Reawakening Moore’s MELODIES
How an eclectic band of performers aims to breathe new life into songs by one of Ireland’s great poets, who documented and saved our much-loved traditional airs...
for exploring different sounds. ‘Because traditional music is often done amongst traditional musicians it is an opportunity for them to express themselves in a different way,’ he says.
‘It is a collaboration between different genres of Irish music and seeing where Irish music is today.
‘From my perspective Irish traditional music isn’t just passed down from generation to generation.
‘We now have such a multicultural Ireland and there are loads of different musical colours coming in. We also have Latin and salsa sounds coming into the music, some eastern European flavours too.
‘It sounds a bit grand saying it, but it reflects modern Ireland. It is traditional music for a modern Ireland. That’s how I explain it and I love that idea of where music is going.’
As a working musician, Simon has often staged concerts, but even he admits this one is a bit of a gamble.
‘This is new - it’s a bit of experimentation so it is a bit out of my comfort zone as I suppose it’s a little difficult for people to get their heads around,’ he confesses.
‘It is hard to explain because it is different but the melodies I think will speak for themselves and I totally believe in it.
‘I have been thinking about putting this concert on for the past 10 years but my day to day stuff seemed to get in the way so I bit the bullet and set a date.’
Over the years, Moore’s melodies have been sung in homes and on stages all over the world and many have also been lauded in literature, including in Dubliners by James Joyce.
And during his journey to create the concert, Simon discovered songs even he didn’t know.
‘As far as my favourites go, I guess I love Silent, O Moyle but there is a song we have done for this concert and I don’t think it has ever been done before called ‘Tis Sweet To Think which I found in a book.
‘Basically 200 years before Stephen Stills wrote about loving the one you’re with, Thomas Moore wrote about making love to the lips that are near. Which is similar and in his day would have been so risqué.
‘All of his songs have this idea that you are only here for a short time so live your life.
‘The songs centre a lot round folk history, Celtic mythology and nationalism.
‘But in general the night is meant to entertain the audience. And as Moore was such a great lyricist and poet we are putting his words on the screen behind us as the songs are being sung.
‘The words are poignant and although written 200 years ago, I still think so much of them are relevant in today’s world too.’
Thomas Moore – Reawakened will take place at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, on February 21. Tickets, priced from €15, are available now from NCH.ie
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