Seán Ó Riada (; born John Reidy; 1 August 1931 – 3 October 1971) was an Irish composer and arranger of
Irish traditional music. Through his incorporation of modern and traditional techniques he became the single most influential figure in the revival of Irish traditional music during the 1960s.
Ó Riada's career began as a music director at
Radio Éireann from 1954, after which he worked at the
Abbey Theatre from 1955 to 1962. He lectured in music at
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...
from 1963 until his death in 1971. He became a household name in Ireland through his participation in
Ceoltóirí Chualann, compositions, writings and broadcasts. His best-known pieces in the classical tradition include ''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'' (1957), but he became particularly famous for his film scores ''Mise Éire'' (1959) and ''
Saoirse?'' (1960). He left a lasting influence as founder and director of the ensemble Ceoltóirí Chualann (from 1961). His music still endures: his mass in Irish is still sung to this day in many churches in the Irish-speaking regions of Ireland.
Ó Riada died in 1971, aged 40.
Early life
Ó Riada was born John Reidy in
Cork City
Cork ( ; from , meaning 'marsh') is the second-largest city in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the county town of County Cork, the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the List of settlements on the island of Ireland ...
. He spent his early years in
Adare,
County Limerick
County Limerick () is a western Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Reg ...
, where his father, a
Garda sergeant, was stationed. After beginning school in Adare, he later attended
St Finbarr's College, Farranferris and whilst he was there he received musical education from
Aloys Fleischmann (Senior). He moved to
St Munchin's College in Limerick where he completed his Leaving Certificate in 1948.
He played violin, piano and organ, and studied Greek, Latin, and
Classics
Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...
at
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...
, with
Aloys Fleischmann (Junior) and graduated in 1952. While at college, Ó Riada was the auditor of the
UCC Philosophical Society. That year he became assistant director for
Radio Éireann. He married Ruth Coughlan in 1953.
During the evening he played piano with dance bands. He spent several months in France in 1955, and consolidated his interest in modernist music. On his return in July he became music director of the
Abbey Theatre, Dublin (until 1962), where he wrote, arranged and directed music for the small pit orchestra, also continuing his work in radio. Most of his original, modern orchestral compositions were also written in this time, which included his ''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'' for string orchestra (1957), ''Nomos No. 4'' for piano and orchestra (1958) and the ''Triptyche pour orchestre'' (1960) as well as an early version of his ambitious ''Nomos No. 2'' for baritone solo, mixed choir and orchestra (1965). As his work with Ceoltóirí Chualann developed, his engagement with the modern musical avantgarde decreased, but was never abandoned.
Mise Éire
Ó Riada composed and directed orchestral music for theatre and film, combining
traditional Irish tunes and "
sean-nós" (old style) songs in the classical tradition, similar to
nationalist composers such as
Dvořák (Czech),
Bartók (Hungarian) and
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...
(English). In 1959 he scored a documentary film by
George Morrison called ''
Mise Éire'' ("I am Ireland"), about the founding of the
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic ( or ) was a Revolutionary republic, revolutionary state that Irish Declaration of Independence, declared its independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in January 1919. The Republic claimed jurisdict ...
. The recording is conducted by Ó Riada himself. ''Mise Éire'' brought him national acclaim and allowed him to start a series of programmes on Irish radio called ''Our Musical Heritage''. Ó Riada told people that one should listen to
sean-nós singing either as a child would listen or as if they were songs from
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
.
Ceoltóirí Chualann
Between 1961 and 1969 Ó Riada led the
Ceoltóirí Chualann group. They played in concert halls dressed in black suits with white shirts and black
bow tie
The bow tie or dicky bow is a type of neckwear, distinguishable from a necktie because it does not drape down the shirt placket, but is tied just underneath a winged collar. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also ...
s, but relied on traditional songs and tunes. An ordinary
céili band or show-band would have musicians who competed with each other to grab the audience's attention. Ceoltóirí Chualann played sparse lucid arrangements. Ó Riada sat in the middle at front playing a harpsichord and a
bodhrán
The bodhrán (, ; plural ''bodhráin'') is a frame drum used in Irish music ranging from in diameter, with most drums measuring . The sides of the drum are deep. A Goatskin (material), goatskin head is tacked to one side (synthetic heads or ot ...
, a hand-held frame-drum. This was an instrument that had almost died out, being played only by small boys in street parades. Ceilí bands generally had jazz-band drum-kits. Ó Riada also wanted to use the
cláirseach or wire-strung
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...
in the band, but as these were as yet unavailable, he played the
harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...
instead – in his opinion the nearest sound to a cláirseach.
