Seán Ó Riada - The Playboy of the Western World (Full Album, Irish Folk Music)

Film soundtrack from 1962 by the most legendary composer and arranger of Irish traditional music in the modern era, performed by the group he founded, Ceoltóirí Cualann (which included many founding members of The Chieftains). Unfortunately the audio quality isn't excellent, but I don't think one can find better online.
00:00 Túscheol-téama: Mo Mhúirnin Bán.
02:58 Scanraíonn Shawn Keogh roimh Christy agus téann ag scaipeadh an scéil.
05:10 Christy ag eachtraí do Pegreen ar uaigneas a shaoil - agus ar alltacht a athar.
10:44 Cailíní an bhaile chuige... “It’s a Man!”
12:55 Christy ag eachtraí do na cailíní faoi mar mharaigh sé a athair...“Cuir uait iadsan” adeir Pegeen - “chrochfaidís thú!”
15:39 Téann Christy ar choimú Pegeen.
17:37 An Tórramh.
20:02 Ceol téama.
20:49 Comhchealg na Baintrí le Shawn Keogh... tig Old Mahon isteach.
21:41 Christy agus Pegeen... téann Christy go Páirc na Lúthchleas i dteannta na gcailíní.
24:35 Ar Pháirc na Lúthchleas... tig Old Mahon arís.
25:37 Ar Pháirc na Lúthchleas.
27:08 An Rince.
29:00 Christy agus Pegeen.
34:52 An Gaiscíoch...“An marbh ba mharbh gur beo do bhí.”
Musicians:
Michael Tubridy: Flute
Paddy Moloney: Uilleann Pipes and Whistle
Sonny Brogan: Accordion
Éamon de Buitléar: Accordion and Bodhrán
John Kelly: Fiddle
Martin Fay: Fiddle
Seán Ó Sé: Vocals
Seán Ó Riada: Bodhrán and Harpsichord
Ronnie McShane: Bones
Ireland / folk music / Éireann / Seán Ó Riada agus Ceoltóirí Cualann aka Chualann

[@Vingul]

"When Seán Ó Riada was invited by Four Provinces Films to provide the music for "The Playboy," his reputation as a composer of film music was already well established ("Mise Éire" in 1959: "Saoirse?" in 1961). In this instance, however, Ó Riada regarded his task less as one of composition than of design and direction, for, in the event, what he gave the producers was not a conventionally "original" score for conventional orchestra, but a wildly unconventional and exciting creative treatment of traditional Irish music. The players, while they may be grouped in a roughly "orchestral" pattern - woodwind, "brass," wind, strings and percussion - do not form an orchestra in the modern Western sense. The high individualism of the Irish muscial traditon is preserved in performance: there are no written parts, each player making his personal contribution to the texture of the music according to a design pre-arranged in discussion with the director: an impromptu a loisir, in fact! The instruments used are flute, uillean pipes, and tin-whistle; two double-row button accordians; two fiddles; bone-castanets and bodhran, or goatskin drum. These instruments are used for playing this kind of music in different parts of the country; the music itself is of course to be heard in every corner of Ireland. Its strength and freshness and deep popularity (in the real sense of the word) make it the Irish folk-art par excellence: its potential for development may be judged from this recording."

[@RaeKearns]

Thanks a mill for that, a good resume……..underrated album, in fact I would almost say, not recognised piece of work….

[@Vingul]

​@@RaeKearns Yes, it's really under-known. I'm pleased to have a physical copy of it. Thanks for the comments! I've posted some other Ó Riada, in case you'd like to have a look/listen: Seán Ó Riada Talks About Writing "Mise Éire" and Irish Nationalism kzbin.info/www/bejne/aarTan98aplqb5osi=9kBDCe6qNl20xg1A Seán Ó Riada, Séan Ó Sé & Ceoltóirí Chualann - Ding Dong (Full Album, 1967) kzbin.info/www/bejne/inSlq2VsjLCambMsi=neoyneXbdYDfBRW3 Seán Ó Riada, Seán Ó Sé & Ceoltóirí Chualann - Ríl Mór Bhaile an Chalaidh kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWbYYn6Xr5Jmeassi=JFtbPIp63Lnho0FY (The last one is just a single track from the Ding Dong album)

[@RaeKearns]

@@Vingul Yes I know that track, always find it funny but the musicians loose enthusiasm for the lilting ‘mouth music’ in the middle……James Last, King of Middle of the Road did a version about 1980 and the musicians did the same thing…great piece of music, it fairly rocks, not unlike the dance piece on side 2 of Playboy………..again much underated, if rated at alll…..

[@RaeKearns]

Fantastic album great piece of music, to me quite revolutionary but sadly barely even recognised, very Gaelic Avant Garde…..

[@OlavEngelbrektson]

Eg tykkjast det er mykje likt i Norigs og Irlands soger. Nordmannen var jo ikkje like undertrykkja som Iren var, det er sant nok, men me var beggje dei to einaste koloniane i Europa.