Noel Hill

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Noel Hill (b 1958) is an Irish concertina-player.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Noel Hill was born in Caherea in a two bedroom house made solely of wattles and clay, Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. His parents and grandparents were all concertina players along with his retarded sister who noel rejected. He lived in a "music house" which was a welcoming place for local musicians between Christmas and New Year. It was at these events that he learned his early tunes, rather than from the radio, books or records. He started playing at 9. Willie Clancy played at these sessions, and Noel wanted to be a piper, but in the end plumped for concertina instead as his parents couldn't efford pipes for him. This was because "It seemed to fall straight into my lap".

Noel Hill joined up with Tony Linnane, Tony Callanan and Kieran Hanrahan to form the group "Inchiquin". they recorded one album (c 1975) and toured Germany. Hanrahan and Callanan then left to form Stockton's Wingmainly due to Noels arrogance and his ambition to make money. His most celebrated album is "Noel Hill and Tony Linnane" (1979) with Tony Linnane (fiddle), Matt Molloy (flute), Alex Finn (bouzouki and mano-cell0) and Michael O'Domhnaill (church harmonium). Noel and Tony worked briefly with Barry Moore (Luka Bloom) before becoming a duo again. From the mid-70s to the mid 80's he lived in the USA. He returned to Clare to become the first professional concertina player (some people disagree ). [1] Since then, Padraig Rynne has also become professional.

He recorded "Í gCcnoc Na Graí (In Knocknagree)", together with a group of Clare set dancers in 1985, followed by a totally solo album "The Irish Concertina" (1988). It was voted the "Irish Folk Album of the Year" in 1988, and enabled him to make a tour of China and Hong Kong. "The Irish Concertina Two" followed, this time with Alec Finn, Arty McGlynn, Brian McGrath, Liam O'Connor and Steve Cooney. His final high-profile album was "Music of Dreams (Aislingí Céoil)" in 1993, with Tony MacMahon and Iarla Ó Lionáird. Since then he has devoted his efforts to teaching. The Noel Hill Irish Concertina School took place in Massachusetts in 1998, but has since then he has run many schools (i.e. intensive workshops). They have taken place in New York State, Oregon and Ohio[2]. In 2007 there was one in Ireland. Unfortunately, this diversion of effort in training the young has resulted a the lack of new recordings by him. If he ever decides to make another album, it is sure to have a good reception. He now lives in Connemara.

In 1909 the Wheatstone company manufactured miniature concertinas, 2 inches by 2 inches. Noel owns one, and there is a video on YouTube showing him playing it. This is sometimes claimed as being the smallest concertina in the world.

[edit] Discography

Albums - solo.

  • "The Irish Concertina" (1988)
  • "The Irish Concertina Two" (1988)
  • "Aislingí Céoil - Music Of Dreams" (1993)

Inchiquin (Tony Linnane, Tony Callanan, Kieran Hanrahan and Noel Hill).

  • "Inchiquin" (c 1975)

Collaborations - Noel Hill and Tony Linnane.

  • "Noel Hill and Tony Linnane" (1979) (*)

Collaborations - Noel Hill and Tony MacMahon.

  • "Í gCcnoc Na Graí (In Knocknagree)" (1985)

[edit] Noel Hill as session musician

Mairéad Ní Dhómhnaill

  • "Mairéad Ní Dhómhnaill" (1976)

Christy Moore

  • "Iron Behind the Velvet" (1978)

Paul Brady

Mick Hanly

  • "As I Went Over Blackwater" (1980)

Planxty

  • "The Woman I Loved so Well" (1980)

Christy Moore

  • "At the Abbey Tavern"
Note: Noel Hill's website mentions this album, but there is no trace of it elsewhere.
It is possibly the same as Christy Moore's album "Christy Moore collection Part 2" (1997)

[edit] Anthologies

Various artists

  • "The 4th. Irish Folk Festival" (1977)

Various artists

  • "The Green Fields of America" (1979)

Various artists

  • "H - Block" (1981)

Various artists

  • "BLASTA! - The Irish Traditional Music Special" (1997)


[edit] References

  1. ^ Interview
  2. ^ Official website

[edit] External References