Soundscapes WM1412 A Coursebook for Leaving Certificate Music | Irish Music

Soundscapes is a series of compact classroom coursebooks for Leaving Certificate Music. This book provides history, analysis, and suggested listening for the Irish music and aural awareness components of the exam and is suitable for both ordinary and higher level students.

1. The Instruments

Discusses the main instruments of traditional music and their history in Ireland, along with a select discography for each instrument and a listing of its most important players.

2. Instrumental Music

Provides detailed descriptions of the types and forms of dance music, airs, marches and exhibition pieces, including such aspects as structure, ornamentation, modes and scales, regional styles, important collectors, etc.

3. Song

Covers the history and development of Irish song and singing styles, including sean-nós, the ballad tradition and contemporary folk. Macaronic song, Child Ballads and the many subjects of song are also dealt with, and a bibliography of song collections is provided.

4. The Living Tradition

Students look at the evolution of Irish traditional music over the last century, including the influence of recording, the founding of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann and other organisations, Sean Ó Riada, the Ballad Boom, the rise of the supergroups and the influence of Irish music in the US and other countries.

5. The Exam

Helps students with their preparation for the exam, looking at approaches to the listening and written sections and providing numerous sample topics.

6. Beyond the Exam

Suggestions for projects or areas of research that students can develop for themselves.

Also Included

• a timeline of Irish music and comprehensive glossary
• tune, song and ornamentation examples
• numerous photographs and line drawings
• bibliography for reference or further reading

Notes on Aural Awareness

Provides guidelines for the unprescribed question six on the Listening Exam paper. While helping students to condense some of the language already learned through their study of the prescribed works, these notes also introduce new language and terms for discussing other musical genres, forms and styles. An overview of exam-type questioning as well as questions from past papers is provided.

‘This publication is a welcome addition to the support materials available for students studying music at second level in Ireland. It is a comprehensive and insightful guide to the history and performance of Irish traditional music, and one which I am sure will be welcomed wholeheartedly by teachers and students alike.’

– Sandra Joyce, Course Director, BA Irish Music and Dance, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick