Search - David Kincaid :: The Irish Volunteer: Songs Of The Irish Union Soldier 1861-1865

Brilliant Stuff!

Sean Cunningham | Pittsfield, MA, USA | 01/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"David Kincaid has brought some of the best Irish musicians in America together to make an absolutely brilliant disc. His use of traditional tunes with equally traditional lyrics is phenomenal and the quality of the playing is everything one would expect from the caliber of the musicians. This is a CD that makes me proud to be an Irish-American."

"Erin's Harp and the Starry Flag"

Theo Logos | Pittsburgh, PA | 04/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Those who have studied the American Civil War or Irish American history know the tremendous contribution that the Irish made to that unfortunate conflict. Waves of immigrants where coming to America's shores from Ireland every day, and many of these were recruited to fight for the Union directly off of the ships. They often fought in units composed entirely of their country men, like the 37th New York "Irish Rifles", the "Irish 9th" Massachusetts, the 69th Pennsylvania, or General Meagher's famous "Irish Brigade, made up of the 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York Volunteers.

These men had their own music; propaganda recruitment songs, songs linking the Union cause with their own fight for liberty back home in Erin, and songs warning others to avoid coming and joining in a vicious fight that was not their own. Most of these songs disappeared after the war, never entering into America's folk music tradition as other Civil War songs did. But David Kincaid searched through old collections in museums and libraries, and rediscovered many of these rousing songs of the Irish Civil War soldiers. He then combined the lyrics he found with traditional Irish tunes (all but one of the songs he discovered lacked musical notation), and here performs them with rousing traditional Irish instrumentation. The result is a stunning success.

This is great Irish music, performed authentically with pipes, whistle, bodhran, fiddle, and mandolin. There are lilting, catchy songs like `The Opinions of Paddy Magee', `The List of Generals', and the title track `The Irish Volunteer'. Then there are more somber and mournful ones, such as `Paddy's Lamentation', `Pat Murphy of Meagher's Brigade', and `Free and Green' (the only new song, written for this project). All the elements that make for great Irish music are here.

As Civil War music, this CD is invaluable. Almost all the songs included on `The Irish Volunteer' are authentic Civil War songs that had disappeared from the historical record and are revived here. Not only do they brilliantly illustrate a particular aspect of Civil War history, but they are fine, rousing songs in their own right. No collection of Civil War music should be without it.

I have had this CD for years, and it has never fallen out of my regular playing rotation. If you have any interest in Irish music or the American Civil War, `The Irish Volunteer' is a "can't miss" purchase.



Theo Logos

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