Music of the Isle of Man
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Isle of Man is a small island nation in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. Its culture is Celtic in origin, influenced historically by its neighbours, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The island is not part of the United Kingdom, but Manx music has been strongly affected by English folk song as well as British popular music.
| Celtic music | Music of the United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Brittany and Northern Spain | England |
| Cornwall | Scotland |
| Man | Wales |
| Ireland | Northern Ireland |
| Celtic Canada and Celtic America | Caribbean and Indian |
A roots revival of Manx folk music began late in the 20th century, alongside a general revival of the Manx language and culture. The 1970s revival was kickstarted, after the 1974 death of the last native speaker of Manx, by a music festival called Yn Çhruinnaght in Ramsey [1].
Prominent musicians of the Manx musical revival include Emma Christian (Ta'n Dooid Çheet - Beneath the Twilight), whose music includes the harp and tin whistle, and harpist and producer Charles Guard (Avenging and Bright), an administrator at the Manx Heritage Foundation, MacTullagh Vannin (MacTullagh Vannin) and the duo Kiaull Manninagh (Kiaull Manninagh). Modern bands include The Mollag Band, King Chiaullee and Paitchyn Vannin [2].
Contents |
[edit] History
Prior to the 15th century, little can be determined about the character of music on the Isle of Man. There are many carved crosses from this era, but they depict a total of two musicians, one lur player and a harpist. Songs from this era may have had Scandinavian origins; some also bear similarities to Irish and Scottish music. The song "Reeaghyn dy Vannin" (the Manx sword dance), is very similar to a lullaby from the Hebrides and is also said to have been a ritual dance during the Scandinavian era.
The earliest written evidence describes fiddle music and a variety of folk dances. There was no harp tradition as was otherwise prevalent in Celtic music. English folk songs were very popular, later including broadside ballads, jigs and reels. Also extant were traditional Gaelic psalm-singing and other church music.
[edit] 19th century
Church music is the most documented Manx music of the 19th century. Lining out was a common technique, as it was throughout Britain and Ireland. West Gallery musicians performed for special occasions, using locally-composed or well-known compositions. Organs were a later importation that became standard in most of the island's churches. The first collection of Manx church songs was printed in 1799, and was followed by many other collections.
[edit] 20th century
Though West Gallery music continued into the 1950s, by the 20th century instrumental music accompanied most worship on the Isle of Man. Later in the 20th century, Manx church musical traditions slowly declined. The legacy of immigration, from England and elsewhere, has brought in many new styles of music to the island.
[edit] Future
The Manx Heritage Foundation have established a Manx Music Coordinator to encourage the use and development of the vernacular music. 2005 saw many releases by Manx bands of traditional music in Manx, English, and other Celtic languages.
[edit] References
- Mathieson, Kenny. "Wales, Isle of Man and England". 2001. In Mathieson, Kenny (Ed.), Celtic music, pp. 88-95. Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-623-8
- article on Manx music history by Fenella Bazin
- Article on Manx traditional music
