SEAN NÓS singing is possibly the oldest form of surviving Irish music; some musicologists believe it may be related to the harp music which flourished from mediaeval times until the 17th century In Ireland.
But what this music sounded like in antiquity is mere conjecture.
The music of Carolan or Hempson, or other harpers who played for the people at the Big House — in other words the ruling class — owed as much to Italian classical music as it did to the Irish tradition.
But prior to that era, harp players were still a musical elite, travelling round the country spread in both news and music.
The harper was an important figure in Gaelic society, called on at all ceremonial occasions.
But we simply don’t know the composition of their . Sean nós singing might give us a clue.
This unique tradition has developed over centuries in Ireland and Gaelic Scotland, and sean nós singing today is likely to be very similar to that which emerged as long ago as mediaeval times, possibly even earlier.
It is a fusion of music, poetry and community sentiment, and is rooted in the cadences of the Irish language.
In Scotland it has a similar relationship to Gaelic, which itself developed from Irish.
The melody, grace notes and other ornamentations in sean nós singing are very likely related to the great harp traditions.
Today sean nós singing, long confined to a niche part of Irish music, is being progressively brought into the spotlight.
A major exponent of the form, in what is sometimes called “the new wave in sean nós” is Síle Denvir a singer, harpist and native Irish speaker.
She is deeply influenced by her upbringing in the west of the Connemara Gaeltacht.
As well as being a solo artist Síle is a founding member of the group Líadan, and has worked with a wide range of artists including Liam Ó Maonlaí, Martin Hayes and Úna Monaghan.
She is also a lecturer in DCU’s School of Irish.
Síle Denvir’s solo album, Anamnesis is not unaccompanied singing.
In this recording Denvir has made the artistic decision to include accompaniment made up of drone-based textures, described in the sleeve notes as ‘a meditative, evocative soundworld’.
The continuous drone sound – a monotone often called the ‘mourning note’ or ‘weeping note’ by the Celts — is certainly an evocative sound.
It causes harmony but also discord, which often adds seductive musical tension to a piece.
That certainly happens here with Amanesis, with Síle’s clear singing tone backed by as soundscape engineered by producer John Reynolds. Some of the drone sound appears to be produced by multi-tracked electronic synths.
The only musician credited is cellist Caroline Dale, a prolific London-based performer across many genres.
The combination works remarkably well.
Few gems include Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh’s composition Eileanóir a Rún, exquisitely sung over a sparse sonic background.
Here again the drone effect is predominant, with a few harmonic excursions.
Amhrán na hÉascainne’ – the Irish-language version of the Lord Randall – is melancholic to the point of bleakness; but then sad music is generally the most arresting type of music.
The ballad in English is from the Scottish Borders region. In Ireland the version usually sung, as here, is from Joe Heaney’s treatment of the song.
Sean nós singing is a captivating tradition that has endured throughout the centuries, offering a glimpse into the musical roots of Ireland and Gaelic Scotland.
While the music of ancient harpers remains a mystery, sean nós singing serves as a clue.
Today, this unique form of expression is no longer confined to a niche, as artists like Síle Denvir bring it to a wider audience.
Her album Anamnesis exemplifies a welcome evolution, blending her powerful vocals with drone-based textures, creating a meditative and evocative soundworld.
The result is an album that transcends purist expectations.
