Celtic music does something for me which I struggle to articulate. The draw for Norah Rendell was the tradition’s rhythmic, dance quality, its social nature and its aural history. You play by listening, not by reading. She’s the executive director of The Center for Irish Music in St. Paul, Minnesota and a lovely singer and player of…
Tag: History
‘The song of the flute, O sister, is madness’
The sound of the flute, O sister, is madness. I thought that nothing that was not God could hold me, But hearing that sound, I lose mind and body, My heart wholly caught in the net. O flute, what were your vows, what is your practice? What power sits by your side? Even Mira’s Lord…
Let’s start with the Pied Piper (and end with dance mania)
In the 1200s a vengeful flute player allegedly lured away the children of Hamelin, Germany. The piper came to Hamelin when it was over-run with rats and struck a deal with the community leaders to get rid of the pests. He dressed in garish clothes (“pied” means multi-colored) and brandished a magical flute. Here’s how Robert Browning describes the…
Lore of Pipers 