Dan Worrall Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 (edited) Hi all, As promised, here is some information on the release of a new book about the life and music of Chris Droney. Some on this site managed to get a draft pre-release copy when the publisher – Gary Coover – left it on Amazon's sales site for a few minutes too long when we were making some check prints! Amazing the global speed of the internet. The book is Chris Droney of Bell Harbour and the Tradition of the Concertina in North Clare, by Dan Worrall and Jarrett Branch, with a Foreword by Ann Droney Kirrane. It includes a biography of Chris as well as of his father and grandfather, a tutorial with imbedded recordings of the Droney playing style, and careful transcriptions of over 130 of Chris’s recorded tunes as he played them. The project was a real labor of love, and was put together with the kind assistance of Ann Kirrane and her brother Francis Droney. The book will have two launches before it is released for online and brick-and-mortar sales: a limited launch in East Texas in March, and the main launch in County Clare in April. This year’s Palestine Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival (www.oldpalmusic.com ) occurs March 23-25 in Palestine, a small town in East Texas. The concertina workshop – a part of the larger old time music festival - has occurred every year (excepting Covid!) since 2004. This year the plan is 1) for workshops by Gary Coover (visiting from Honolulu) on playing the Anglo concertina in the harmonic style, on playing for sea shanties, and one workshop for English concertina. Gary has published several fabulous new books this year, among them The Anglo Concertina Music of Phil Ham (by Gary), and Anglo Concertina from Beginner to Master by Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, both in the harmonic style. Gary will use excerpts from them, along with his own tutor, Easy Anglo 1-2-3, in his concertina workshops. 2) Dan Worrall and Jarrett Branch will hold two workshops on the Droney/north Clare Anglo concertina style, as well as a complete beginner’s workshop on that style, all utilizing transcriptions from the new Chris Droney book. Old Pal will constitute a limited book launch of it, with copies available at half price for those who attend and place an order in advance for delivery at the festival. Gary’s new books will likewise be available to attendees at half price. No worries, one needn’t purchase any of these, as sheet music will be available for those confirming attendance in advance via email. Please send Dan and/or Gary a message via this website for more information if interested in attending! The formal launch of this new book on Chris Droney will occur at the 2023 Consairtín (www.consairtin.ie) in Ennis, County Clare the following month (April 13-16). The opening night of Consairtín will kick off with music by Ernestine Healy, followed by the new book’s launch and a celebration of the life and musicianship of Chris Droney. Music and set dancing will be provided for that opening event by the Droney family, including Ann Kirrane and her brother Francis Droney along with musical family and friends, as well as Dan and Jarrett, who will briefly discuss parts of the book in between music segments. The full schedule is available at the Consairtín website. Book copies will be available or purchase at Consairtín, and afterwards will be available for online purchase and at some brick and mortar outlets. So please do join us at either at Palestine or at Consairtín! It will be great to see you all, and to reminisce about one of the great concertina players of Ireland. Edited January 22 by Dan Worrall 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 1 hour ago, Dan Worrall said: The formal launch of this new book on Chris Droney will occur at the 2023 Consairtín (www.consairtin.ie) in Ennis, County Clare the following month (April 13-16). See you in Ennis Dan, it's been too long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worrall Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 On 1/21/2023 at 1:29 PM, Stephen Chambers said: See you in Ennis Dan, it's been too long! Indeed it has, Stephen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Trobe Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 When will the book be available to buy in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worrall Posted March 10 Author Share Posted March 10 8 hours ago, Keith Trobe said: When will the book be available to buy in the UK? I think Rollston Press will make it available on Amazon on April 13, the day of the book launch; Amazon prints in both the UK and the US. I know that Gary is sending some copies to Red Cow Music about that same time, so they should be available there in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G. Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 Dan, were there many editorial changes after the premature copies escaped from Amazon? I haven't noticed anything in mine that would have called for editing, but I'm curious. I look forward to meeting you at Consairtín. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worrall Posted March 11 Author Share Posted March 11 Joe, Yes, there were some changes....the wait was good so that we could shake them out. Some blown key signatures, missing repeats....minor stuff. And a few cosmetics. Authors are always their own worst critics, and I am no exception....but perfection is of course something for the next world. At Consairtin they will be sold at a quite heavy discount - we want to get them in people's hands - so your might find it cheap enough to upgrade! Looking forward to meeting you there. All the best, Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Laban Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 (edited) The launch night in Ennis was very pleasant, lovely music by the Droneys, family and friends. Haven't had much time to look at the book in detail but first impression is a positive one. Kudos to all involved Three wise monkeys, Edgely, Branch, & Worrall: Brought back memories of the man himself: Inside Crotty's, Kilrush, with Mick Mulcahy. 1997 Edited April 14 by Peter Laban 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Laban Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 (edited) Having spent a bit more time with the book I must say I love it, a great contribution to the music of North Clare and a great tribute to Chris and his music. My inner pedant spotted some minor oversights in the notes to the tunes, all of them wood for the trees issues, insignificant so never mind those. There's one thing bugging me, though: the claim Séamus Ennis composed the Cuckoo hornpipe. This is easily laid to rest when welisten to Michael Coleman's recording of the tune, as Murray's fancy. It was made in the spring of 1921, when Ennis was barely two years old. Edited April 17 by Peter Laban Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcoover Posted April 17 Share Posted April 17 (edited) Thanks, Peter, I shall pass this info along to Dan and we can easily make any updates - the beauty of print-on-demand publishing. Lovely photos, thanks for posting! Now that the official launch is over, the Droney book is available worldwide on Amazon in paperback, and perhaps soon through retailers like Custy's Traditional Music Shop and McNeela Music in Ireland, and Red Cow Music in the UK. No word yet on a Kindle edition, but I have suggested it to Dan. Perhaps in a few weeks or months. Gary Edited April 17 by gcoover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worrall Posted April 18 Author Share Posted April 18 (edited) Thanks for the kind words, Peter. Mea culpa on the Cuckoo; I was led astray on the internet! I’m sure it won’t be the last gremlin found…perfection is not for this life, at least for me. I’ll fix it, and also add a few more old photos of the Droneys during threshing….they didn’t surface until I put together the slide show for the event. Consairtin was a thoroughly wonderful event; lots of great music, and I met many old and new friends. My only regret is that I didn’t meet up with you there. I don’t know what you look like! So if you are at Kilfenora this weekend and our paths cross, please step forward! Here is a photo of myself and Jarrett Branch with Ann Kirrane and our book. cheers Dan ps thanks for posting the photo of the ‘three monkeys.’ I guess we have arrived, so to speak, since we’ve been photographed by Peter Laban! Edited April 18 by Dan Worrall 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Laban Posted May 6 Share Posted May 6 (edited) Just as a means to bump this thread to the top and for anybody into that sort of thing: I just got myself a copy, fresh off the press, of Helen O'Shea's excellent book on fiddle player Paddy Canny, 'No better boy'. Included in it are notations of the Cuckoo hornpipe from the playing of both Michael Coleman and Paddy Canny. Reading these side by side with the Droney version can give some insight in different styles and approaches among traditional musicians. If you're into that sort of thing, ofcourse. Edited May 6 by Peter Laban eradicating typos 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.