Sundays at Lena's : New Book

For all instruments -- please read F.A.Q. before posting.
Post Reply
User avatar
Mr.Gumby
Posts: 6606
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:31 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: the Back of Beyond

Sundays at Lena's : New Book

Post by Mr.Gumby »

Two weeks ago a forum member asked me if I had Mary MacNamara's new book and would I give an opinion/review, to perhaps help deciding if it was worth the additional cost of postage.. The book was launched during the Feakle festival in August, I ended up not going to the launch and forgot about the book altogether. :oops: I have since collected a copy from Custy's so there you go;

During the Concertina Cruinniú 2021 Mary MacNamara held a talk about some of the musicians she knew when growing up. The talk was based on a project she was working on. The project has now come to fruition with the publication of 'Sundays at Lena's' a collection of memories and notations of music from the playing of the musicians featured in the book : Whistle and flute player Joe Bane, fiddle players Martin Rochford and Bill Malley, concertina players Mikey O'Donoghue Paddy Grogan and John Naughton.

Musicians Mary became acquainted with through her father and his East Clare travelling shop and subsequently through the Sunday sessions in Lena's in Feakle.

It is primarily a tune collection with mostly tunes that are familiar enough although they come in settings local to the area or personal to the player they were taken from. All three concertina players played 'on the rows' on two row instruments so many tunes are played and written in C and related keys. Martin Rochford had strong opinions about the choice of key and the mood of tunes, he enjoyed playing 'the flat keys' as well. More C tunes there.

I had hoped to find a bit more in the way of recollections and stories in the book but the brief introductions of each player do nicely.


Here's a podcast featuring Mary talking about the book and playing some tunes. And here she is talking about the book on RTE's The Rolling Wave.

The book itself is a sturdy, well produced 127 p hardback, weighing 819 g (which will cost you dearly in postage, bordering on the prohibitive, depending on your location and how badly you want the book). A CD with recordings the music was transcribed from is included.

Image

Notations are well laid out, notations of the fiddle tunes are first given as played with double stops and are then given as plain, single melody lines, which is a good idea.

One to have, perhaps, if you're interested in the music of East Clare.

The book can be ordered directly from Mary or from Custy's.
My brain hurts

Image
User avatar
Steve Bliven
Posts: 2973
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2004 2:06 pm
antispam: No
Location: Dartmouth, Massachusetts, USA

Re: Sundays at Lena's : New Book

Post by Steve Bliven »

Gumby — Thanks very much for the review. It's very helpful in deciding whether to purchase and have $hipped.

Best wishes.

Steve
Live your life so that, if it was a book, Florida would ban it.
Peter Piper
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:59 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Hello, I have been playing the whistle for several years and play in a ceilidh band which is why I am interested in this forum. Irish Music is of great interest to me especially as I have Irish relatives.

Re: Sundays at Lena's : New Book

Post by Peter Piper »

Yes thank you for that detailed review. Seems like a good investment. Liked the quote by the way. Appropriate for many if us no doubt. Kind regards, Peter
User avatar
Mr.Gumby
Posts: 6606
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:31 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: the Back of Beyond

Re: Sundays at Lena's : New Book

Post by Mr.Gumby »

She'll be doing another launch of it during the opening of the Ennis tradthing, Nov 10 at the Queen's. Music by herself, Andrew, Sorcha, Riona Healy (and probably whoever else turns up on the night)

Article in the Clare Champion: Mary’s labour of love honours East Clare’s musical heritage
My brain hurts

Image
Post Reply