Turlough O'Carolan, music and MIDI files

http://www.oldmusicproject.com/OCC.html


From the "Tribute to Turlough O'Carolan" by Bridget Haggerty on the website Irish Culture and Customs:

In Carolan's time, there were three musical traditions in Ireland
- art music, folk music, and the harper tradition. The harper
tradition served as a link between art and folk music and was
the main conduit for the oral tradition. Carolan created a
unique style by combining these art forms, and then adding
elements inspired by Italian music which was then fashionable
in Ireland. He was a great admirer of Vivaldi and Corelli,
whose modern music he would have heard in the homes of
his noble Irish patrons, and this admiration is reflected in
the melodic construction and forms of many of his pieces. ...

When he was in Dublin, Carolan was the frequent guest of
Dr. Patrick Delany, Professor of Oratory at Trinity College,
in whose honour he composed a tune. Through Delany he came
in contact with Jonathan Swift. Swift and O'Carolan
collaborated in translating a poem by Carolan's friend,
Hugh Magauran, 'Pléaraca na Ruarcach' or 'O'Rourke's Feast,'
for which Carolan wrote the music.

The website has 213 of Carolan's tunes, from "Lady Athenry" to "Squire Wood's Lamentation (on the Refusal of his Halfpence)." Another website, The IrishPage.Com, has a page on "O'Rourke's Feast" complete with the story of the song, a MIDI file (apparently lacking on the Old Music Project) and Dean Swift's translation, which begins:

O'Rourke's noble fare - Will ne'er be forgot
By those who were there - Or those who were not.
His revels to keep, - We sup and we dine
On seven score sheep, Fat bullocks and swine
Usequebaugh to our feast - In pails was brought up,
A hundred at least, - And the madder our cup,
O there is the sport! - We rise with the light
In disorderly sort, - From snoring all night.

And so on. Nice song. Worth a listen. The website is a project of Jack & Vivian Hennessey