_‘Tar Éis an Cran’ (2005)
- 5'
for
Violin and piano (or harpsichord). 5’.
MIDI recording of harpsichord version
Programme Note
_Tar Eis an Cran (meaning 'After The Cran') is a companion piece to my String Quartet No.2 'The Cranning'.
It begins as 'The Cranning' ends with slow music based on the drones and regulators of Uilleann Pipes.
Following this opening comes an extended Reel for the fiddle with spare keyboard accompaniment.
As the Reel gets gradually more intense the accompaniment thickens.
Suddenly the music changes into 9/8, the rhythm of a Slip Jig and so a vigorously rhythmic section follows
in this rhythm.
Then there is another sudden change to an aggressive Donegal style Reel, this is a very repetitive Reel in
Bminor which has some jazzy keyboard accompaniment. Gradually this material develops into a Baroque
like sequence of chords. This change is complete when the swing almost goes and the music gets more
Baroque like. The piece comes to a loud end following a sequence of fiddle rolls over rising and
repetitive keyboard chords.
Incidentally, a 'Cran' is a sort of gurgling Uilleann Pipe ornamentation.
It begins as 'The Cranning' ends with slow music based on the drones and regulators of Uilleann Pipes.
Following this opening comes an extended Reel for the fiddle with spare keyboard accompaniment.
As the Reel gets gradually more intense the accompaniment thickens.
Suddenly the music changes into 9/8, the rhythm of a Slip Jig and so a vigorously rhythmic section follows
in this rhythm.
Then there is another sudden change to an aggressive Donegal style Reel, this is a very repetitive Reel in
Bminor which has some jazzy keyboard accompaniment. Gradually this material develops into a Baroque
like sequence of chords. This change is complete when the swing almost goes and the music gets more
Baroque like. The piece comes to a loud end following a sequence of fiddle rolls over rising and
repetitive keyboard chords.
Incidentally, a 'Cran' is a sort of gurgling Uilleann Pipe ornamentation.