The harpsichord he used on a regular basis was made by
Cathal Gannon. Unknown to Ó Riada, Irish folk music was being played ensemble-style in London pubs, but for most people of Ireland this was the first time they heard these tunes played by a band. For some, the membership of Ceoltóirí Chualann overlapped with that of
The Chieftains
The Chieftains were a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous w ...
. They recorded the soundtrack of the film ''
Playboy of the Western World
''The Playboy of the Western World'' is a three-act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge, first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 26 January 1907. The work is considered a centerpiece of the Irish Literary Revival move ...
'' (original play by
John Millington Synge
Edmund John Millington Synge (; 16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909), popularly known as J. M. Synge, was an Irish playwright, poet, writer, essayist, and collector of folklores. As an important driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival, Ir ...
) in 1962. Their last public performance was in 1969, the album was then called "Ó Riada Sa Gaiety".
Final years
In 1963, Ó Riada was appointed lecturer in music at
University College, Cork. He moved to
Baile Bhúirne, and not
Cúil Aodha (a common misconception) in
County Cork
County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...
, an
Irish-speaking area, where he established ''Cór Chúil Aodha'', a male voice choir. He turned toward choral church music, composing two settings of the
Mass
Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
. ''Ceol an Aifrinn'' ("Music of the Mass") was the first Mass written in the
Irish language
Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...
. This featured the hymn "
Ag Críost an Síol", which has become popular in its own right, and with such good phrasing, that it is (wrongly) thought by many today to be an ancient medieval tune. ''Aifreann 2'' ("Mass 2") premiered posthumously in 1979. Further works in the "classical" tradition include ''Five Epigrams from the Greek Anthology'' (1958) and ''In memoriam Aloys G. Fleischmann'' (1964) to words by
Hölderlin. Ó Riada also set the poetry of
Thomas Kinsella (''Three Poems'', 1954), who returned the favour by praising Ó Riada in verse.
He became involved in
Irish politics and was a friend of several influential leaders. Ó Riada and his wife Ruth drank regularly at a local pub which still advertises itself as being his local.
Death
He suffered
cirrhosis of the liver. He was flown to
King's College Hospital, London, for treatment and died there. He is buried in St
Gobnait's graveyard,
Baile Bhuirne, County Cork.
Willie Clancy played at his funeral.
Legacy
Seán Ó Riada and Ceoltóirí Chualann set to music the
Peadar Ó Doirnín lyric ''
Mná na hÉireann'', which has been recorded or re-used by many artists. As performed by
the Chieftains
The Chieftains were a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous w ...
, it is used as a romantic overture throughout the
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American filmmaker and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick filmography, his films were nearly all adaptations of novels or sho ...
movie ''
Barry Lyndon
''Barry Lyndon'' is a 1975 epic historical drama film written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubrick, based on the 1844 novel '' The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' by William Makepeace Thackeray. Narrated by Michael Hordern, and starring Ryan O'N ...
'' and is the basis of The Christians' 1989 single ''
Words
A word is a basic element of language that carries meaning, can be used on its own, and is uninterruptible. Despite the fact that language speakers often have an intuitive grasp of what a word is, there is no consensus among linguists on its ...
''. His daughter
Liadh Ní Riada was elected as
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin ( ; ; ) is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The History of Sinn Féin, original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffit ...
Member of the European Parliament
A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament.
When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and S ...
in
2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
. She was the Sinn Féin candidate in the
2018 presidential election.
The Irish poet Séamus Heaney included the poem "In Memoriam Seán Ó Riada" in his 1979 collection ''Field Work''. In 2008, a life-sized statue was erected in the grounds of Sépéil Naomh Gobnait, Cúil Aodha.
On 23 April 2010 Ceoltóirí Chualann reformed under the leadership of
Peadar Ó Riada to play a tribute concert to Seán Ó Riada in Dublin's
Liberty Hall. In 2011, A festival, Féile na Laoch, was organised in his honour by his son, Peadar, between 30 September and 3 October in the honour of heroes (laochra) from the seven 'Muses': Storytelling, Sport, Singing, Poetry, Music, Dancing and Acting centring on Ó Riada. Two schools are named 'Scoil Uí Riada' after him: a
Gaelscoil in
Kilcock,
County Kildare
County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...
, and another, in
Bishopstown,
Cork City
Cork ( ; from , meaning 'marsh') is the second-largest city in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the county town of County Cork, the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the List of settlements on the island of Ireland ...
.
Works
Opera
*''Spailpín a Rúin''. Opera in 3 acts (1960). First performance: Dublin,
Damer Theatre (St Stephen's Green), 15 September 1960.
