brien - Solas an Lae (2020)

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Ultan O’Brien: Solas an Lae

Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger - Force Majeure (2020)

Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger: Force Majeure

Yumi Ito - Stardust Crystals (2020)

Yumi Ito: Stardust Crystals

Lau Nau - Poseidon (2017)

Lau Nau: Poseidon

From the Archives

Vanessa Wagner: Inland

Nadah El Shazly - Ahwar (2017)

Nadah El Shazly: Ahwar

Brigid Mae Power - Head Above the Water (2020)

Brigid Mae Power: Head Above The Water

Jherek Bischoff - Cistern (2016)

Jherek Bischoff: Cistern

Sly & Robbie meet Nils Petter Molvær - Nordub (2018)

Sly & Robbie meet Nils Petter Molvær: Nordub

Anna Mieke - Idle-Mind (2019)

Anna Mieke: Idle Mind

Slow Moving Clouds - Starfall (2018)

Slow Moving Clouds: Starfall

Footer

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 Spellbinding Music | Website by Pagecrafted

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT