Händel in Ireland

Internationally renowned traditional Irish band Caitríona O’Leary & Dúlra, with special guests that include some of the world’s most celebrated traditional music stars.

Commissioned by the Händel Festival in Halle, Germany, this production was sold-out at the Festival in June 2015. The concert, devised by Caitríona O’Leary, is a celebration of Handel’s stay in Ireland in 1741 – 1742. Händel’s sojourn in Ireland has become legendary; during this trip he premiered his oratorio Messiah on 13 April 1742 at Dublin’s, New Musick Hall in Fishamble Street.

In “Händel in Ireland” Caitríona O’Leary & Dúlra perform songs and dances that were popular in Ireland at the time, music that Händel would undoubtedly have encountered, as well as some works by the maestro himself, all transformed through the prism of traditional Irish music.

Band:

Caitríona O’Leary (voice, direction)
Flute/Whistles
Uilleann Pipes
Fiddle
Cello
Bouzouki/Mandola
Hurdy-Gurdy
Percussion

Selections from the Programme Include:

“Ta me ma Chulla’s na doushe me” (“Tá mé ‘mo Chodladh ‘sná Dúisigh mé – I am Asleep and Don’t Waken Me”) from John & William Neale’s A Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes, 1724

“Eileanór, a Rún/Ailen Aroon” (“Eleanor, my Dear”) from living tradition (sean-nós) and Burk Thumoth’s Twelve Scotch and Twelve Irish Airs, 1748

“Musette” by Händel from Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 6 HWV 324

“Patrick Sarsfield/Der Arme Irische Junge” from Neale’s A Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes and manuscript MUMS 263 (as transcribed by Händel)

“Ceann Dubh Dílis/Curri Koun Dilich” (“Dark-Haired Deary”) by Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738) (from Thumoth’s Twelve Scotch and Twelve Irish Airs)

“Rejoyce Greatly, O Daughter of Zion” by Händel from Messiah HWV 56