Prehistoric Music of Ireland

By Simon O'Dwyer

The basis of this book is the beautiful prehistoric musical instrument collection of Ireland, which is introduced with detailed descriptions and photographs. The full story of Irish music from 8000 BC to AD 600 is discussed, starting from the origins and the oldest surviving instruments. A vivid picture of the way in which music enriched Irish culture is built up from references in Gaelic mythology and evidence from Western Europe and Scandinavia.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0752431293
• ISBN13: 9780752431291
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Tempus
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.7" x 0.5" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Sounding the Past

This book is a major contribution to a neglected area in Celtic/ Irish studies. The text is well written, and and the author has a detailed knowledge of the subject, even though, at times, it may be too technical for the general reader. What it does reveal, however, is a sophistication in the design and development of musical instruments that these ancient cultures had. No doubt many other instruments made of perishable materials were also used but have not survived. There is a CD that the author produced that illustrate the sounds of the instruments described in the book, and it really should have been part of the total package. There are some intriguing illustrations of how and where these instruments might have been used. Unfortunately, the author does not discuss the religious and ritual context in much detail, and one would hope that a future edition would remedy this.