Farr Hall, Strathnairn, 26 May 2004

THE INTERWOVEN strands of Scottish and Irish music that ran through this memorable concert served to illustrate both the closeness and the distinctiveness of the Gaelic traditions on either side of the Irish Sea. Courtesy of funding from the Scottish Arts Council’s Tune Up scheme and The Columba Initiative in Ireland, Scotland’s Cliar and Donegal’s Altan have been able to work their magic in small venues around the Highlands and Islands and subsequently in Ireland, starting with this predictably sold-out appearance at Farr.

The Grand Finale at Farr

Both the music and the styles of the two bands reflected that combined same-but-different feel to the evening. After a short set by tutors and students from the local feis in Strathnairn, Cliar took the stage for their set, which included a song from the repertoire of Altan amid the Gaelic love songs, waulking songs and puirt a beul of their home tradition.

Although the band has fiddle, guitar, clarsach and piano accompaniment, and did venture on one instrumental set of tunes from fiddler Allan Henderson’s recent solo album, their emphasis lies very emphatically on vocal music. The music was firmly focused on the clarity and luminous beauty of their three principal voices, Arthur Cormack, Mary Ann Kennedy and Maggie McDonald (Ingrid Henderson adds a fourth, but in more of a supporting role), and they did not disappoint. The luxury of three such singers permits a continuous change of lead and harmony roles to suit the songs in question.

By contrast, Altan are essentially an instrumental band, although they have their own vocal trump card in the shape of Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (guitarist Mark Kelly also sang, something I have not heard from him before – his voice is not particularly distinguished, but his poignant solo guitar feature later in the set was one of the highlights of the concert).

They lifted both the energy level and the intensity of the concert right from the outset, flying through sets of reels and jigs with the power, grace and ensemble precision that is their well-established trademark. As ever, the twin fiddles of Ní Mhaonaigh and Ciarán Tourish led the attack, complemented by the dazzling box playing of Dermot Byrne and the guitar and bouzouki of Mark Kelly and Daithi Sproule. They remain at the top of the tree in the current hierarchy of Irish bands, and the chance to catch them in such an intimate setting was a privilege indeed.

The inevitable mass finale brought both bands together for a slightly untidy but robustly energised version of another old favourite from the Altan repertoire, the children’s song ‘Dúlamán’. A night to linger long in the memory.

Altan and Cliar play the following dates in the Highlands and Islands:
Farr Hall, Strathnairn, Wednesday 26 May 2004
Southend Hall, Daliburgh, South Uist, Thursday 27 May 2004
Talla Shomhairle @ Aros, Portree, Isle of Skye, Friday 28 May 2004
Aros Hall, Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Saturday 29 May 2004
Bowmore Hall, Bowmore, Isle of Islay, Tuesday 1 June 2004
Arainn Shuaineirt, ArdnamurchanHigh School, Strontian, Wednesday 2 June 2004

© Kenny Mathieson, 2004