Fiddler Martin Hayes writes for RTÉ Culture about Masters of Tradition, an annual gathering of traditional music giants in West Cork, which runs from 23-27th August
Denis Cahill and I initially performed in Bantry as part of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival. We were asked to participate as the result of a suggestion to the directors of West Cork Music from French cellist Christophe Coin. The concert was well received, and soon after Francis Humphrys and Ruud Kuper approached me with the idea of running a traditional music festival, under the umbrella of West Cork Music. I was hesitant to take on the project, but they were very persuasive and I relented.
My first thought was to look for what was missing in traditional music festivals across the country, while also exploring what West Cork Music and Bantry House could contribute to a festival dedicated to Irish music.
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Traditional music shares some similarities with Chamber music in terms of its acoustic properties and suitability to being performed in similar spaces. I feel that traditional music often suffers from a presentation style that’s not sympathetic to it’s true subtleties. The kind of traditional music I usually enjoy isn’t bombastic or overtly entertainment driven, I prefer music that's more nuanced and expresses deeper feeling. When we were establishing Masters of Tradition we wanted to go in that direction.
In traditional music, the distinction between amateur and professional isn't a very clear distinction. Many of my favorite players very often do not perform music for their livelihood, and for that reason, I decided not to just feature established bands and touring acts. We make no distinction between professional and amateur performers.
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The refined settings of Bantry House, my own musical taste, and the chamber background of West Cork music combined to create an ethos for Masters of Tradition. We set out to offer our audiences a chance to see and experience this music in a way that revealed more of its depth and beauty. Bantry House itself is a tremendous asset in terms of providing an elegant space with wonderful ambient feeling, it offers a unique intimacy and feeling. We decided to mainly feature solo musicians, duets and trio’s. Piping, Sean Nós singing, solo playing and small ensembles are the ground of this music. Each year’s program features these building blocks of the tradition, but also in combination with performers that stretch the boundaries.
Masters Of Tradition event. Image: Con Kelleher
The West Cork Chamber Music Festival had established a model for its festival that became a starting template for the Masters of Tradition. I really liked how the Chamber festival treated the music and the musicians. We set out with the Masters of Tradition to respectfully treat traditional music as a sophisticated and nuanced chamber musician it's own right. We assumed an intelligence and understanding on the part of our audience, that has allowed us not to dilute the the authentic expression of the music, or to slip into a shallower entertainment version of the music. This approach is in keeping with my own notion that this music is universal in its nature, and the more you go to the undiluted essence of it, the more universal it becomes. We feel we've managed over the years to bring our audiences on a journey to the very heart of this music.
The 15th Masters Of Tradition festival takes place in Bantry, West Cork, from 23rd to 27th August. Internationally renowned fiddler, and Artistic Director of the festival, Martin Hayes, will be joined by the talents of Dennis Cahill, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Colin Dunne, Steve Cooney, Cathal Hayden, Seamie O’Dowd, Stephen Hayden, Len Graham, Jack Lynch, Kate Ellis, John Carty, Mary MacNamara, Sorcha Costello, Slow Moving Clouds, Mick O’Brien, Neil Ó Loclainn's Cuar and more, to celebrate Irish Traditional music in its purest form. More information here.
