The Rolling Wave on RTÉ Radio 1 recently broadcast two special programmes looking at the role of the piano in Irish traditional music - listen above and below.
In the early days of recorded music, many of the musicians were accompanied by piano players who people felt were not always sympathetic to the music. Of course, there were many fine piano accompanists recording at that time, but it ignited the debate as to the role of the piano in traditional music.
Seán Ó Riada in Our Musical Heritage wrote that the piano wasn't suitable for playing Irish traditional music, and later again Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin reflected that once he became interested in traditional music he found that he was playing the 'wrong' instrument.
In spite of all of that, there have been many brilliant piano players who have contributed a great deal to traditional music over the years; people like Kitty Linnane, Eileen Lane, Felix Dolan, Josephine Keegan, Charlie Lennon, Geraldine Cotter, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Ryan Molloy, Caoimhín Vallely, Natalie Ní Chasaide and so many more.
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If you broaden the discussion and look at keyboard instruments more generally, you bring in the beautiful sounds of Seán Ó Riada's harpsichord, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill's clavinet and Claire Keville's gorgeous recordings on Clavichord and Harpsichord.
Over the course of two special two programmes, RTÉ Radio 1's The Rolling Wave looked at this rich and varied history and the programmes include music from a wide range of musicians who have played a role in the story of the piano in traditional music in Ireland.
Listen to more from The Rolling Wave here.
