Reading for Tues April 10

Glassie PTT: “Clay”

A beautiful, detailed, and very well-integrated description of how the people of Ballymenone thought about space: the home, the yard, the garden, the fields, the bog, and the world. Remembering our metaphor of the “Spiral Journey”, think about the following questions while reading, seeking to use space and words as a “way in”.

Glassie is meticulous at describing both the composition of the various kinds of land around Ballymenone and also the ways that people think about and use it. What kind of practical “nature knowledge” does their expertise reveal? What kind of attitude about the earth might such expertise create?

Many Ballymenone people use the land, or specific aspects of the land, as metaphors for how people interact. What are some examples of those metaphors and how do they reveal peoples’ sense of their ties to the land?

What sorts of values are manifested in such language and metaphors and what does Glassie think these values reveal about people, and about what these people might have to teach others?

Carson, “The Cat Melodeon” & “The Dead Man’s Breeches”

Both of these chapters take off from the introduction of new technology into the Irish tradition: in the first, the role of “free-reeds” (including accordions, melodeons, and concertinas), which were imported into Ireland in the late 19th century; in the second, the invention and incorporation of the early Edison phonograph recorder. In both cases, this new technology had a profound impact on both the sound of the music and the transmission of the music.

What personal/family associations does the melodeon have for Carson? How does the physical design of the free-reeds shape or modify the sound of the music overall? What was the response of “traditionalists” to these new instruments?

Almost all of “TDMB” is actually borrowed/quoted material; why do you think Carson did that in this chapter? From what sorts of sources do these borrowed excerpts come? How does the machine work, physically? How does Francis O’Neill describe the reaction of pre-20th century musicians to this new technology?

Finally, what does the quote from Robert Bresson mean? Be prepared to comment and discuss.