[See photos of the rehearsals and premiere at th]
Irish Photo Archive
.
Orchestral
*''Papillons'' (Schumann) orchestrated (1952)
*''Overture Olynthiac'' (1955)
*''The Banks of Sulán''. A Pastoral Elegy (1956)
*''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'' for string orchestra (1957)
*''Nomos No. 4'' for piano and orchestra (1958)
*''Aspects of Irish Traditional Music'' (1959)
*''Seoladh na nGamhan''. Festival Overture (1959)
*''Triptyche pour orchestre symphonique'' (1960)
*''Nomos No. 6'' (1966)
Voice with orchestra
*''The Lords and the Bards'' (Robert Farren) for narrator, soloists, chorus, orch. (1959)
*''Nomos No. 2'' (Sophocles) for baritone, chorus, orch. (1963)
Choral music (without orchestra)
*Five Epigrams from the Greek Anthology'' (anon.) for flute, guitar and mixed chorus (1958)
*''Ceathramhhaintí Éagsamhla'' (words?) for SATB choir a capella (1962)
*''Díoghlann Ceoil agus Dána'' (old Irish liturgy) for SATB choir (1963)
*''Requiem for a Soldier'' (words?) for soloists, chorus and organ (1968)
Songs for voice and piano
*''Four Songs'' (1954). Contains: ''Autumn''; ''Winter''; ''Spring''; ''Summer''.
*''Lustra'' (anon. Chinese in transl.) (1954)
*''Three Poems by
Thomas Kinsella'' (1954). Contains: ''Classical''; ''Night Song 1''; ''Night Song 2''.
*''Serenade'' (words?) (1955)
*''Four Nursery Rhymes'' (trad.) (1956). Contains: ''Humpty Dumpty''; ''Tom, Tom''; ''Rockabye, Baby''; ''Seothín Seó''.
*''In memoriam Aloys G. Fleischmann: Four Hölderlin Songs'' (Johann Christian
Hölderlin) : ''Die Heimath''; ''Fragment''; ''Hälfte des Lebens''; ''An Zimmern'' (1956)
*''Hill Field'' (
John Montague) (1965)
*''Sekundenzeiger'' (
Hans Arp
Hans Peter Wilhelm Arp (; ; 16 September 1886 – 7 June 1966), better known as Jean Arp in English, was a German-French sculptor, painter and poet. He was known as a Dadaist and an abstract artist.
Early life
Arp was born Hans Peter Wilhelm Ar ...
) (1966)
*''Lovers on Aran'' (
Seámus Heaney) (1968)
*''Mná na hÉireann'' (
Peadar Ó Doirnín) (1968)
Piano
*''Eight Short Preludes'' (1953)
*''Five Epigrams'' (1954)
*''Piano Piece'' (1957)
*''Aon lá sa Mhuileann'' for harpsichord (1968)
*''Ceol'' (n.d.)
Film scores for orchestra
*''Mise Éire'' (1959)
*''Saoirse?'' (1960)
*''Kennedy's Ireland'' (1960)
*''The Death of a Lord Mayor'' (1960)
*''Young Cassidy'' (1965)
*''An Tine Bheo'' (1966)
*''Ceol na Laoi'' (c.1966)
Others
*''Suite of Greek Folksongs'' for flute, oboe, viola, cello, piano (1958)
*''Ceol Máirseála i gcóir Socraide'' for military band (1968)
Religious music
*''Ceol an Aifrinn / Ó Riada Mass'' (1968)
*''Aifreann nua'' / ''Aifreann 2'' (1970)
*''Requiem Mass'' (1970)
Incidental music to several plays at the Abbey Theatre including ''An Crúiscín Lán'' (1956), ''The Playboy of the Western World'' (1956), ''Súgán Sneachta'' (1959), ''Mac Uí Rudaí'' (1961), ''Ulysses agus Penelope'' (1965).
Recordings
*''Ceolta Éireann'' / ''Music of Ireland'': Gael-Linn CEF 001 (LP, 1958), re-issued as Gael-Linn CEFCD 001 (CD, 2009). Contains eight traditional Irish songs arranged for baritone and piano.
*''Mise Éire'': Gael-Linn CEF 002 (EP, 1960); re-issued on Gael-Linn CEF 080 (LP & MC, 1979).
*''Saoirse?'': Gael-Linn GL 1 (EP, 1960); re-issued on Gael-Linn CEF 080 (LP & MC, 1979).
*''Irische Volkslieder'': Harmonia Mundi HMS 30691 (LP, 1965). Contains five traditional Irish songs arranged for chamber choir.
