Don't know if it's of any interest, but these are the track listings and notes to the CD of the programme
Jim Carroll

River of Sound   Michael O Suilleabháin and others

1. Ah Sweet Dancer         Irish Chamber Orchestra, Eileen Ivers, Michael O Suilleabháin.
2. Johnny Dohertys           Ciaran Tourish, Dermot Byrne
3. The Two Conneeleys           Michael O Suilleabháin. Christy Moore
4. The Real Blues Reel           Mick Kinsella Brendan Power
5. Si Bheag, Si Mhor           Cormac Breatnach Michael O Suilleabháin.
6. Pulsus           Mel Mercier Group
7. Three Jigs: Tyrell's Pass, The Coolinarne Jig, The...         Laoise Kelly
8. A River Of Sound;         Various
9. Caoineadh Na D'tr Mhuire           Iarla O Lionáird
10. Three Reels:: Paddy Fahys, Green Fields Of Antrim...         Eileen Ivers
11. Wind In The Woods           Mairtin O' Connor, Irish Chamber Orchestra , Michael O
        Suilleabháin, Michael Martin Murray
12. Turas Go Tir Na Nog           Michael O Suilleabháin.
13. O Keefes Slides           Stephen Cooney, Seamus Begley
14. The Roaring Water Reels           Niall Vallely
15. Barn Dances: The Jolly Beggarman, The Darling Girl from Clare Frankie Gavin, Martin O Connor,
16. Port Na bPucai           Ronan Browne


The River of Sound

1    Ah Sweet Dancer.   Micheal! Ó Suilleabhain. [Piano], Eileen Ivers. [Fiddle] with the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Inspired by the poem of the same title by WB Yeats this piece -was composed by Micbeál Ó Suilleabháin in the style of the great Munster song airs. It is performed here by the Irish Chamber Orchestra with Micbeál Ó Suilleabháin on piano and soloist Eileen Ivers. Eileen Ivers is a traditional fiddle player from New York of Irish extraction. 'Ah Sweet Dancer' was recorded in Ballinlough Castle Athboy, Co Meath in August, 1994,

2    'Johnny Doherty's, Ciaran Tourish [Fiddle] & Dermot Byrne [Accordion].
The spirit of a legendary Donegal fiddler is invoked here on a sparkling set of tunes attributed to John Doherty, an itinerant musician who died in 1980 in his eighties. Fiddler, Ciaran Tourish and accordion player, Dermot Byrne both play with the internationally renowned group, Altan who bring the regional accents of Donegal to audiences the world over.

3 'The Two Conneeleys' Christy Moore [Uoice] &
Micheál Ó Suilleabhain [Piano].
One of the best known voices in Ireland Christy Moore sings out of a deep well of tradition. He is a performer who is rooted in contemporary social realities but with a background in traditional singing and a deep regard for sean nos. Songs, like 'The Two Conneeleys' call on a spirit in Irish singing which comes from the collective music making of generations of Irish people.

4    The Real Blues Reel' Brendan Power & Mick Kinsella. [Harmonicas].
New Zealand bom harmonica player Brendan Power explores the affinities between blues and traditional Irish music expressed in the 'bent' or 'blued' note common to both traditions. The harmonica because it is, like the concertina and accordion a single reed instrument is sonically at home with traditional music. Brendan's compositions are based on structure of Irish dance tunes.... jigs, reels, hornpipes and other dances

5    'Si Bheag, Si Mhor' Micheal 0 Suilleabhain [Piano], Cormac Breatnach
[LLow whistle]| & John 0 Kane (Cello).
Reputedly the I8th century harper, O Carolan's first composition it is arranged here for harpsichord, cello and low whistle. Another fine example of the fertile interaction between two musical worlds the traditional and the baroque. This piece was recorded in Ballinlough Castle, Athboy, Co Meath in August, 1994,

6    PuIsus' Mel Mercier & Group. [See below],
A virtuoso percussionist. Mel Mercier's home instrument is the bodhran or native Irish frame drum. In recent years be has explored the ethnic percussion traditions of other countries, principally India and Indonesia from which explorations comes this electrifying piece. Recorded by Ray Barron. Performed by Mel Mercier, Frank Torpey, Jim Higgms, Fiona Kelleher, Rosie Kelleher, Orla Henihan. (Bodhradns, bones. Javanese ciblon drum & kemanak bells, Indian bells, slit drum, vocals).'

7    Three Jigs: 'Tyrell's Pass'. 'The Cooliname Jig','The Lisnagun Jig' Laoise Kelly IHarpl.
Laoise Kelly is a young harper who has developed a unique style of playing dance music on the harp. This allows her to take her harp into music sessions with other traditional players. A virtuoso musician, her playing is characteristically redolent of the attack and vigour of modern traditional music. The piece was recorded in Galway, July 1994.

