September 22nd, 2008 artsbook
Ireland has got a rich history dating back to pre-Christian Celtic times. The music of Ireland that has developed through the course of history is also very rich and highly refined. The traditional Irish music has retained its unique appeal throughout the last century and is continuing to do so. Unlike many other traditional forms of music the world over, this could not been overshadowed the immensely popular pop music of the day. On the contrary, it is the Irish music that is casting its influence on contemporary music forms of the day.
The music of Ireland has maintained much of its traditional aspects despite emigration taking place over the years and a well developed connection with music imported from Britain and the U.S. having been set up. Instead of being influenced the Irish music has itself influenced various forms of music. The country and roots music in U.S.A. has been influenced by Irish music. Irish music has also been known to have influenced rock music albeit indirectly. The music of Ireland in a modernized form has from time to time been fused with rock and roll, punk rock and other musical styles to give rise to successful musical ventures and creation of globally popular melodies.
A slow moving change characterizes the traditional Irish music. These are regarded to be of ancient origin though the actual age of the tunes is nearly impossible to be estimated. This is because of the tremendous variation in the tunes across the parts of the island. Though most of the old songs, tunes and musical modes are rural in origin yet it cannot be said that Ireland has a store of rich folk music only. There is an equally rich Irish contemporary classical music that is popularly available. Most of the modern songs and music seem to come from the cities and towns.
There was the tradition of passing down orally or aurally the lyrics and music of Ireland. This was prevalent until quite recently. But now with the writing down and proper exposure of the music they are fast securing a special place in the hearts of music lovers. This was particularly brought about by the people of Ireland who had sailed away from the country to seek a better life. These people who ventured to even places like Australia and America and settled there took along with them the unique melodies of Irish music. Thus, Irish music has been circling around taking the world in its charm.
Tags: Celtic, Celts, Ireland, Irish, Irish music, Music
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September 22nd, 2008 artsbook
Music has a significant place in the Scottish culture. The music of Scotland has got both traditional as well as modern influences. The traditional music of the country has been able to maintain a special position of its own alongside the immensely popular pop music of the present times. Traditional Scottish music has been influenced by both the Irish and the English traditional music. This has also cast its own influence on the music of the two countries. This stays as a vital and living tradition of Scotland.
Bagpipes and other musical instruments of Scottish music
Scottish folk music is often associated exclusively with bagpipes. It may be pointed out that though bagpipes have for long been an important part of the Scottish music yet it is not unique or indigenous to Scotland. It had been imported into the country around the fifteenth century. This instrument finds usage in other parts of Europe and elsewhere also. The great Highland Bagpipe is the bagpipe that is the most distinctively Scottish form of bagpipe. Apart from the bagpipe the other musical instruments that are extensively used in Scottish music are the accordion, the fiddle, the guitar, the harp and the tin whistle.
Forms of the music of Scotland
The folk music of Scotland takes many forms. However, there are no rigid dividing lines between the forms and there are a number of artists who work across boundaries between the folk musical forms conforming to a broad musical tradition. There is a cultural difference between the Gaelic tradition and the Scots tradition of music of Scotland.
Scottish music is nowadays offered in many forms. The summer shows are there that are primarily aimed at tourists visiting the Scottish country. Ballads and laments are popular that are usually sung by a lone singer with backing. These may also be played on traditional instruments like the harp, fiddle, accordion or bagpipes. Traditional folk songs are there in Scotland that can be melodic, haunting or rousing in feel. Emerging folk music groups usually seek to perform these and these tend to region specific.
Revival of Scottish music in 1960s
After a somewhat decline of the folk music in the preceding period Scotland underwent a roots revival in the 1960s. Numerous young Scots had begun to think themselves as being separate from their country’s musical culture. The urge to bring revival became keener upon receiving inspiration from the American traditionalists.
Tags: Celtic, Celts, Music, Scotland, Scottish, Scottish music
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September 14th, 2008 artsbook
Life is full of events of all types – some of routine nature, some of special interest or importance, some pleasant, some unpleasant, some serious, some humorous. Of these, some events fade off our memory while some leave their indelible imprints on our mind. When we recall them we experience the same feeling we did when these events occurred.
I distinctly remember one such event. At that time I was about seven years old. We lived in a small town wherein we had a small house of our own with a verandah and a compound. In summer it was the usual practice to sleep on beds in the compound under the open sky, for though days were very hot, nights were cool and pleasant.
On one such summer night I was fast asleep in my bed, with a sheet over me. In the middle of the night I had a faint feeling that someone had got into my bed and was lying beside me. In those days it was usual for my younger brother to share my bed, as he was very fond of me. Sometimes he used to creep into my bed at any time in the night. So that night I thought it was my younger brother wanting to sleep by my side. Unconsciously I stretched out my sheet and covered him.
