back prev next Irish harp terms from Bunting
from Edward Bunting, Ancient Music of Ireland (Dublin 1840)
Irish croitheadh aon mhéir spoken by Gráinne Yeats Scottish Gaelic crathadh aon mheur spoken by Tony Dilworth Click the play button to hear it spoken. help "By first finger, back and forwards, on the same string." Click on the picture to watch the video. help Bill Taylor Note that although Crotach aon mear is listed under "Graces performed by the treble or left hand", Bill is playing it with his right hand in the video. Bill bounces his finger off the string above; alternatively it is possible to bounce the back of the nail off the string below. The musical example given indicates that it might be sustained for many more repetitions than this. There is a similar figure in the Rebert ap Huw manuscript of medieval Welsh music, called ‘krychu’ (wrinkle), except that the Welsh tablature indicates it may be done with any of the treble (left hand) fingers or thumb. Simon Chadwick 2008 Crotach aon mear ('in English characters' Crothachaon mhear) - Shaking The Gaelic forms here differ, so that it is hard to be sure, but one possibility is croitheadh aon mhéir, 'the shaking of one finger'; for that the word for 'finger', méar, has to be taken as masculine (genitive méir), which is unusual. On p.93 another example is given, headed 'Croth a chaon mhear, or moving the finger backward & forward on the same string.' Colm Ó Baoill 2002
Click the play button to hear it spoken. help
"By first finger, back and forwards, on the same string."
Click on the picture to watch the video. help
Bill Taylor
Note that although Crotach aon mear is listed under "Graces performed by the treble or left hand", Bill is playing it with his right hand in the video. Bill bounces his finger off the string above; alternatively it is possible to bounce the back of the nail off the string below. The musical example given indicates that it might be sustained for many more repetitions than this.
There is a similar figure in the Rebert ap Huw manuscript of medieval Welsh music, called ‘krychu’ (wrinkle), except that the Welsh tablature indicates it may be done with any of the treble (left hand) fingers or thumb.
Simon Chadwick 2008
Crotach aon mear ('in English characters' Crothachaon mhear) - Shaking
The Gaelic forms here differ, so that it is hard to be sure, but one possibility is croitheadh aon mhéir, 'the shaking of one finger'; for that the word for 'finger', méar, has to be taken as masculine (genitive méir), which is unusual. On p.93 another example is given, headed 'Croth a chaon mhear, or moving the finger backward & forward on the same string.'
Colm Ó Baoill 2002
