by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: Thomas Patrick Kenny
Album: The Music Of Turlough O'Carolan And Other Irish Treasures
Year produced: 2008

The title of this CD piqued my interest and I really wasn't quite sure what to expect when I pressed play. For the uninitiated, Turlough O'Carolan was an Irish Bard who was blinded by smallpox and lived from 1620 to 1738. He was known for his harp music, but in truth, became well known for his composition more than his ability to play. This is what has been highlighted here on this CD, although it by no means limits iteslf to the harp.

Thomas Patrick Kenny chooses instead to use a variety of instruments to tip his hat in tribute to the great artist, and does so with style. When giving a tribute, there is always the concern that the musical artist's agenda will either overpower or overshadow the person (or people) that are being honored. This is not the case on this album, and one can tell that Kenny is truly trying to represent O'Carolan here.

It is a bit unusual that Kenny has decided to give an instrumental tribute, as O'Carolan was also known for his lyrics and poetry. It would be interesting to know what that selection was made. That said, it does not diminish the quality of the CD in any way. In fact, it may even enhance it a bit, since one gets to concentrate on the music alone.

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Catherine L. Tully is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in the arts. She has written for American Style and Classical Singer, among other magazines, and reviews music for Marc Gunn's Celtic MP3s Music Magazine. You can reach her through her website at CatherineLTully.com.

Labels: cd_review_2008

Posted by Marc Gunn, Tuesday, July 15, 2008.
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