*''An Tine Bheo'': Gael-Linn GL 2 (EP, 1966); re-issued on Gael-Linn CEF 080 (LP & MC, 1979).
*''Ceol na Laoi'': Gael-Linn GL 14 (EP, 1966).
*''Vertical Man'': Claddagh Records CSM 1 (LP & MC, 1969). Contains: ''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'', ''Three Poems by Thomas Kinsella'', ''In memoriam Aloys G. Fleischmann'', ''Hill Field'', ''Sekundenzeiger'', ''Lovers on Aran''.
*''Ceol na hÉireann – Music of Ireland'': Gael-Linn CEF 019 (LP, 1969). Contains: ''Slán le máigh'', ''Feirmeoir an ghallbhaile'' (trad. arr. for orch.).
*''Ceol an Aifrinn / Ó Riada Mass'': Gael-Linn CB 3 (LP & MC, 1971).
*''Aifreann nua'' / ''Aifreann 2'': Gael-Linn CEF 081 (LP & MC, 1979).
*''Mise Éire'': Gael-Linn CEF CD 134 (CD & LP, 1987). Contains: ''Mise Éire'', ''Saoirse?'', ''An Tine Bheo''.
*''Romantic Ireland'': Marco Polo 8.223804 (CD, 1995). Contains: ''The Banks of Sulán''.
*''Seán Ó Riada: Orchestral Works'': RTÉ Lyric fm CD 136 (CD, 2011). Contains: ''Overture Olynthiac'', ''The Banks of Sulán'', ''Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae'', ''Seoladh na nGamhan'', ''Nomos No. 4'', ''Mise Éire''.
*''Ó Riada's Farewell'': Claddagh Records CC 12 (LP, 1972). Traditional Irish music played on harpsichord
Recordings by Ceoltóirí Chualann
*''Reacaireacht an Riadaigh'': Gael-Linn CEF 010 (LP, 1961).
*''The Playboy of the Western World'': Gael-Linn CEF 012 (LP, 1962).
*''Ceol na nUasal'': Gael-Linn CEF 015 (LP, 1967).
*''ding dong'': Gael-Linn CEF 016 (LP, 1967).
*''Ó Riada sa Gaiety'': (LP, 1971); currently available a
Gael-Linn ORIADACD01
*''Port na bPúcaí'' (Ó Riada solo, but with trad. material, previously unreleased recordings)
Gael-Linn ORIADACD07(CD, 2014)
Bibliography
*
Charles Acton: "Seán Ó Riada: The Next Phase", in: ''Éire-Ireland'' 2 (1967) 4, pp. 113–22.
*Charles Acton: "Interview with Seán Ó Riada", in: ''Éire-Ireland'' 6 (1970) 4, pp. 106–15.
*
Aloys Fleischmann: "Seán Ó Riada", ''Counterpoint: The Magazine of the Music Association of Ireland'', November 1971, pp. 12–14; ''Cork Evening Echo'', 11 October 1971, p. 3; ''The Cork Examiner'', 27 September 1991, p. 8.
*Bernard Harris & Grattan Freyer: ''Integrating Tradition: The Achievement of Seán O Riada'' (Ballina: Irish Humanities Centre & Keohanes, and Chester Springs, Penn.: Dufour Editions, 1981); .
*
Thomas Kinsella & Tomas Ó Cannain: ''Our Musical Heritage'' (Dublin: Dolmen Press, 1982); .
*Tomás Ó Canainn / Gearóid Mac an Bhua
Gerard Victory: ''Seán Ó Riada: A Shaol agus a Shaothar'' (Blackrock, Co. Dublin: Gartan, 1993); .
*
Harry White: ''The Keeper's Recital: Music and Cultural History in Ireland 1770–1970'' (Cork: Cork University Press, 1998); .
*Tomás Ó Canainn: ''Seán Ó Riada: His Life and Work'' (Cork: Collins Press, 2003); .
*Harry White: "Ó Riada, Seán", in: ''The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland'', ed. H. White & B.Boydell (Dublin: UCD Press, 2013), vol. 2, p. 803–6; .
References
External links
Ó Riada's Visionat The Journal of Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oriada, Sean
1931 births
1971 deaths
20th-century Irish classical composers
20th-century Irish male musicians
20th-century musicologists
Alumni of University College Cork
Bodhrán players
Ceoltóirí Chualann members
Choral composers
Claddagh Records artists
Irish classical composers of church music
Deaths from cirrhosis
Irish classical composers
Irish film score composers
Irish male classical composers
Irish music arrangers
Irish musicologists
Irish male film score composers
Musicians from Cork (city)
People educated at St Munchin's College
1950s in Irish music
1960s in Irish music
1970s in Irish music