Table of Contents
Come join us now, and enjoy playing your beloved music and browse through great scores of every level and styles!
Can’t find the songbook you’re looking for? Please, email us at: sheetmusiclibrarypdf@gmail.com We’d like to help you!
David Russell – Celtic Music Vol. 1 with MP3 audio tracks, sheet music.
Best Sheet Music download from our Library.
Please, subscribe to our Library.
If you are already a subscriber, please, check our NEW SCORES’ page every month for new sheet music. THANK YOU!
11 Pieces From Message Of The Sea.
This book contains 11 arrangements selected from the 30 pieces recorded by David Russell on his CD ‘Message of the Sea.’ Drawn from the Celtic roots of David Russell’s cultural heritage, these wonderful arrangements remain timeless.
Contents
The Bucks Of Oranmore
Cherish The Ladies
Niel Gow’s Lament For The Death Of His Second Wife
Spatter The Dew
Kildare Fancy
Skye Boat Song
Loch Leven Castle
The Bonnie, Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond
Whiskey You’re The Devil
The Fair Haired Boy And Three Little Drummers
The Deil Amang The Tailors
Contents List Download:
Browse in the Library:
Or browse in the categories menus & download the Library Catalog PDF:
What is the Celtic Music?
Celtic music encompasses the traditional folk music of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany (France), Galicia (Spain), the Isle of Man, and Cornwall (England). While diverse, it shares core characteristics:
1. Modal Melodies & Scales:
- Ancient Modes: Heavily uses medieval church modes (Dorian, Mixolydian, Aeolian) instead of major/minor scales, creating its distinctive “ancient” or melancholic sound.
- Pentatonic Scales: Five-note scales are very common, contributing to a strong, folk-like character.
- Gapped Scales: Scales with “missing” notes (e.g., hexatonic scales).
2. Ornamentation (Melodic Decoration):
- Essential Feature: Intricate melodic decoration is fundamental. Common ornaments include:
* Cuts: Quick grace notes above the main note.
* Strikes/Grace Notes: Quick grace notes below the main note.
* Rolls: A sequence of cuts and strikes around the main note (e.g., cran, treble).
* Triplets & Trebles: Groups of three quick notes replacing one or two beats.
* Slides (Portamento): Sliding into notes. - Varies by Instrument/Region: Fiddle, flute, whistle, and pipes each have characteristic ornaments.
3. Rhythm & Dance Forms:
- Strong Dance Foundation: Much Celtic music is composed for specific dances:
* Reels: Fast, 4/4 time (sometimes 2/2), driving rhythm.
* Jigs: Lively, compound meters:
* Single Jig: 6/8 time.
* Double Jig: 6/8 time (more driving).
* Slip Jig: 9/8 time (lilting, graceful).
* Hornpipes: Distinctive “swung” rhythm in 4/4 time, often slower and more stately.
* Polkas & Slides: Fast 2/4 time (common in Irish & Breton music).
* Strathspeys: Scottish, slower 4/4 time with characteristic “Scotch snap” rhythms (short-long).
* Slow Airs: Free rhythm or slow, flowing meters, highly expressive and ornamented. - Rhythmic Drive: Emphasis on strong, steady pulse suitable for dancing, often driven by percussion (bodhrán) or guitar/bouzouki accompaniment.
4. Form & Structure:
- Tune Types: Music is typically structured as sets of short, repeated sections (AABB form is most common).
- Sets: Multiple tunes (e.g., jig followed by reel) are often played seamlessly together in a “set.”
- Variation: Repetition with melodic and ornamental variations is key.
5. Instrumentation:
- Melody: Fiddle, Flute, Tin Whistle, Uilleann Pipes (Irish), Great Highland Bagpipes (Scottish), Bombarde (Breton), Celtic Harp, Accordion, Concertina, Mandolin, Banjo.
- Accompaniment:
* Harmony/Rhythm: Guitar, Bouzouki, Cittern, Piano.
* Percussion: Bodhrán (Irish frame drum), Bones, Spoons, Scottish Snare Drum (in pipe bands).
* Drone: Bagpipes, Hurdy-Gurdy (in some traditions like Breton), sometimes fiddle or accordion.
6. Harmony & Accompaniment:
- Relatively Simple: Traditional accompaniment often uses simple chord progressions (I, IV, V chords) and open voicings.
- Drone Effect: Bagpipes and hurdy-gurdy provide constant drones. Guitar/bouzouki accompaniment often mimics this with open chords and droning bass strings (DADGAD tuning is popular).
- Modal Harmony: Chords often reflect the underlying mode (e.g., using chords built on the tonic and dominant notes of the Dorian scale).
7. Performance Style & Context:
- Session Culture: Informal gatherings (“sessions”) in pubs are central to Irish/Scottish traditions. Musicians play tunes together, often learned by ear.
- Oral Tradition: Strong emphasis on learning and transmitting music aurally.
- Improvisation: Primarily through ornamentation and variation rather than harmonic improvisation like jazz. Seán nós (Irish “old style”) singing features highly ornamented, free-rhythm solo vocals.
- Regional Styles: Distinct playing styles exist (e.g., Sligo vs. Donegal fiddling in Ireland, Cape Breton style in Nova Scotia).
8. Themes & Expression:
- Range: Encompasses lively dance tunes, stirring marches, poignant laments, love songs, drinking songs, humorous songs, and epic ballads.
- Strong Sense of Place/Narrative: Often connected to landscapes, history, mythology, emigration, and everyday life. Ballads tell stories.
- Emotional Depth: Capable of expressing profound joy, sorrow, nostalgia, and resilience.
9. Modern Evolution:
- Celtic Revival & Fusion: Movements in the 20th century revitalized interest. Modern artists blend Celtic traditions with rock, jazz, electronic, world music (e.g., The Chieftains, Clannad, Afro-Celt Sound System, Lunasa, Altan).
- Global Reach: Celtic music enjoys worldwide popularity and influences musicians globally.
In essence: Celtic music is characterized by its modal melodies, intricate ornamentation, strong rhythmic drive rooted in dance forms, distinctive instrumentation, simple but effective harmony (often with drone elements), and its deep connection to regional culture, history, and oral tradition. Its unique sound evokes both vibrant energy and profound melancholy.