I do not know for how many hours we lay there in the same bed in the mutual warmth of our bodies. Early in the morning loud barking of dogs in the street disturbed my sleep. But when I heard a bark in my bed, I was startled. As I sat up and opened my eyes, outlet a dog from the bed and rushed to the gate to join the barking dogs. A shiver ran through my body. But it was for a moment only. The next moment I realized the ridiculous nature of the situation and burst out laughing. So it was not my younger brother, but a dog with whom I was sleeping. He must have entered the compound when the gate was open and must have remained therein until night. At tea table the whole family joined me in my loud laughter as I recounted the night’s incident. Even now I chuckle to myself when I remember that incident. Those who listen to my mid-summer night’s adventure roar with laughter.
Tags: MEMORABLE EVENT IN MY CHILDHOOD
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September 13th, 2008 artsbook
It was the first week of July. Our college had just started. We had our first turn of the physics practicals. Earlier our professor had told us that we would have to spend about three hours continuously for practical work. This was quite different from the practical work in school. In school we usually devoted half an hour or sometimes an hour to perform an experiment.
As I entered the laboratory I was surprised by the size of the laboratory. It was a very big hall. There were big tables in the laboratory for performing experiments.
It being our first visit to the laboratory our professor explained to us the importance of experimental work in the study of science and the method we were usually expected to follow.
lawyer’s, a merchant’s and a bank-clerk’s. All these people make a colourful combination of diverse people with diverse pursuits in life. The professor is no doubt a good man but a little absent-minded. For instance, last month, he borrowed a hundred rupees from my father but he believes that he had lent hundred rupees to my father. He once asked my father to return the loan as soon as possible!
The engineer occupies the flat above us. He is a hen-pecked husband. His wife throws all the rubbish out of the window. A great deal of the rubbish falls in our balcony. We have often complained to her but to no avail. We have to put up with all this with philosophic calm. The lawyer is in the regular habit of arguing and quarreling with his wife. But she is more than a match for him. The poor fellow is then forced to keep quiet. The merchant is a chain-smoker and so we jokingly call him the ‘chimney’. But we rarely see him home during the day time, as he is mostly busy in his shop.
The bank clerk is fond of singing in his bath-room. He is under the illusion that he is an expert vocalist. There are three babies, six school-going children, two collegians, and a dog in the building. The principal occupation of the babies is to go on crying far into the night! The dog thinks that it is his sacred duty to chew up our shoes. Far from being useful to us, he has become an intolerable nuisance. Children often quarrel while playing. But they soon patch up their quarrels and come together. They help one another in studies. Sometimes the elders quarrel when one of the boys accidentally breaks a window-pane while playing cricket in the compound. However, we come together in the true spirit of co-operation and celebrate the festivals like Holi and Diwali happily together. We come together during the celebration of festivals and social ceremonies. We stand by one another in periods of emergencies or illness.
Tags: EXPERIENCE OF THE COLLEGE LABORATORY
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September 12th, 2008 artsbook
Journey by train is so common and frequent that one hardly remembers any journey unless it is associated with some extraordinary experience or it leaves a deep impression in one’s mind. Since a child’s mind is fresh and receptive, experiences of childhood days leave a permanent impression on our mind. I vividly remember one such experience-that of my first train journey.
It was the first week of September. My father told me that we were to go to Pune to join the Ganpati festival at my maternal uncle’s place. We started from Dadar station at seven by Poona Express. As this was my first train journey I was full of excitement.
I sat at the window and looked out. Things looked very strange. Masses of land, trees and buildings and telegraph poles were,coming nearer, appearing in front of my window and then receding. When another train passed by, our tram seemed to be, still for a while and then seemed to be going back. All this baffled me.The scene outside was fantastic. It had rained last night and ,water drops were dripping from the tree leaves and grass blades.
The meadows and hills seemed to be covered by a green carpet. Suddenly it was dark outside and lights of the compartment were on. My father told me that our train was passing through a tunnel dug across a mountain. This was a novel experience for me, and I enjoyed it. There were two or three more tunnels. As the train passed through the hills 1 saw waterfalls and streams. Cascades of foaming sparking water were sliding down the slopes of hills and its water running down in streams. I will never forget this wonderful spectacle.
The sight in the valley below at Khapoli seemed to be like heaven. As it was dark, the lights were on and the entire valley was adorned by beautiful necklaces of lights. My father told me that those were the lights of the powerhouse there. We enjoyed the tasty batatawadas at Khapoli. I looked outside breathlessly as our train passed through the Khandala ghats. After Lonavala our train left the mountainous region and entered the plain. It was almost noon when we reached Pune. We hired a rickshaw and went to our uncle’s house. It was indeed a memorable journey.
Tags: FIRST TRAIN JOURNEY
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