8    A River Of Sound' Various Artists [See below]. In this the climactic musical statement oj the 'River of Sound' series players from diverse musical and ethnic back¬grounds perform a specially commissioned piece written by Donal Lunny and Michedl Ó Stiilleabháin. Strings, percussion, saxophone, keyboards, harmonica, koras (African harp) Irish harp, fiddle and bouzouki come together on a piece of music which signals the position of Irish traditional music as it enters into its third millenium. Reaching into the past, it also extends itself into the wider world and out into the future, enriched and enriching in the process.
Featuring: Strings: K. Rice. A. Veches. J.O Kane. J. Kelly & M. Robinson.
Percussion: E. Glennie. Bodhran: M. Mercier. F. Torpey. Saxophone: K. Edge. Harmonica: B. Pouter. Koras: T. Jegede. H. Jobarteh. Irish harp: L. Kelly. Fiddle: A. Casey. Bouzouki and bodhran, D. Lunny. Piano. Harpsichord: M O Suillibheanni.

9    Caoineadh na dTri Mhuire larlaO Lionaird. [Voice]
Traditional unaccompanied singing in [rish is known as 'sean nos' (literally 'old style') This song, 'Caoineadh na dTri Mhuire', 'The Lament of the Three Marys' is one of the oldest examples of its type. Intense and complex, sean nos makes demands equally of the singer and the listener. Iaria Ó Lionáird is one of the most renowned of today's generation of sean nos singers.

10 Three Reels:'Paddy Fahys', 'Green Fields of Antrim'. 'Star of Munster' Eileen Ivers [Fiddlle]
Each generation of traditional players receives music from those who went before, makes its own mark on the tradition and then hands it on. In this way traditional music is changed yet remains the same. Fiddler Eileen Ivers is one of the foremost players in her generation, exemplifying all that is innovative and original in traditional music but rooted in the collective bedrock of that tradition.

11 'Wind in the Woods Mátairtín O Connor [Accordeon], Martin Murray. [Mandolin]. Micheal Ó Suilleabháin [Piano] & Irish Chamber Orchestra. Composed by the accordion player, Máirtin O Connor's 'Wind in the Woods' was arranged by Micheál Ó Suilleabháin for chamber orchestra and piano. Following a course of musical development that runs from the work of O Carolan to the present day, this piece is a delightful exposition of that impulse in Irish traditional music to play with the structure of a melodic line.

12 'Turas go Tír na nÓg' Micheal ÓSúilleabháin [Piano]
.4 traditional song air arranged for piano and played by Micheál Ó Súilleabháin. Traditional singing in Irish 'ar an sean nós' has given many beautiful melodies to the instrumental tradition. These melodies, quite different in construction to the dance music are known as 'airs' or 'slow airs1.

13 O'Keefe's Slides' Seamus Begley [Accordeon] & Stephen COONEY [Guitar]
Seamus Begley and Stephen Cooney epitomise the spirit of dance music of the West Kerry Gaeltacht. It is the imperative of dance which drives their music on... its energy, its compellling rythms and its irresistible beat.        

14 'The Roaring Water Reels' Niall Vallely [Concertina]
One of the most original and distinctive voices in Irish music Niall Vallely is a young player who is engaged in pushing out thefrontiers in traditional music both in technique and composition. A master musician at the outset of his career, this performance holds out a promise of greater things to come.

15 Barn Dances: 'The Jolly Beggarman'. The Darling Girl from Clare' Frankie Gavin (Fiddle & Máirtí O Connor [Accordion]
The exhilerating spirit of the early recordings of Irish traditional music is invoked here on two glittering tunes from the heyday of Irish music in America. Well-known exponents of the style. Frankie Gavin and Máirtin O Connor bring to their performance a dazzling technical mastery combined with unrestrained passion.

16 'Port na bPucai' Ronan Browne Few instruments invoke the spirit of Irish traditional music like the uilleann pipes. Ronán Browne a master player of a dauntingly difficult instrument performs one of the most haunting airs in the tradition 'Port na bPúcaí' - 'The Music of the Spirits'. Legend has it that this air was passed on by the fairy people to a boatman fishing at night in the Blasket Sound off the Kerry coast. Hearing the tune it is difficult to gainsay its provenance.

1   Ah Sweet Dancer'
Micheál Ó Suilleabháin [Piano] Eileen Ivers [Fiddle] with the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Camposed by M. Ó Suilleabhain. EMI Virgin Music Publishers ltd. [6.43]

2   'Johnny Dohertys'
Ciaran Tourish [Fiddle] & Dermot Byrne [Accordeon] Trad arr C. Tourish/D. Byrne. [2.42]

3 'The Two Conneeleys'
Christy Moore [Voice] & Micheal Ó Suilleabháin [Piano]. Composed by C. Moore/W. Page. Publisher: Bal Music [3.11]

4   'The Real Blues Reel'
Brendan Power & Mick Kinsella [Harmonicas]. Composed by B. Power. [2.34]


5 'Si Bheag, Si Mhor'
Micheál Ó Suilleabhhain [Harpsichord], Comac Breatnach [Low-whistle] & John O Kane [Cello]. Composed by T O Carolan. Arranged by C. Breathach/M Ó Suilleabhhain. [2.38]

6   'Pulsus'
Mel Mercier, Frank Torpey, Jim Higgins. Fiona Kelleher, Rosie Kelleher, Orla Henihan. [see notes tor full details]. Composed by M. Mercier. [2:2S]

5 Three Jigs: 'Tyrell's pass', 'The Coolinarne Jig', 'The Lisnagun Jig',
Laoise Kelly [Harp]. Composed by B. Ring. Arranged by L Kelly. Publisher for 'Tyrell's Pass' & 'The Lisnagnn Jig': Evoloving Music. [3:17]

8   'A River Of Sound'
Various Artists [See notes for full details]. Composed by P. Lunny/M Ó Suilleabhain. [11:05]

9 Caoineadh na dTrí Mhuire'
Iarla Ó Leonairdl [Voice]. Trad arr. I. O Lionaird. [4:06]

10 Three Reels: 'Paddy .ahys", 'GreenFields of Antrim', 'Star of Munster',
EileenIvers [fiddle]. Trad arr. I. Ivers. Publisher: musical Bridge. [4.04]

11 'Wind in the Woods'
Mairtin O Connor [Accordion], martin ttlurray [mandolin], Micheal Ó Suilleabhain [Piano] & Irish Chamber Orchestra. Strings arranged & Conducted by M Ó. Suilleabhain. Composed by M O'Connor . [2:57]

12 'Turas go Tir na nOg'
Micheal Ó Suilleabhain [Piano], Trad arr. m. Ó Suilleabhain Publisher Eye music. [4:01]

13 'O Keefe's Slides'
Seamus Begleg [Accordion] & Stephen Cooney [Guitar]. Trad, arr S. Begley/S. Cooney, [2.17]

14 'The Roaring Water Reels'
Niall Vallely [Concertina]. Composed by N. Vallely. [1:19]

15 Barn Dances: 'The Jolly Beggarman', 'The Darling Girl from Clare'
Frankie Gavin [Fiddle] & Martin O Connnr [Accordionl. Trad arr. F. Gavin/M O Connor. (3:35]

16 'Port na bPucaí'
Ronan ,Browne uilleann Piper]. Trad an. R. Browne. [4:201

.
The River of Sound; The Changing Course of Irish Traditional Music
Our music is a water of life, whiskey of passion. It uplifts us, releases us, marks our joy and sadness. It is a music to live for and to die for. Like all true music, it carries the spirit of truth and freedom. It is a music which demands to be shared beyond the hounds of race and tradition.
As Irish music flows into that great singing ocean of music ' which is surfacing in our own time around the globe, it is timely to chart its course so that the flow may be more abundant. It is also good to chart the riverbanks in a time when root and identity are challenged in a single world of electronic vision. Finding the most fruitful balance of source and course, font and flow, tradition and innovation, demands that we know who we are. Feeling for the river-banks invokes that knowledge.
The great hero of early Ireland, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, is said to have expressed a preference above all music for 'the music of what happens'. This recording is a window on what hap¬pened during the television series of the same name.
Micheal O Suilleabháin

The music contained on this CD was recorded live between July and 1 August. 1994 for the Hummingbird Productions series 'A River of Sound' Sound' for BBC Northern Ireland and Radio Telefis Eireann, The series traces the changing course of Irish traditional music. The producers would like to thank the 130 musicians who contributed to the series and all those who made it possible.
Tracks 1,3,5.8, 11.13 recorded by Brian Masterson
Tracks 2.4, 7, 9 10, 13. 14, 15 recorded by Brendan Deasy.
Track 6 - 'Pulsus' recorded by Ray Barron.
Music mixed by Brian Masterson at Windmill Lane Recording Studios.
Assisted by Richard Rainey, Ciaran Cahill. Alistair McMillan
Associate producer tor Hummingbird: Sarah Power.
'A River of Sound' track produced by Brian Masterson & Donal Lunny.
All other music produced by Brian Masterson & Philip King.
The series was written and devised by Micheal Ó Suilleabhain. It was written for television by Micheal Ó Suilleabhain. Nuala O Connor and Philip King.